Used Land Rover Discovery long-term test
Our deputy editor thinks that by choosing a used company car, he can live the high life on a budget – over the new few months, we'll see if that's the case...
The car Land Rover Discovery D350 35th Edition Run by Darren Moss, deputy editor
Why it’s here To show that you don’t have to buy new to enjoy big-car luxury
Needs to Be both practical and comfortable for family trips, cosseting on the motorway and unflinchingly reliable
Mileage on arrival 13,325 Mileage now 15,211 List price when new £82,925 Value on arrival £65,900 Official economy 33.4mpg Test economy 31.2mpg
28 February 2026 – Of running and resin
A record number of people applied to take part in this year’s London Marathon, which goes to show that whether as athletes or amateurs, more of us are taking up running. I’ve been jogging regularly since late last year, and recently decided to vary my route by taking my used Land Rover Discovery to a local park.
My thinking for using the Discovery was two-fold. First, I could use its split tailgate as a temporary seat while I changed into my running trainers – and then out of them at the end, if the British weather happened to have turned the route to mud – but also that I could use the fridge under the central armrest to keep my post-run drink cool.
The fridge worked excellently, and I found it even has two temperature settings, so my athletic brew was fantastically chilled when I came back to it. And since the rear tailgate is apparently rated for 200kg, even someone of my generous proportions could relax there while I swapped now-muddy trainers for clean ones. I could even use it for a picnic date with my girlfriend when the weather warms up a bit.
I found a third benefit of taking the Land Rover, too. I usually run with a pocketed vest which allows me to keep my keys, wallet and phone handy, but the Discovery includes a secondary glovebox for valuables hidden behind the climate controls. So I could leave the vest at home and simply carry my phone on the route, knowing that my other items were safe and hidden away from prying eyes.
On my drive home, I decided to act like a true athlete and have a sports massage. While the Discovery doesn’t come with a licensed physical therapist, its front seats do offer massages with five levels of intensity. And in its most vigorous setting, my back was given the kind of going over I’d usually expect to pay for.
Finally, you might remember that in an earlier report I mentioned getting a stone chip in the windscreen of my car, which, because it was thankfully small, I managed to get repaired through Autoglass rather than needing a new screen. Watching the resin used by the roving technician was fascinating, and the resulting repair, though visible, has kept me on the road rather than necessitating a visit to my local dealer.
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