Used Land Rover Discovery 2004-2016 review

Square-sided, plush and purposeful, the Land Rover Discovery of this generation – covering the Discovery 3 and Discovery 4 – stand aside from most modern Land Rover products. Even the fifth-generation Discovery, launched to much ballyhoo in 2017, is softer and more rounded than this one, and not without some controversial styling touches of its own.

When the Discovery 3 arrived in 2004, it represented a major leap forward from its predecessor. It introduced a bold new design, a range of new engines and a host of clever off-road technologies, transforming the Discovery into a far more sophisticated SUV. We were so impressed by it that we named it our Car of the Year in 2005.

Land Rover continued to refine and evolve the formula throughout the car's 12-year lifespan, as noted by the heavily revised Discovery 4 in 2009. Production finally came to an end in 2016.

Engines and performance: The Discovery of this era has several engine options, so we’ll kick things off with the Discovery 3. The entry-level engine is a 188bhp 2.7-litre V6 diesel, known as the TDV6. It delivers a smooth and refined driving experience, but it isn’t exactly quick by modern standards; 0-62mph takes 11.7sec. It can be paired with a manual or automatic gearbox, both with six speeds.

If you want more power, there's a 295bhp 4.4-litre V8 petrol engine, which gives the car a big boost in performance, with 0-62mph taking 9.1sec. It does, however, up the fuel consumption considerably. It wasn't a popular choice when new and, as a result, it's a rare find on the classifieds.

When the Discovery 4 arrived in 2009, a 3.0-litre V6 diesel engine replaced the 2.7-litre unit. The entry-level 208bhp version delivered 0-62mph in 10.9sec, while a more powerful 241bhp option could do the same sprint in 9.6sec. It was only available with a six-speed automatic gearbox, but this was replaced by a smoother, more responsive eight-speed unit in 2012. The upper engine also saw a boost in power (to 252bhp) and a name change to SDV6 in the same year.

In 2014, Land Rover gave the Discovery 4 a facelift. It was offered exclusively with the 252bhp 3.0-litre diesel engine, which gained stop-start technology to improve fuel efficiency. Prior to a launch in September 2015, the engine was updated to meet Euro 6 emissions standards, making it the only diesel-powered Discovery 4 suitable for drivers living in a Clean Air Zone (CAZ) or Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ).

Ride and handling: Despite tipping the scales at nearly three tonnes, the Discovery’s suspension does an impressive job of controlling its considerable mass. Large undulations and smaller imperfections alike are absorbed with remarkable composure, while motorway refinement is excellent, aided in no small part by the vehicle’s substantial weight and long-legged cruising ability.

That size and weight inevitably affect agility, however. The Discovery is at its best as a relaxed, comfortable cruiser rather than a vehicle to be hurried along a twisty rural road.

Permanent four-wheel drive provides reassuring traction in all conditions, while a range of sophisticated electronic systems helps make off-roading remarkably straightforward. Most Discovery models are equipped with standard four-corner air suspension, although entry-level Discovery 3 variants make do with conventional coil springs.

Interior and practicality: In the Discovery 3, there are hard, durable plastics among lots of soft-touch materials, giving the car a classy but hard-wearing feel. The centre console looks a bit dated and cluttered by modern standards, with a sea of buttons on the dashboard for the media controls. The touchscreen infotainment system shows the sat-nav and off-road system, but again, it's very dated. On lower trim models, there's a storage area in place of the touchscreen.

The interior of the Discovery 4 is a big improvement on the Discovery 3's, with a redesigned centre console and dashboard. The quality of the materials were significantly improved, too, with more leather and soft-touch materials, lending it a more premium feel. It also came with a new touchscreen infotainment system that noticeably betters the system in the Disco 3, but it's still very old-school by modern standards.

No matter the version you choose, the driving position places you high up and offers a great view of the road. The interior itself is absolutely vast, too, with room for seven adults (some lesser versions only have five seats). If you want to prioritise luggage over passenger space, the second and third-row seats lie completely flat when folded away, creating an almost van-like space. The boot is accessed via a split tailgate.

Trims and equipment: Trim levels for the Discovery 3 span S, GS, SE, XS and HSE. The entry-level S is quite utilitarian, offering 17in alloy wheels, cloth upholstery, manual air conditioning and a basic CD audio system. Most S variants were five-seaters, too. Meanwhile, top-spec HSE includes 19in alloys, leather upholstery, three sunroofs, a touchscreen infotainment system, a Harman Kardon sound system and xenon headlights.

On the Discovery 4, the trim levels include GS, XS, HSE and HSE Luxury. Like the Disco 3, the entry-level model is quite basic (with cloth upholstery offered as standard), but it does have air suspension, keyless go and seven seats. Top-spec HSE Luxury is far more luxurious, gaining leather upholstery, electrically adjustable memory seats, a reversing camera, a Harman Kardon stereo and rear-seat entertainment.

With the Discovery 4 facelift, the trims consist of GS, XS, SE, SE Tech, HSE and HSE Luxury. The latter two were replaced by Graphite and Landmark editions towards the end of the car's production run.

