2020 Land Rover Discovery Review

While Land Rover built its reputation on having the most off-road-capable SUVs in the world, some of its more recent offerings are tuned for on-road performance. The 2020 Land Rover Discovery falls somewhere in the middle. Many rivals that try to skirt this line fail to deliver on one side of the spectrum or the other. But the Discovery is adept at delivering a pleasurable experience no matter what street or trail you want to conquer.

The Discovery's balanced position in the market coincides with its role in Land Rover's lineup. This midsize SUV presents more room, power and off-road ability than the compact Range Rover Evoque or Discovery Sport. It doesn't offer the mechanical upgrades that make the Range Rover so proficient on rocky roads, but the Discovery also costs much less.

On its own, the Land Rover Discovery is a thoroughly enjoyable SUV. The cabin is luxuriously trimmed, the seating position is comfortable, and there's ample cargo room. And though the Discovery can be expensive in its upper trims, there are options here — such as massaging front seats and a ventilated second row — that are exotic for this class.

There are a few downsides, chiefly the infotainment system. Simply put, the interface is confusing and the system doesn't load all of its features right away. In our tests, it took a whopping 20 seconds to get a satellite radio signal and 30 seconds for the system to reconnect with our phones on start-up. Other drawbacks include less second-row legroom than rivals and some odd placement of controls. Overall, however, the Discovery has the luxury and off-road bona fides to keep it from being overshadowed by rivals, including the redesigned Mercedes-Benz GLE and BMW X5.

What's it like to live with the Discovery?

The Edmunds editorial team acquired a 2017 Land Rover Discovery First Edition for a full year, logging 20,000 miles. We were fans of the Disco's off-road abilities, but the infotainment system was a constant source of frustration. The 2020 Discovery benefits from Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration, which weren't offered on our long-term vehicle. It's the same generation, though, so most of our observations apply.

The 2020 Land Rover Discovery is a midsize SUV that comes standard with seating for five, though a third row with seating for two more passengers is optional. It comes in four trim levels (SE, Landmark Edition, HSE and HSE Luxury), with a plethora of options available for each. Two powertrains are available: a supercharged 3.0-liter gasoline V6 (340 horsepower, 332 lb-ft of torque) and a turbocharged 3.0-liter diesel V6 (254 hp, 443 lb-ft of torque). Both send power to all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission.