Spacious, refined and versatile, the fifth generation Land Rover Discovery is at home on road and off it
Pros
- Seats seven adults
- Vast boot
- Driving refinement
Cons
- Expensive to run
- Dubious reliability
- Rubbish infotainment system
What sets the Land Rover Discovery 5 apart from its prestigious rivals – the Audi Q7, BMW X5, Mercedes GLE and Volvo XC90 key among them – is the fact that it’s a genuine and talented off-roader. For most buyers that’s not a quality upon which they’ll ever have much call, but Land Rover’s reputation has long been founded on the ability of its vehicles to venture forth into lands without tarmac, and that romantic ideal continues to sell cars. No matter that 99.9% of Discovery 5s will never be taken on adventures more daring than a trip across a muddy country car park, it’s important to the Land Rover myth that if one day you decide to journey across the Serengeti, you can.
Realistically, though, you’re buying a used Discovery 5 because you want a stylish, spacious, comfortable, refined and swift SUV. You might also buy one because you need to transport seven adults from time to time, or have a horsebox or caravan or trailer to tow long distances. In all these duties the Discovery 5 excels. It may not appear so from some angles, but the Discovery 5 is a big vehicle (in length, width and height), which pays dividends for interior space – it comfortably seats three across on its second row of seats, while the third-row chairs, which fold flat into boot floor until you need them, are adult-sized.
Even with the third row seats in use, you’re left with modest boot space, and when you return the cabin to five-seat configuration there’s a massive amount of room for luggage: with all the rear seats folded flat the Discovery 5 could double as a removal van.
For all its versatility the Discovery 5 is no utilitarian vehicle, although the entry-level S trim with its fabric seats would serve that purpose better (say for farmers) than the plusher models that sit about it in the range hierarchy. All models feature an eight-speed automatic gearbox, air suspension, advanced four-wheel drive and air-conditioning, and most have leather upholstery, sat-nav, parking sensors, and automatic headlights and windscreen wipers. The top grade HSE Luxury also features heated and ventilated front seats, four-zone climate control, rear seat entertainment screens and even a heated steering wheel.
No matter which of the Discovery 5’s petrol and diesel engines you pick you’re assured of brisk progress and an abundance of the sort of real-world pulling power that takes the potential stress out of overtaking and of carrying heavy loads. Good refinement is common to all of them and noise levels inside the car are low.
A generally rosy picture of the Discovery 5 must be tempered with the fact that reliability is sketchy. Some owners report that they’ve never had a problem and that every mile in their car has been golden, whereas others have had the engine replaced three times. Mostly the glitches are related to the Discovery 5’s electrical systems and can be troublesome to get to the root cause of – the great shame of it is that when it’s running properly, this Land Rover is one of the best all-round cars in the world.
What’s the history of the Land Rover Discovery 5?
The Discovery 5’s immediate predecessors – Discoverys 3 and 4 – shared boxy yet attractive styling that spoke of classy practicality: owners and potential owners admired that look and knew what it stood for. When the Discovery 5 launched in mid-2016 it broke that mould. The Range Rover-esque front end styling was quickly accepted, but the slightly bulbous rear end with its strangely off-centre rectangular number plate proved contentious. Make up your own mind.
Missing from the fifth generation Discovery was the split tailgate which had become an endearing and enduring feature of the model – the lower section hinged at the bottom so that it opened into a handy bench for picnics or for sitting on and watching the world go by. The Discovery 5 has a slide-out shelf but it’s not the same. A popular feature of earlier Discovery models was carried over and welcomed, though – a third row of seats that pop up out of the boot floor. For the Discovery 5, however, the rearmost seats are genuinely adult-sized and offer best-in-class space and comfort.
