Land Rover has unveil the fifth-generation Discovery at the 2016 Paris Motor Show, an all-new luxury seven-seater SUV that merges comfort, practicality, style, and genuine offload prowess.
Following the full reveal in France, the this newly launched Land Rover Discovery will go on sale in Australia starting in July 2017 with a starting price of $81,590 for the Td4 SE 7 Seat variant.
The Discovery 5’s exterior follows the design language we’ve seen on Land Rover’s of late and looks very similar indeed to the 2014 Land Rover Discovery Vision Concept, an evolution on the precedent set by the Range Rover Sport and the Land Rover Discovery Sport but eschewing the still-boxy lines of the fourth-generation Range Rover from 2012.
It is built on a newer aluminium intensive architecture that’s both lightweight and stronger, resulting in a 480kg reduction over the previous Discovery. Land Rover has worked hard to bring the suspension technology up to par with the most sophisticated SUVs, endowing it a multi-link setup that’s more responsive dynamically but maintains the ride quality that its predecessors have become known for.
A full list of engine and transmission options hasn’t been disclosed yet but expect power to be derived from JLR’s most recent generation of supercharged six-cylinder petrol engines as well as the new Ingenium family of efficient and powerful turbocharged four-cylinders diesels which includes a 177kW/500Nm unit.
Just like the model’s former generations, this Discovery incorporates the signature tiered seating arrangement with each row positioned higher than the one in front, contributing to claim that it can comfortably seat seven full sized adults; though the largest of them should probably be shuffled away from the third row.
Land Rover is touting its new Seat Fold system which allows rear passengers to the second and/or third row seats easily by way of controls at the SUV’s rear. Those settings can also be tweaked by the central touchscreen as well remotely via the vehicle’s companion smartphone app called InTouch Pro Services. With that functionality ticked in the options list, a 10-inch infotainment screen and 14-speaker Meridian audio system are also included.
The Discovery now measures 4,970mm, and the ability to reorient the two last rows of seats remotely would definitely help make the most of that cavernous boot. With the third row tucked away, 1,137-litres of cargo room becomes available, or 2,406-litres with the second row folded as well.
The added practicality enabled through this system means that hauling that IKEA dining table just became a lot easier, aided further by Auto Access Height feature, which can lower the car by up to 40mm when it senses the car is about to be accessed or exited by passengers. It also lowers when the rear lid is opened, which can also be used as a seating bench given the reduced height to make up for lack of a split tailgate that older Discoveries touted.
One other feature the Discovery offers, and another which combines technology to solve practicability issues, is the Activity Key wristband. With it worn, it acts as an alternative key fob that’s also hardier and water resistant, allowing owners to leave the regular one pristine and safely in the car.
Land Rover’s most recent iteration of the Terrain Response system returns in the Discovery, working in tandem with a system called All-Terrain Progress Control (ATPC) which can automatically judge and/or maintain the appropriate crawl speed for a given incline or surface or to set off from a particularly tricky landscape, needing the driver to worry about less.
Gerry McGovern, Land Rover’s Chief Design Officer said: “Design creates an emotional connection between our customers and our vehicles. Our clear design strategy means our vehicles are instantly recognisable and communicate the values of Land Rover that our customers love. New Discovery’s flawless volume and proportions, sophisticated surfaces and precise detailing beautifully combine with engineering integrity to create a premium SUV that will resonate with today’s customers.”
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