Item: Land Rover Discovery 2004-2016
Rating: 4

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The hardy but handsome Land Rover Discovery 4 is one of the best second-hand 4x4s you can buy today, and its go-anywhere usability and load-lugging versatility can be yours for as little as £3000.

Rather than start afresh for the fourth-generation Discovery, Land Rover took its already successful – and slightly more minimalist – Discovery 3 and evolved it into a ‘new-generation’ model.

Various components were fettled to improve both on- and off-road performance, while also boosting cabin appeal.

While the Discovery 4 retained the 3’s boxy, chunky aesthetic, Land Rover designers Gerry McGovern and Andy Wheel gave it a more luxurious finish, heavily influenced by the Range Rover.

Purists scoffed at the notion of this no-nonsense 4x4 in an evening dress, but body-coloured bumpers and tweaks to the headlights and tail-lights helped enhance the Discovery’s look.

Inside, the Range Rover-ification of the Discovery was laid bare with new soft-touch materials, chrome elements and a slick new touchscreen, giving an upmarket, premium feel to the cabin. And yet the 4 didn’t lose any of the 3’s functionality: it still came with heaps of buttons and switches for all the important controls.

Being more of a heavy facelift than a totally new car, the 4 was based on the 3’s Integrated Body Frame (IBF) chassis. Early models also used the same 2.7-litre diesel V6 engine, although this was soon swapped for a twin-turbo 3.0-litre V6 that made 242bhp.

We were a bit gutted that Land Rover didn’t offer the 4 with its supercharged 5.0-litre petrol V8, but the bigger V6 was more polished than the earlier Ford-derived motor, delivering plenty of pulling power but remaining hushed at a cruise.

In 2011, power was boosted to 255bhp and the six-speed automatic gearbox was swapped for a more efficient ZF eight-speeder in a bid to improve efficiency.

Even so, the 4 was never the last word in economy: it will average 21-35mpg in the real world and high emissions mean VED is a hefty £710 annually for early TDV6s.

Land Rover focused on improving the Discovery’s composure on the road while tweaking its off-road gadgetry to enhance its capabilities in the rough.

Thicker anti-roll bars and revised suspension knuckles were added, while the Terrain Response and Hill Descent systems were updated.

Despite a long wheelbase and a tall body, the 4 had precision and consistency to its handling. It couldn’t match the BMW X5 for agility, but considering its weight and size, its on-road dynamics were impressive.

The 4’s roadholding was helped by its reduced weight compared with the 3. The latter weighed almost three tonnes, and its engine didn’t have the zeal for getting up to speed swiftly on motorways or for overtaking.

Engineers shaved 140kg and added 119lb ft of torque, and that made a dramatic difference. With less weight and more punch, the 4 had an impressive turn of speed – and it wouldn’t break a sweat if you attached a heavy trailer, either, having a towing capacity of 3500kg.

You can tell a post-2014 car by its new front bumper design, LED headlights and ‘Discovery’ rather than ‘Land Rover’ bonnet badge.

There were also some optional extras from the Range Rover, such as sonar wade-depth sensing and a Meridian audio system.

Few SUVs rivalled the Discovery 4 for its multifaceted versatility. It was easy to drive, refined and luxurious but, crucially, it had the on-road dynamics to match its off-road ability.

A used buy should serve you well, if you can stomach its higher running costs.

Verdict

Model tested:

Rating: 8

Used Land Rover Discovery 2004-2016 review

Spacious, refined and supremely versatile, the go-anywhere Discovery is a crackerjack SUV

Good

Cabin space and usability

Off-road ability

Refined on-road manners

Bad

High running costs

Stately pace

Size and weight

RELIABILITY

Is the Land Rover Discovery 4 reliable?

The fourth-generation Discovery 4 has a rather sketchy reliablity record, and we'd urge you to buy an example with a full service history for peace of mind – or one that has been looked after by a reputable independent specialist at the very least.

As long as the car has been meticulously maintained and repaired using geniuine Land Rover parts, you shouldn't run into any major problems. But be prepared for hefty bills should parts being to fail.

Engine: Detecting crank failure is difficult, because the engine is pretty gruff at idle anyway. But if it sounds a little lumpier than normal, take this as an early warning: full engine replacement required. Ouch.

Inlet manifolds can crack on high-mileage diesels, so venture up to motorway speeds to see if it goes into limp-home mode.

Exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valves can also crack. They can be blanked off with plates or replaced, but the latter can involve lifting the body from the car, so not a cheap job.

Suspension: Air suspension failure is a pretty common issue. Make sure the car is level and isn’t listing to one corner and check that the ride height raises and lowers evenly. Listen out for any strange noises from a dying compressor.

Front lower control arms wear over time but should be replaced every 50,000 miles anyway.

Gearbox: Make sure the gearbox has had an oil and filter change; if not, run a mile.

Check the entire drivetrain – including the differentials – for signs of black stuff where it shouldn’t be.

Body: Scratches to the side and scuffs to the cladding are indicators of off-road antics. Have a good look underneath the car for any signs of rust or damage, the latter to the front control arms in particular.

An owner’s view

Charlie Knifton, Kniftons Mobile Toilets: “I bought a 2015 facelifted Discovery 4 to tow my fleet of luxury mobile toilet trailers. At present, I still have my 2015 model, as well as two 2016 Discovery 4s and a Discovery 5. They’re brilliant tow cars and regularly tasked with towing trailers upwards of three tonnes. They have plenty of power and the gearbox is really smooth. Sure, we’ve had lots of warning lights on the dashboard – failed EGR valves and cracked inlet manifolds to name just a few. Last year, one of our Discos snapped its crankshaft at 125,000 miles. I didn’t enjoy paying the £10k bill to fix it.”

Also worth knowing

When it was launched, you could have the Discovery 4 in a choice of three trims: GS was the entry-level option, followed by XS and then premium HSE.

In 2012, Land Rover added HSE Luxury, which came with silver roof rails and black trim and celebrated 25 years since the launch of the original Discovery.

Graphite and Landmark trims were added towards the end of the model’s production life, the latter being the more luxurious: it featured TV screens in the headrests and lashings of extra leather.

DESIGN & STYLING

Pros

Traditional, boxy silhouette maintains spirit of original discovery

IBF chassis brings strike balance between on- and off-road dynamics

Cons

Still a very big, heavy SUV

Mild facelift brought little in terms of visual appeal

The Discovery must still rank as one of the cleverest reinterpretations ever seen in the car world.

The bluff nose, the slab of bonnet, the stepped roof and the wrap of those rear side windows instinctively told you that not only was this a Land Rover, but also a Discovery.

Form followed function, however. Every Land Rover had to offer a class-leading spread of abilities, and that meant rethinking the car’s basic structure, hence the creation of the Integrated Body Frame (IBF) chassis.

This offered the strength of a ladder chassis for off-road performance and, with its unitary body on which the suspension was supported, on-road performance to match more dynamic class rivals.

The Range Rover Sport moved beyond this structure in favour of something lighter which better reflected its sporting bias, but for the more rugged Discovery, there's still nothing better.

The spec sheet revealed one important side effect: weight. Even with a magnesium crash structure up front, the Discovery tipped the scales at a hefty 2570kg, which brough with it both advantages and disadvantages.

All models came with air suspension and Land Rover's trademark Terrain Response system – an electronic manager that automatically adjusted throttle response, shift pattern, ride height and stability control through five settings, according to the terrain.

Combined with an electronically controlled transfer box, a computer-controlled centre differential and a locking rear diff, Land Rover continued its central tradition of providing vehicles with capabilities far in excess of what most owners would ever need from their car.

Back on the everyday-use side of the Discovery's offering, however, the addition of automatic stop-start for the 252bhp 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel engine brought CO2 down to 213g/km, and while that did nothing for benefit-in-kind tax, it did at least move the car out of the £475-a-year road tax bracket.

It was the only engine option that Land Rover offered as the Discovery was slowly phased out.

Land Rover's 2014 changes to the car consisted of new headlights, a more glossy radiator grille and foglight surrounds, more rounded door mirrors and a few other touches besides. To our eyes, the grille in particular was something of a feminine affectation on this stark, granite-like design.

INTERIOR

Pros

Clever mix of soft-touch and durable materials gave interior luxurious feel with an air of functionality

Huge amount of space inside with third seats big enough for adults

Cons

Centre console trip computer looks a little dated

Better kit tied to costlier trims

Some 17.6 centimetres were added by Land Rover to the length of the Discovery for the 2004 version, but this transformed it from a cramped five-seater with two occasional seats to a superb seven-seater of unparalleled space and comfort.