The Discovery 5 was launched with three turbocharged diesel engines – a couple of 2.0-litre four-cylinder units and a 3.0-litre V6 – and a single 3.0-litre supercharged V6 petrol. In 2018 a twin-turbo 2.0-litre petrol engine was introduced as well as a twin-turbo V6 diesel. Several minor engine revisions followed until in late-2020 the Discovery 5 underwent a major revamp, at which stage eco-focused mild-hybrid petrol and diesel engines (conventional internal-combustion engines teamed with small electric motors for improved economy and emissions) took over motive responsibilities.
Until the 2020 revamp the Discovery 5’s engine range of trim grades remained constant, although there have been several special editions along the way. An eight-speed automatic gearbox, four-wheel drive and air suspension are standard throughout the range which starts with the S and then progresses through SE, HSE and HSE Luxury.
Which is the best Discovery 5?
Unless you have a particular aversion to diesel engines then seek out Discovery 5 models badged as either Sd4 (a twin-turbo four-cylinder 2.0-litre) or Td6 (a 3.0-litre turbocharged V6). There’s nothing much wrong with the remaining two diesels in the engine line-up, but the less powerful version of the 2.0-litre provides only average performance, while the brawnier version of the V6 has higher fuel consumption and emissions.
If you don’t regularly fill your car with passengers and luggage or haul caravans and trailers the length and breadth of the country, then the 238bhp Sd4, which you may see referred to as an Ingenium diesel, will satisfy the needs of most drivers. Its power output might seem modest in the context of a vehicle the size of the Discovery 5, but it will keep up with the cut and thrust of urban traffic. More importantly, it has an impressive amount of easy-going urge at A-road and motorway speeds, a great help for overtaking and allowing you to travel at a brisk pace in a very relaxed manner. Good soundproofing inside the Discovery 5 adds to the Sd4’s sense of refinement.
However, if you can financially stretch to a Td6, do so. Against the clock it’s only fractionally faster than the SD4 – 0-60mph in 8.1 seconds against 8.3 seconds – but its fuel economy is the same (roughly 27mpg using the latest WLTP means of measuring fuel economy) and it has even more real-world pulling power, making light work of towing and propelling a fully-loaded Discovery 5 without fuss. It sounds good, too.
Those who prefer petrol engines will enjoy the strong performance of the supercharged 3.0-litre V6 (badged Si6) but may be less enamoured with its claimed (WLTP) 16mpg fuel consumption. The twin-turbo 2.0-litre (Si4) is barely less thirsty, but does produce less CO2, 219g/km against 254g/km; both, however, sit in the same £490 bracket for annual Vehicle Excise Duty (road tax), further eroding the case for the Si4.
In terms of trim levels, the SE represents the best value of the Discovery 5 range: its standard leather upholstery lends it the same luxury ambience you find in the more expensive models, and it has as much equipment as anyone really needs in a car. Included on its specification list are air-conditioning, electrically adjustable front seats, sat-nav, DAB radio, powered tailgate, automatic LED headlights and windscreen wipers, parking sensors, powered folding door mirrors and even a heated windscreen.
What are the alternatives?
Land Rover might argue that because of the Discovery 5’s formidable off-road capabilities it has no real rivals. However, since most owners confine their driving to tarmac roads, there are other large, prestige SUVs for you to consider.
Not all of them offer seven seats as standard, but the Audi Q7, BMW X5, Mercedes GLE and Volvo XC90 are able to accommodate the driver and six passengers, although third-row riders will enjoy most space in the back of the Discovery 5. In common with the Land Rover, each of these rivals has punchy diesel and petrol engines for you to choose from, and each also has a plug-in hybrid option available. What they also share is higher equipment levels than the Discovery 5, at least in their entry-level offerings, as well as better build quality. The Discovery 5 beats them all for space and versatility, however.
Should you just want a large SUV and you’re less concerned about what badge it wears, also take a look at the Kia Sorento, Peugeot 5008, SEAT Tarraco and Skoda Kodiaq. All will have lower running costs than the Discovery 5.
