Should You Take the Land Rover Discovery Off-Road?
The Land Rover Discovery is a fun-to-drive 4x4 dripping with off-road moxie, while also playing nice on smoothly-paved streets.
Written by Maxine Boyko
Reviewed by Jessica Barrett
Don’t let its on-road prowess fool you—a surprising dual personality exists within the
Land Rover Discovery
, a super capable and comfortable SUV to drive in a range of demanding and hazardous road conditions.Off-roading opens up opportunities to understand and interact with your vehicle in ways that few daily drivers will ever experience. That’s why it’s important to choose an off-road vehicle that can keep up with the challenges you may confront along roads less traveled.
Jerry
, the car insurance
expert and money-saving super app
, is here to dish the dirt on the Discovery’s off-road capabilities. We’ll go over important off-road vehicle specs to keep in mind, like ground clearance and torque, and also give you the run-down on other SUVs to entertain on the road to ownership.Can the Land Rover Discovery go off-road?
Yes—true to its name, the Land Rover Discovery is built for discovery! Despite also making a fine on-road vehicle, even the most dedicated explorers enjoy the Discovery’s dedicated and impressive off-roading functionality.
At a starting price of $53,900, the 2021 Land Rover Discovery injects the comfort, luxury, and practicality of a family SUV into a sturdy and competent off-road vehicle.
Care to know more about this paradox on wheels? Let’s dig a little deeper into the Land Rover Discovery’s particulars.
Ground clearance
It’s important to know your vehicle’s ground clearance before you take it off-roading, as it will dictate which roads (or off-roads) you can safely navigate. The Land Rover Discovery has a ground clearance of 11.1 inches, making it an excellent off-road vehicle.
The recommended ground clearance for an off-road vehicle is between 8.8 and 10.8 inches. A larger ground clearance allows you to drive over substantial rocks and steep inclines without scraping your vehicle’s undercarriage. The Discovery’s undercarriage is well beyond this range, meaning you can fully enjoy adventuring without worrying about the road damaging your SUV.
Torque
One factor that makes an off-road vehicle unstoppable is low-end torque, which simply means high amounts of torque at a low number of revs. When you’re riding on difficult roads, control is more important than speed to keep all four wheels turning and to keep you moving smoothly along.
The 2021 Land Rover Discovery offers two engine options: the standard 2.0-liter four-cylinder delivers 295 lb-ft @ 1500 RPM and the higher-trim turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six engine offers 369 lb-ft @ 1750 RPM. Both are powerful engines that will allow you to keep up momentum without burning out your vehicle.
The diesel Land Rover Discovery was retired in 2020—but if you have an older model, or are considering buying used, you’ll be happy to know the 3.0-liter V6 turbodiesel engine can put out 443 lb-ft of torque @ 1750 RPM. This incredibly strong off-roading vehicle is also more efficient than the gasoline model, meaning you’ll enjoy fewer trips to the pump.
Tires
The Land Rover Discovery comes fitted with a set of Pirelli Scorpion Zero All Season 275/40R22 tires. These SUV-designed tires perform extremely well through intense rain and light snow. They’ll last for around 50,000 miles with proper care and maintenance, but they aren’t suited for consistent, heavy-duty off-roading.
To determine the best tires for your Discovery, you’ll want to think about how frequently you go off-roading and what your traction needs are for where you drive, be it mountainous rock-crawling, mudding, or steep dunes.
For dedicated tires with the best off-roading grip, you may want to consider the open-tread design of all-terrain (A/T) tires. If you spend a lot of time on smooth paved roads, however, sticking with the standard all-season tires will give you solid performance both on and off the road—and is the more fuel-efficient option.
For an additional $1,345, you can add on the Off-Road Pack. This package doesn’t just replace the all-season tires with off-road tires—you’ll also enjoy torque vectoring by braking (which improves acceleration on slippery roads), and a domestic plug socket for added comfort and convenience while on the move.
Key Takeaway The Land Rover Discovery comes with Pirelli Scorpion Zero All Season 275/40R22 tires, but you may want to upgrade to A/T tires depending on your driving habits.