Facelifts: As mentioned previously, there were big changes when the Discovery 4 launched in 2009, which itself was a heavy facelift of the Discovery 3. While the body shape remains similar, the Discovery 4 saw the addition of a new grille, headlight and taillight design, along with significantly upgraded engines, a more luxurious interior and tweaked suspension for better handling.

The 2014 facelift brought a number of subtle updates to the Discovery 4, including a redesigned grille, headlights, taillights and wing mirrors. The Land Rover bonnet lettering was replaced by Discovery badging, while the "4" designation was dropped from the tailgate. New technology included DAB radio and an upgraded navigation system with off-road guidance, while safety features such as wade-sensing and blind-spot monitoring were also made available.

"When I was younger, my parents had a Discovery 3 as the family car and, although I was only eight when they bought it, I still remember how impressive it was. After a landslide closed the main road to my school, my mum regularly took it green laning to get around the disruption – something I can't imagine a Volvo XC90 would have managed quite so effortlessly." – George Hill, Used Cars Writer

If you're interested in buying a used Land Rover Discovery, or any of the other cars mentioned here, check out our used car classified site here.

Used Discovery 3 prices typically start from around £2000, but this will get you a car with almost 200,000 miles on the clock, usually in a basic spec and in poor condition. Cars in a higher spec and with a full service history typically cost upwards of £6000.

For a Discovery 4, prices start from around £4000, but this will get you an early high-mileage car, again with almost 200,000 miles on it. For a car with less miles, but still around 100,000, look to spend at least £6000. Cars below the 100,000-mile mark cost upwards of £9000.

Facelift Discovery 4s – introduced in 2014 – carry the highest premium. Prices for these start from around £7000 for cars with almost 200,000 miles on the clock. Cars with around 100,000 miles cost upwards of £9000, as do Euro 6 cars from September 2015, which are CAZ and ULEZ compliant. If you want a car with less than 100,000 miles on it, have a budget of at least £12,000.

MPG

The bad news is that running costs are hefty. The diesels will only nudge just over 30mpg with gentle driving, while the V8 will struggle to better 20mpg. That’s the price you pay for the Discovery’s 2.7-tonne weight and four-wheel drive.

Road tax

Road tax for all Discovery models is based on CO₂ emissions, so expect large bills here. At the time of writing, cars registered before tax changes in 2006 attract a maximum annual fee of £445, making them particularly appealing to buyers. Models registered after this date fall into a more expensive tax band, with costs of up to £790.

The introduction of the more efficient 3.0-litre diesel engine in 2009 helped reduce emissions, meaning most Discovery 4 models attract a slightly lower annual tax bill of £760. However, facelifted versions benefited from further CO₂ reductions, with most falling into the £445-per-year tax bracket.

Insurance

The Discovery won't cost as much to insure as newer Land Rover models, but due to the high cost of parts, it's still expensive. The Discovery 4 – with its keyless-entry system – is often targeted by thieves, too.

Servicing

Don't expect low maintenance costs. Even when serviced by an independent garage or Land Rover specialist, the Discovery can be expensive to maintain, with replacement parts often carrying a premium.

Reliability

According to real-world owner reviews from our annual What Car? Reliability Survey, the 2004-2016 Discovery is a highly capable off-roader but a mixed bag to own. All models frequently suffer from complex electrical issues, suspension failures and engine warning lights that often lead to expensive repair bills. Frustrations extend to the dealer network, where owners report long waits for parts, diagnostic errors and multiple visits to fix drivetrain noises.

To find out more about used Land Rover Discovery 3 and 4 reliability, head to our dedicated reliability page.

Engine

If you're after an early Discovery 3, the diesel is a lot more frugal than the V8, so it's our engine of choice in that car. However, we'd actually steer you towards the Discovery 4 overall. There are more of them on the classifieds and it's a lot more polished, with a better interior and stronger performance. We'd recommend going for the higher-powered 241bhp or 252bhp diesel engine, badged SDV6, with the eight-speed automatic gearbox.

Specification

The entry-level S and GS models are fairly basic, whereas HSE versions add a lot more equipment for only a modest price increase over lower-spec cars. As a result, it’s our recommended choice. If you can find one at the right price, the HSE Luxury is also worth considering.

Our favourite used Land Rover Discovery: 3.0 SDV6 HSE

Like the Discovery, the Volvo XC90 is a practical, seven-seat SUV that can play the comfortable long-distance cruiser. It doesn’t have the off-road ability or refinement of the Discovery, but there are lots of XC90s on the used market for very tempting prices.

If you need a big seven-seater, the Audi Q7 could be worth a look. It has better on-road driving manners than the Discovery, as well as a range of smooth, punchy petrol and diesel engines. Reliability isn't great, though, and running costs are expensive.

The BMW X5 has a different take on the luxury SUV formula. It’s more of a driver's car, with precise steering and agile handling, making it a better car for hustling down a twisty road. However, it isn’t as practical as the Disco, because you couldn’t specify it with seven seats until the second-generation version arrived in 2006. Even then, the third-row seats were both optional and tiny.

The Lexus RX is also worth considering, despite not being as spacious as the Discovery. It’s available as a petrol-electric hybrid, which should help to lower your fuel bills. It also has a very good reliability record and a generous list of standard equipment.

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