The Land Rover Discovery is one of the most iconic vehicles on the planet. Next to a Jeep CJ/Wrangler and the original Volkswagen Beetle, most folks can identify the Discovery in a lineup. Beginning in 1989, four generations of Discos have explored the far-flung reaches of earth and tackled city traffic on every continent, well, save for Antarctica – and that’s only because there’s a stark shortage of traffic down there. Here in the States, the Series I Discovery made its debut in 1994, followed by the Series II in 1999. Land Rover introduced an all-new model for 2004, known in North America as the LR3. This model lasted until 2016, with its 2009-facelift getting the LR4 name. But for 2017, the Discovery has undergone its biggest change yet.
Gone is the body-on-frame design and generous use of steel. Rather than this typical SUV recipe, Land Rover borrowed from its Range Rover line. An aluminum-intensive, unibody architecture replaces the boxy frame, helping the fifth-generation Disco shed nearly 1,000 pounds while adding structural rigidity. Not a terrible trade-off, eh? That’s especially true considering the 2017 Discovery is more capable off-road thanks to improved approach, break-over, and departure angles, combined with 1.7-inches of extra ground clearance and a whopping 7.8-inches of extra water fording depth. Add to that the Disco’s vastly improved on-road characteristics, and it’s clear Land Rover’s decision to adopt 21st-century technology paid off big time.
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