Drivetrain
The Land Rover Discovery kicks it old-school with standard four-wheel drive. 4WD systems are ideal for drivers who like to go off-roading, as they continuously direct power to all four wheels when engaged—meaning you’ll have extra traction, grip, and full power in deep mud, rocky surfaces, and steep hills.
The Discovery also comes standard with additional off-road capabilities, including:
- Terrain Response: Reconfigures transmission, suspension, and traction settings for maximum control and handling in nearly all conditions. Modes includeRock Crawl; Grass, Gravel, & Snow; Mud & Ruts; Sand; and General Driving.
- Dynamic Stability Control: Regulates steering, and can identify unstable driving behavior like under- or oversteering and keep the vehicle under control.
- Hill Descent Control: Works in conjunction with the brakes to give you better control when descending and brake when necessary.
You may also add on additional packages like the $735 Advanced Off-Road Capability Pack, which includes:
- All Terrain Progress Control (ATPC): Operates like conventional cruise control, but targeted to set steady speeds in challenging off-road conditions.
- Terrain Response 2: Monitors conditions and automatically selects the best setting (with the ability to manually override).
- Configurable Terrain Response: The driver can customize their powertrain, steering, and traction control settings.
MORE: What’s the difference between AWD and 4WD?
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Angles
A vehicle’s angles will also impact your off-roading experience: namely, the approach angle and the departure angle:
- Approach angle: the steepest angle a vehicle can climb without the ground contacting the front bumper
- Departure angle: the steepest angle a vehicle can descend without the ground contacting the rear bumper
The Land Rover Discovery comes with approach and departure angles of 29 and 28, respectively, which are solid angles to have for light-duty off-roading. For peace of mind on the steepest and rockiest inclines, however, you may want to
consider a lift kit
to raise the height of your vehicle. Off-road rating: Trail Boss
To classify the Land Rover Discovery’s off-road readiness, we’ve used Jerry’s DIRT rating system. Check out the table below for each rating’s description:
Rating | Meaning | Description |
|---|---|---|
D | Don’t Try It | Vehicles better suited to highway conditions |
I | In a Pinch | Vehicles that can handle off-road conditions in certain circumstances |
R | Rough and Ready | Vehicles designed for casual off-roading |
T | Trail Boss | True off-road vehicles capable of tackling a range of terrain |
The Land Rover Discovery has achieved the top T rating: even without all the special upgrades and packages, the Discovery does double duty—while it’s designed to come fully equipped and capable for off-roading, it also makes for a comfortable and roomy daily driver fit for the concrete jungle.
If you already own a Land Rover Discovery, you can put it to the test yourself and experience its full range of capabilities with an expert instructor. Or, find the best Land Rover to suit your off-roading needs. Either of these can be accomplished by booking a
Land Rover Experience
. The best off-road alternatives to the Land Rover Discovery
When it comes to top-notch off-roading compatibility and on-the-road cool, the Land Rover Discovery is a tour de force. That said, different drivers like different things, so if you’re curious about some alternatives on the market, we’ve got you covered.
No matter what your preferences are, here are the best alternatives to the Land Rover Discovery.
Alternative | Model | Price | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
Safest alternative | $50,900 | Not that the Discovery isn’t safe, but the 2022 Volvo XC90 maintains a five-star safety rating from the NHTSA and has won the Top Safety Pick+ recognition from the IIHS for three consecutive years. Plus, with an MSRP of $50,900 and a combined 25 mpg fuel rating, you’re also snagging a great deal. | |
Best luxury alternative | The X7 is loaded with high-tech features, supremely comfortable seats, and several standard features including four-zone climate control, panoramic sunroof, heated seats, a power tailgate, and much more. While luxurious, it’s also expensive—with an MSRP of $73,900. | ||
Best reliable alternative | Consumer Reports rates the GX 460’s reliability 81 points higher than the Discovery, and J.D. Power ranks Lexus first in reliability. Lexus also has a better warranty and 30 percent more dealers than Land Rover, so maintenance is less of a hassle. But starting at $56,125, you’ll have to pay a little more for the convenience and peace of mind that Lexus provides. |
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How to find affordable car insurance for off-road vehicles
Not to spoil all the fun but 4WD vehicles have higher ownership costs, meaning you’ll spend more money buying, repairing, and insuring your Discovery than the average vehicle. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to make sacrifices—at least, not with the help of
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