Discovery Mk5 video review
There’s no escaping the fact that you’ll need deep pockets to run a Discovery 5. It’s a very large vehicle and even though it weighs considerably less than its predecessor, it still tips the scales at more than two tonnes – this has a direct bearing on costs because it impacts fuel consumption and in turn the car’s CO2 emissions, which affects how much annual road tax you pay. Weight also has a bearing on how quickly tyres, brake pads and discs wear out. And if the Discovery 5 you buy is comparatively new, you may feel obliged to continue having it serviced by a Land Rover dealer where hourly labour rates are deep into three figures. With an older example, servicing at a respected independent Land Rover specialist will save you a great deal of money.
A 2.0-litre SD4 diesel-powered Discovery 5 has two year/21,000-mile service intervals, while the other diesel and petrol models need to be serviced annually or every 16,000 miles. The cheapest (and therefore most basic) service for the SD4 is around £420, but six years into the car’s life you can expect to pay the other side of £900 for a much bigger service, and at year 10 you’ll be hit with a whopping £1,700 bill. And that’s just for the servicing – it doesn’t include anything else that might need replacing or repairing. For the other models, which need servicing twice as often, a minor service is about £385 – at year six, however, you’re looking at paying £1,000 rising to £1,500 in year seven and then £1,675 in year nine.
Some original owners may have purchased a fixed-price servicing plan: if they have, ask if they’re prepared to transfer it with the car when you buy it.
How much do used Discovery 5 models cost?
Such is the Discovery 5’s popularity that you’ll find very few bargains around. The starting point for early examples is in the region of £35,000 for an SE, but if you’re on the hunt for an HSE or HSE Luxury then you should budget for between £40,000 and £60,000 when buying from a car dealer’s forecourt.
- For the most up-to-date prices for the Land Rover Discovery 5, visit our sister site, Buyacar.
What’s it like for fuel economy, emissions and tax?
The Discovery 5’s fuel consumption seemed passable for a vehicle its size using the old way of measuring mpg, but since the introduction of the snappily-named Worldwide harmonised Light-duty vehicles Test Procedure – or WLTP – its figures don’t look so rosy. The WLTP testing method is meant to better represent the fuel economy you might expect in everyday driving, which in the case of the 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine is a mere 16mpg – previously it was 26mpg. The 2.0-litre petrol isn’t much better at 19mpg (previously 30mpg), but at least the diesels manage between 26 and 28mpg (37-46mpg in old money).
When checking the Discovery 5’s fuel consumption against that of rivals, do make sure it’s the WLTP figures you’re looking at to make a fair comparison.
CO2 emissions range from 163g/km for the 2.0 Td4 diesel engine through to 254g/km for the 3.0 supercharged V6 petrol Si6, although the outputs do vary a little depending on what equipment a particular model has and how wide its tyres are. For most versions of the Discovery 5 you’ll be paying £490 annually in road tax, although that leaps to £585 for the Si6. Cheapest models to tax are the Sd4-engined cars at £250 a year, while the Td6 is £315.
How much will it cost to insure?
The Discovery 5’s insurance groups span from group 27 (for the 2.0 petrol) through to 41 (V6 petrol and Sd6 V6 diesel).
There’s an element of Russian roulette reliability with the Discovery 5 – some owners cruise along blissfully without any problems, others barely see their cars because they spend so much time in the workshop. So, when you’re considering a used Discovery 5, ask the seller lots of questions about what has gone wrong with it in the past and check through old invoices for clues to recurring issues.
As with so many modern cars, electrical gremlins have plagued the Discovery 5, and while some of them might appear minor, there’s a chance that they will trigger other faults that will then make it hard to establish what the real problem is. Take your potential purchase on an extended test drive. Press every button and flick every switch to ensure everything works as it should. The Discovery 5’s air suspension can be lowered to allow easier access to the cabin and raised to clear large obstacles in its path – do both those things and when the suspension settles back to its normal height, look to see that the car is sitting level: if there’s a leak in the suspension, it won’t.
If a seller suggests that it will only cost a few quid to fix a problem and that they’ll knock it off the price, either ask that they fix the issue themselves, or walk away and find another car.
