Land Rover unveils the upgrades made on the new Discovery SUV.

New Discovery features the latest generation of six-cylinder Ingenium petrol and diesel engines and Pivi Pro infotainment. It has updated Terrain Response 2 system and Software-Over-The-Air (SOTA) updates to its new Cabin Air Filtration.

Sophisticated design

Discovery’s design – including the clamshell bonnet, the stepped roof and the highly visible C-pillar – remain, but it delivers a bold exterior. It’s equipped with new LED headlights with a daytime running light set lower into the units, animated sweeping front and rear indicators.

A revised front bumper features a wider body-coloured graphic and new side vents combine for a more purposeful and dynamic appearance. At the rear, New Discovery features new signature LED lights, which are joined across the back of the vehicule by a new Gloss Black panel. Following Land Rover’s reductive design philosophy, this panel incorporates the trademark Discovery script, providing a cleaner rear graphic.

Connected technologies

Inside, a completely redesigned centre console houses its 48% larger 11.4-inch, full HD touchscreen. Pivi Pro provides a simplified menu structure. Its built-in back-up battery means faster navigation initialisation, while the logical menus allow functions to be accessed directly from the customisable home screen.

Connectivity is provided by dual-sim technology, with two LTE modems allowing the system to carry out multiple functions at the same time without compromising performance. Land Rover’s SOTA technology allows owners to update as many as 44 individual electronic modules, without visiting a retailer.

In combination with the 12.3-inch Interactive Driver Display, New Discovery provides high-definition 3D mapping within the instrumentation, leaving the central touchscreen free to control other applications. The high-resolution digital instruments can be configured to show a pair of conventional dials, full-screen 3D navigation guidance or a combination of the two, allowing drivers to customise the view.

In addition, customers have the option of a full-colour Head-Up Display, putting high-resolution driving information directly into the driver’s eyeline, removing the need to look away from the road ahead. Smartphone integration is done with Apple CarPlay, while the Bluetooth technology can connect two smartphones simultaneously. Android Auto is also available as standard, as well as wireless charging with signal boosting technology.

Passenger comfort is supported by Cabin Air Ionisation, now available with PM2.5 air filtration technology. It actively scans incoming air, measuring its quality and automatically uses advanced filters to reduce the level of allergens, toxins and harmful particulates in the cabin, enhancing driver wellbeing.

The model introduces of Land Rover’s Click and Go tablet holders, incorporated into the front seatbacks. The easy-to-use system also includes USB-A charging sockets that are located to minimize trailing wires. It uses the onboard 4G Wi-Fi hotspot, which is capable of linking up to eight devices.

Up front, the new-look four-spoke steering wheel features hidden-until-lit switches and metal gearshift paddles while a tactile new gear selector provides instinctive control of the powertrain.

Versatility

Its optional hands-free Gesture Tailgate can detect the wave of a foot beneath the rear bumper to open the boot while the Powered Inner Tailgate restrains loose items in the 2,485-litre loadspace (5 seats) and doubles as a handy bench. Even with seven seats in use, the boot provides 258 litres of luggage space and all occupants have somewhere to charge electronic devices.

Inside, Intelligent Seat Fold technology allows customers to configure the seating layout using the central touchscreen, while Remote app technology lets customers keep tabs on the fuel status and location of their vehicle and even unlock and lock the doors.

Improved lateral support, longer thicker cushions and careful seat profiling all contribute to under-thigh support and improved posture for occupants.

Land Rover’s new second-generation Activity Key is also available. It features touchscreen controls, a digital watch and can lock, unlock and start the vehicle as an addition to the conventional fob.

New Discovery is available in Discovery, S, SE and HSE trim levels, in R-Dynamic guise or as a Commercial model with a 2,024-litre cargo area, additional underfloor storage lockers and the same maximum 3,500kg towing capacity as the rest of the range.

Advanced powertrains

New Discovery introduces a trio of new straight-six Ingenium engines, both petrol and diesel, featuring 48V Mild Hybrid Electric Vehicle (MHEV) technology. The new engines are available alongside Land Rover’s four-cylinder P300 Ingenium petrol powertrain and with a new Intelligent All-Wheel Drive system.

The straight-six engine family was designed and developed in-house and the diesel is available in 249PS (183kW) and 300PS (221kW) outputs, while the powerful petrol delivers 360PS (265kW).

New Discovery engine line-up in full:

• P300: 300PS (221kW), 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol, 400Nm of torque at 1,500-4,500rpm
• P360: 360PS (265kW), 3.0-litre six-cylinder MHEV petrol, 500Nm of torque at 1,750-5,000rpm
• D250: 249PS (183kW), 3.0-litre six-cylinder MHEV diesel, 570Nm of torque at 1,250-2,250rpm
• D300: 300PS (221kW), 3.0-litre six-cylinder MHEV diesel, 650Nm of torque at 1,500-2,500rpm

The D250 and D300 six-cylinder Ingenium diesels feature lightweight aluminum construction and replace the previous SD4 and SDV6 diesels. 48V MHEV technology ensures the new engines meet the most stringent global emissions regulations and deliver improved responses.

The system harvests and stores energy generated during deceleration, and redeploys it to assist the engine when accelerating, providing six-cylinder performance and four-cylinder efficiency.

Breath of Capability

All-New Discovery models with six-cylinder Ingenium engines feature an advanced driveline that optimizes the torque split between front and rear axles, using a range of sensors to distribute torque to suit the conditions. The new Intelligent All-Wheel Drive system maximizes traction, on-road dynamics and driveline efficiency, resulting in improved fuel economy and reduced CO2 emissions in normal driving.

Adaptive Dynamics damper technology – fitted to all models – monitors vehicle movements up to 500 times a second, reacting to driver or road inputs almost instantaneously.

With Terrain Response 2 technology, New Discovery is automatically primed to suit the driving conditions while the new Wade Mode optimises the vehicle for deep water fording – even applying the brakes automatically when the driver disengages Wade Mode, to restore full performance from the first application of the brakes.