Land Rover Discovery Through the Years

The Land Rover Discovery has always been a rugged off-roader, but what most forget is the journey it’s taken to become the lifestyle accessory it is today.

A Rocky Beginning

The Land Rover Discovery is more than 30 years old and over those 3 decades, it’s always maintained a deep tie to its roots. Those roots provide a rock-like foundation that allows owners to go almost anywhere without fear while being encased in one of the most comfortable and advanced vehicles on the road. Through 5 generations, multiple brand owners, and controversial design changes it’s still a popular and successful platform that, in many ways, brought Land Rover back from the brink of failure in the late ’80s and early ’90s. Today we’re going to take a deep dive into the world of the off-roading family hauler affectionately known as the Disco.

First Generation (1989 – 1998)

1989 Land Rover Discovery Series 1 – Classic Car Auctions on YouTube.com | Shop Land Rover Discovery on Carsforsale.com

Original Discoverys were sold only as 3-door models to ensure no cannibalization of sales to the Range Rover.
Honda liked the design so much that they bought a 20% stake in Land Rover and sold a rebadged Discovery in Japan as the Crossroad.
Land Rover Discoverys were available in 5 or 7-seat variants with the two final seats facing one another in the rear-most portion of the SUV.

Those seats required the roof to be raised in the back and for added lighting, Land Rover then added the alpine windows the vehicle is so well known for today.
In 1990, a 5-door model arrives and the rear-most seats in the 7-seat variant are turned forwards.
The interior was designed by Conran Design Group to be a “lifestyle accessory”. To that end, the interior is far more detailed and unique than most vehicles of the time period.
The Discovery comes to America in 1994.
The kink in the rear window of the original Discovery is there to aid the driver when in reverse since it offers just a bit more of a view.

1996 Land Rover Discovery - carsforsale.com

In general, this generation is derided as terribly unreliable in part due to the parts bin nature of production. Morris Marina door handles, a borrowed engine and drivetrain from the Range Rover, and headlights borrowed from a van are just some examples of the thrifty build nature of the SUV.
The 3.5L V8 used was almost identical to the Range Rover, except that it wasn’t fuel injected. A 2.5L turbodiesel was also offered and provided nearly 200 ft-lbs of torque.

Second Generation (1998 – 2004)

1999 Land Rover Discovery - carsforsale.com

Now BMW owned, 2nd generation (Series II) Discoveries are much better built and share nothing with their predecessor but the rear hatch.
The 3-door version is no longer available.
Two distinct versions are available, one focused on off-road performance and the other made to dominate on the road.
A center locking differential was installed on all 2nd gen Discovery models, but wasn’t available in functional form until 2002.

A new turbodiesel is offered with 135hp and 221 lb-ft of torque.
A 3.9L gasoline-powered V8 is also available with 185hp and 251 lb-ft of torque.
The entire vehicle is modernized further with stiffened chassis and an even more comfortable interior quality.
Active Cornering Enhancement or ACE is introduced to inhibit body roll in corners.

Third Generation (2004 – 2009)

2004 Land Rover Discovery - carsforsale.com

Ford now takes ownership of Land Rover and completely redesigns the Discovery.
The vehicle is now called the LR3 in North America and Middle-Eastern markets as the third major generation of the Discovery.
In an all-new design architecture, the new Discovery uses a monocoque body mounted on a ladder-frame.

Unlike the previous versions that used solid axles, the LR3 featured a completely independent air-based suspension.
That suspension can actually detect how closely the under-carriage is to the ground and automatically raise the vehicle to its maximum without driver interaction.
The tailgate kink moves from the left side of the vehicle to the right now since the Discovery sells best in left hand drive markets.

Engines are derived from Ford-owned Jaguar including a 2.7L diesel that makes 195hp and 325 lb-ft of torque.
Off-roading remains a major part of the DNA with electronic aids like hill-descent and terrain-select.
This is the first generation to be available with a DVD player, navigation system, and Bluetooth phone compatibility.

Fourth Generation (2009 – 2016)

2013 Land Rover Discovery 4 - media.landrover.com

Now onto another owner, Tata from India. The Discovery becomes known simply as the LR4 here in America and gets mostly minor upgrades and additions throughout the generation.
One major upgrade is a 5.0L V8 with 375hp. Overall the mechanical reliability of the vehicle is improved across the board.
In 2011, a diesel 3.0L twin-turbocharged V6 is also introduced with 241hp and 440lb-ft of torque.

Rock Crawl mode arrives as the most advanced version of Terrain Response than ever before.
The interior is dramatically restyled to better keep with other trends the Range Rover had been updated with.
Some 1,800 Discoveries were sold in 2014 as a special XXV or 25th-anniversary edition with every available option at the time and unique design elements.
Land Rover builds an armored Discovery called the Sentinel built for UK Government officials.

Fifth Generation (2017 – Present)

2018 Land Rover Discovery - media.landrover.com

The styling of the 5th generation Discovery is perhaps the most controversial of any Land Rover product ever.
The license plate position is directly intended to call back to the kink in the rear window of all previous Discoveries.

2021 Land Rover Discovery – media.landrover.com | Shop New Land Rover Discovery on Carsforsale.com

The roofline is ever so slightly stepped over the third row but alpine windows are no longer a part of the design.
Thanks to the heavy use of aluminum throughout, this Discovery is some 1,000 lbs lighter than the outgoing model.
Terrain Response 2 is the most advanced form of on and off-road stability and braking control ever for the Discovery.

For the first time, Terrain Response has an “automatic” setting that will actively select the best setting for the current road conditions.
Ultimately what started out as a vehicle meant to be a lifestyle accessory has found that purpose as its touchstone in this generation. While still capable off-road, the latest Discovery continues the tradition of bridging the gap between hardcore enthusiasts and high-brow Range Rover drivers.