Are there any common problems and things to look for?
Perhaps the loudest and most consistent grumble from early owners concerned the Discovery 5’s multimedia infotainment system and its colour touchscreen. Sometimes reluctant to recognise the fact that you’d actually touched it, then slow to respond when it did, the system would occasionally freeze altogether. Pairing with your smartphone could be a nightmare, and then next time you got in the car the system would forget that you’d done it: other complaints included the operation and effectiveness of the sat-nav. Software updates should have remedied these glitches, but do check that they’ve been done.
Some owners report water leaks from the windscreen soaking the headlining and carpets, others that sagging hinges make the tailgate hard to close. Malfunctioning electric handbrakes can stick on, and the Tow Assist system not work at all. Vibrations from out of balance front driveshafts have upset some owners, while a handful have suffered catastrophic engine failure with the 3.0 Sd6 V6 diesel. There have also been a few reports of metal fragments being found in the engine oil of the Sd4 diesel, possibly from failed piston rings. Pumps for the air suspension’s airbags can fail with age, causing the Discovery 5 to list to one side, making it treacherous to drive.
What about recalls?
Issued in April 2019, the recall that affected the largest number of Discovery 5s was for faulty emissions software that meant the cars were emitting excessive levels of CO2. This was cured with a software update. Some models fitted with the 2.0-litre petrol engine were recalled over fears that a fuel leak could cause an engine fire, and some early production Discovery 5’s had front airbags that potentially might not deploy in an accident.
More recently a dodgy battery earth connection raised the possibility that the car’s lights might go out unexpectedly, while a faulty crankshaft pulley bolt caused the recall of V6-engined Discovery 5s built between 10 October and 19 December 2018. And just 10 cars were invited to Land Rover dealerships to sort out a sub-standard middle-row seat mount.
Land Rover will have contacted the owners of affected vehicles at the time of each recall, but if you have any doubts that remedial work has been done on the car you’re looking at, make a note of its VIN (Vehicle Identification Number, found on the car’s V5C registration document) and ask a Land Rover dealer to check for you.
What do owners think?
The Discovery 5 has never appeared in our Driver Power ownership satisfaction survey, but in our 2020 survey Land Rover as a brand did, finishing 25th out of 30 car brands.
While owners lavished praise on the interior design, space, safety and comfort of Land Rover’s cars, they were scathing about high running costs, build quality, reliability and the infotainment systems.
Tell us about your car in the Driver Power survey…
While some car makers endeavour to make their large SUVs drive like sports cars, Land Rover has opted to simply let the Discovery 5 be comfortable, thanks to supple suspension and engines with an abundance of pulling power rather than outright power – long journeys, even on back roads, feel relaxing because you don’t have to work hard to achieve a decent pace.
Brawny engines and compliant suspension serve the Discovery 5 well off-road, too – you need muscle not speed when you’re out in the rough stuff, together with suspension that doesn’t bounce you around.
What’s the Land Rover Discovery 5 like to drive?
You sit high in the Discovery 5 and the view this affords of the road ahead and the world around you is one of the prime reasons people buy large SUVs. There’s a safety benefit to being able to see further down the road than you can in a regular saloon or hatchback, and passengers appreciate the grandstand seating position, too.
Good soundproofing brings civility to the Discovery 5’s cabin even when you’re working the engine hard, while the air suspension that’s standard across the range takes the sting out of the UK road system’s chronic lumps and craters. The Land Rover rolls through corners a little more than the Audi Q7 or BMW X5, but unless you jump straight from one to the other you probably won’t notice, or quite likely even care. Similarly, the Discovery 5’s steering isn’t as precise as its rivals’, but not to a degree that makes much difference in everyday driving. In fact, because the whole demeanour of the car is more laid back, you don’t feel the same compulsion to drive the Discovery 5 as aggressively as you might the sportier Audi or BMW.
The more relaxed – and relaxing – nature of the Discovery 5 is what makes it so appealing as a family car or as chauffeur-driven executive transportation.
Most owners will never venture off-road in their Discovery 5 – after all, it’s an expensive car – but if you have a spare moment it’s entertaining to google ‘Land Rover Experience’ and witness the sort of extreme terrain through which your car can travel. Should you then be tempted to do a little adventuring for yourself, the Discovery 5 makes off-roading a little easier for inexperienced drivers with its Terrain Response 2 system. Controlled by a rotating dial on the centre console, Terrain Response 2 is a series of pre-set conditions for the engine, gearbox, suspension and traction control systems, which change depending on whether you’re driving through mud, sand, snow and rocks, or descending or ascending steep slopes.
What engine should I choose?
Even if all your driving comprises merely pottering about, you’ll probably find that the performance of the 177bhp 2.0-litre turbocharged diesel Td4 is lacklustre. The 238bhp twin-turbo 2.0 Sd4 turbocharged diesel is a far better choice, more muscular between 30 and 80mph and therefore requiring less effort to keep pace with the traffic. Both engines’ (WLTP) fuel consumption is pretty much the same, and while the Td4 will save you money in annual road tax, the extra performance of the Sd4, and how much nicer and easier that makes the driving experience, is worth the financial sacrifice.
Picking between the two 3.0-litre V6 diesel engines is harder. The Td6 has a single turbocharger and produces 254bhp together with 600Nm of torque – the latter is a measure of its pulling power which gives you clues as to the strength of its everyday performance, rather than its performance against the stopwatch. The Sd6 has two turbochargers, 302bhp and a whopping 700Nm of torque. Yes, you can certainly feel the difference between the two V6s, and yet with the less powerful engine there’s never a sense that you’ve been short-changed in any way – both are refined, effortless and even sound the same. How much you can pick one up for will doubtless determine your choice.
The supercharged 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine in the 335bhp Si6 offers similar against-the-clock performance as the Sd6 – both reach 60mph from standstill in 7.1 seconds – but this is an engine that needs to be revved harder and doesn’t have the same mid-range muscle as the gutsy diesel. It makes a great sound, though, but isn’t so much in keeping with the overall character of the Discovery 5. Greater handicaps to its inclusion on your shortlist, however, are its sub-20mpg fuel consumption and £585 annual road tax.
Which leaves the 296bhp twin-turbo 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine found beneath the expansive bonnet of the Si4 as your pick of the petrol powerplants. Although it produces the least torque of the whole engine range (400Nm), in general driving it’s adequately muscular, so as long as you don’t need to tow anything large or carry anything really heavy. Would you choose it over our recommended diesel engines? No. Would you feel disappointed if it was the only engine you could afford? Also no.
Whatever engine you do end up buying, it will send its power and torque to all four wheels via a smooth-shifting eight-speed automatic gearbox.
There’s a sense of stylish restraint to the Discovery 5’s interior design: it looks modern and luxurious without feeling over-designed. Some of the materials used inside lack the solidity you find in an Audi Q7 or BMW X5, but there’s never any doubt that this is a prestige vehicle, particularly when you’re aboard the higher-grade models.
The Discovery 5’s cabin space is a luxury in itself, especially for those in the two adult-sized chairs of the third row of seats, and while standard equipment levels aren’t as lavish as of some rivals, you hardly feel bereft. And besides which, cars of this ilk are always ordered from new with an array of options, so it shouldn’t be hard to find a Discovery 5 that satisfies your needs.
Contributing to the general comfort of the Discovery 5 is the fact that all models are fitted with sophisticated air suspension which does wonders for the ride quality. The air suspension can be raised to clear off-road obstacles (rocks, fallen branches, etc) and also lowered to make it easier to get in and out of the car – this feature is greatly appreciated by those with restricted mobility.
What’s the Land Rover Discovery 5 like inside?
You sit high in the Discovery 5, in what Land Rover refers to as the Command Position – marketing jargon for enjoying a commanding view of the road ahead and the world all around you. This isn’t just a treat for the driver: passengers, especially kids, get to see over the top of other cars, hedges, garden walls, and it makes any trip more interesting.
Tall windows and all that interior space make the cabin feel airy, a sensation heightened in cars fitted with the panoramic glass sunroof, standard in the SE trim grade and above. While the entry-level S trim grade features cloth upholstery, all other Discovery 5s get leather, which lifts the ambience of the cabin and is also easier to keep clean. Wood veneer trim inserts in some cars are another upmarket touch.
A substantial centre console divides the front of the cabin into two individual spaces and is also home to the automatic gearbox control – a rotary dial that rises theatrically from the console when you start the car, this quirky feature has been replaced by a stubby lever as part of the Discovery 5’s 2020 revamp. In front of the driver the leather-rimmed steering wheel is home to remote controls for the stereo, phone connection and cruise control, while through its spokes are visible two conventional dials for the speedometer and rev counter, with a small digital screen between them displaying vehicle information and basic sat-nav instructions.
Smartly integrated into the centre of the dashboard is a colour touchscreen display that is the visible face of the Discovery 5’s InControl multimedia infotainment system – InControl oversees the sat-nav, smartphone integration, DAB radio, Bluetooth connectivity and Wi-Fi hotspot. You may find that the Discovery 5 you’re considering is fitted with the optional InControl Pro which features a larger touchscreen, a more sophisticated sat-nav and a 10GB in-built hard-drive for data storage – it’s also linked to a premium Meridian sound system.
What’s on the equipment list?
The Discovery 5 has four trim grades – S, SE, HSE and HSE Luxury, although there are also several special-edition versions, most notably the First Edition and the Landmark. The entry-level S grade is available only with the 2.0-litre petrol and diesel engines (you can have any engine you want with the other grades) but it does feature full-time four-wheel drive, an eight-speed automatic gearbox and air suspension. Although the S is the only one of the bunch to have cloth upholstery, it is equipped with alloy wheels, air-conditioning, a powered tailgate, touchscreen infotainment system, DAB radio, cruise control and a heated windscreen.
The SE improves upon that spec with the addition of electrically adjusted front seats, leather upholstery, sat-nav, front and rear parking sensors, automatic LED headlights, rain-sensing windscreen wipers and powered folding heated door mirrors. You enjoy a better grade of leather upholstery in the HSE, together with a panoramic fixed glass sunroof at the rear and electric front sunroof, more advanced sat-nav, keyless entry, 10-speaker Meridian stereo system and not only heating for the second row seats, but also electric reclining adjustment for rows two and three. It also features gesture control for the powered tailgate: simply wave your foot beneath the rear bumper and the tailgate opens, although you’ll need to step back a bit because it’s a big tailgate.
A highlight of the HSE Luxury’s equipment is that you can remotely fold flat and then raise again the two rows of back seats using buttons on the tailgate. Its front seats are both heated and ventilated, there’s a heated steering wheel, 17-speaker Meridian sound system, multi-zone climate control and rear-seat entertainment screens to keep the kids occupied on long trips.
The options list for the Discovery 5 is lengthy but there are three stand-out items. The Dynamic Design Pack changes the look of the car. Externally it features a contrasting Corris Grey roof – from certain angles it makes the car look as though it doesn’t have a roof – and Corris Grey inserts in the front and rear bumpers, together with a Navrik Black front grille, front wing vents and door mirror caps, and Satin Dark Grey alloy wheels. The interior is treated to Windsor leather on top of the dashboard and along the tops of the door trims, a range of special leather colours with contrasting stitching, and fancy floor mats. The Dynamic Design Pack was available as an option only on the HSE and HSE Luxury.
The second interesting option stems from Land Rover’s desire to court the outdoor pursuits crowd. The Special Activity Key is a waterproof bracelet containing electronics coded to your car’s locking system – it means you can go surfing, scuba-diving, mountain biking or whatever, without having to carry around a clunky keyfob.
In an age of apps, the HSE Luxury has a belter – it lets you configure the electrically folding rear seats from your smartphone, so if you’ve been to Ikea and bought something much larger than you were intending to, you can drop the seats before you get back to the car.
How safe is the Discovery 5?
In Euro NCAP crash safety tests the Land Rover Discovery achieved a full five stars rating. This includes a 90% score for adult occupant protection, 80% for kids, 75% for pedestrian safety, and 73% for the Discovery’s safety assistance systems.
Among those safety assistance systems are lane-keeping assistance that warns if you’re about to drift out of your lane; a driver-fatigue monitor that warns if you’re about to drift off to sleep; autonomous emergency braking that automatically applies the brakes if it detects that any accident is about to take place and you’ve ignored the car’s warnings of that fact; and adaptive cruise control that keeps a set distance between you and the car in front, and slows you down when there’s a traffic jam, speeding back up again when it clears.
If you want your large SUV to be useful as well as swanky and comfortable, the Discovery 5 has much to recommend it. A driver and six adult passengers can all be accommodated without complaint and there’s still room for luggage: fold all the rear seats flat and you can shift big bits of furniture around. Need to haul passengers and bulky gear? It’s easy to fold down individual rear seats to find a permutation that suits.
How big is the Land Rover Discovery 5?
Plan on sticking your Discovery 5 in your garage? Measure the garage before you buy. At 4,970mm long, 2,220mm wide and 1,888mm tall, the Discovery 5 is the biggest car in its class.
While most multi-storey and underground car parks have height clearance of just over two metres, this lofty Land Rover will seem disconcertingly close to the ceiling the first time you drive into one. If the car park is an especially low one then you can drop the Discovery 5’s suspension to its passenger access position to gain some extra mm of clearance, but don’t drive too far like that.
Because the Discovery 5 is so tall, its one-piece tailgate is correspondingly lengthy – you therefore need a fair bit of space behind the car to open it.
How much space is there for passengers?
Big outside doesn’t always mean big inside: it does in the Discovery 5, though. There’s ample headroom in all three rows of seats, while the middle row has sufficient shoulder and kneeroom to seat three adults with ease – the only caveat is that the central passenger must cope with a lump in the floor, but at least their seat is shaped in such a way compensate a little for that fact.
The two rearmost seats – which can be stowed flat under the boot floor until required – are adult-sized in terms of width and legroom, and offer the best sixth and seventh seats accommodation in this class. Clambering past the second row of seats to actually get to them is a bit of a chore, so they’re best reserved for the more athletic members of your family and friends.
Some trim grades provide electrical backrest adjustment for both rows of rear seats, together with seat heaters for the middle row.
There’s plenty of storage space for ‘stuff’ in the Discovery 5, although some of it is trim-dependent. There’s a large lidded cubby box between the front seats, a pair of gloveboxes, and further lidded cubbies built into the trim on either side of the third row of seats.
How big is the boot?
Even with seven people on board the Discovery 5 has 258 litres of boot space, equivalent to what you’ll find in a small hatchback. Pack away the third row of seats and that space blooms to 1,137 litres: with both rows of rear seats stowed you have 2,406 litres of luggage space at your disposal, so pretty much van-sized. What’s especially useful about the space you get is that it’s tall.
Increasing the boot’s versatility is the fact each of the five rear chairs can be folded flat individually, so you can configure the boot space to match whatever combination of passengers and goods you need to carry on the day. Furthermore, the second row of seats can slide forwards, so if you’re hauling kids and need a little extra boot space, it’s easily done. The seats’ folding mechanism makes it simple and fast to turn them into a floor, and you don’t even need to remove the headrests. In the HSE Luxury all the rear seats can be folded remotely using buttons on the tailgate, and there’s also an app that allows you to do it when you’re away from the car.
Keyword: Used Land Rover Discovery review: 2016 to 2020 (Mk5)