Though the 2009 revision to the car added some much-needed perceived quality to the cabin, Land Rover still chose to throw some hard, durable plastics in among the soft-touch stuff. They worked superbly and gave the Discovery a useable edge.

That being said, it was by no means perfect. The centre console and trip computer looked a bit dated and over-complicated and it was a shame the speedometer was hard to read.

Still, with the upgrades came a high-grade touchscreen multimedia system that was noticeably better than the system fitted to the Discovery 3 in terms of its usability and graphics quality.

However, if the Discovery didn't offer enough space, quality, comfort and things for children to twiddle, then nothing will. The three individual chairs in the second row had excellent support, and the foldaway third row was brilliantly well executed, simple to erect and big enough for adults.

The Land Rover Discovery’s 2.5 tonnes made it a somewhat intimidating device to drive, but factor in the enormous body structure, the individual three-point belts, the twin front airbags, full-length curtain side airbags and optional curtain airbags for the third row and you had a car that could ensure the safety of those on board.

As the Discovery was slowly phased out its trims were limited to just Graphite and Landmark. The entry-level model included xenon headlights, parking sensors, roof rails, electric folding wing mirrors and 19in alloy wheels as standard, while inside there was cruise control, a reversing camera, keyless entry, a Meridian sound system, leather upholstery and heated front seats.

Upgrading to the range-topping Landmark model added 20in alloy wheels, all round heated seats, electric sunroof, heated steering wheel, rear TV screens and an uprated Meridian audio system.

For those after a Disco to use and abuse as a workhorse, Land Rover created a Commercial version, which provided more plastic mouldings and easy-wipe materials inside.

ENGINES & PERFORMANCE

Pros

Good throttle response

Slick eight-speed ZF gearbox

Cons

Weight limits straight-line performance potential

It was to Jaguar’s credit that Land Rover’s loss of BMW petrol and diesel engines at the beginning of the last decade actually granted it access to even finer in-house powerplants for the Discover.

Essentially the same engine as fitted to the Jaguar XF saloon, and revised once again in 2011, the 2993cc V6 turbodiesel in the Discovery produced 252bhp at 4000rpm and 442lb ft at 2000rpm. It was the only engine available in the UK market and came with a ZF eight-speed automatic gearbox as standard.

Weight inflicted large compromises on the Discovery’s straight-line performance potential. This wasn't a quick car, or a quick-responding one either. You couldn't, for example, squirt it into gaps in traffic with abandon.

All was not lost, though. Land Rover countered by providing unparalleled refinement and a transmission capable of wringing maximum efficiency from the last turn of the crank.

So despite taking 9.6sec (claimed) to hit 60mph, the impression was of a car that had enough grunt if not an indulgence of it, combined with impressive deportment for one so large.

The gearbox's ratios were intelligent, too, making what performance available feel more ample than it might.

At idle the Discovery’s engine emitted only the faintest noise and no vibration. It was occasionally perceptible on the move, but only as the pleasant hum of a cultured V6.

Throttle response was good and, crucially, it had much more step-off thrust than the original 2.7-litre car.

RIDE & HANDLING

Pros

Precise and controlled handling

Exceptional ride comfort

Cons

Small imperfections can unsettle the ride

Easy to push the car beyond limit of grip

Despite weighing the best part of three tonnes, the Discovery’s suspension managed the car’s mass – and height – with unerring precision, consistency and control.

However, the almost sports-saloon levels of roadholding and agility found in the likes of the Range Rover Sport, BMW X5 and Porsche Cayenne were beyond the capabilities of the Land Rover.

Ride comfort was everything in this car. Both large and medium-sized intrusions were dismissed with silent disdain, and the Discovery's motorway ride was excellent thanks mainly to the sheer mass moving down the road.

Only very sharp, small irregularities caught the Disco off-guard, sending a shimmy through the bodyshell, and there was the characteristic wallow of a big, heavy SUV – an expected trait for a car of this size rather than a negative observation.

More difficult to pin down was the way the Discovery seemed to always be at a saunter, regardless of where the speedo needle was pointing: this was a chassis that never allowed itself to be flustered on-road and whose limiting factor was grip.

There was a margin of stabilising understeer and on wet asphalt it didn't take too much effort to have the DSC stability system chiming in.

But overall, the car’s imperturbability was mightily impressive, as was how manageable Land Rover made the 4 considering its heft and size.

MPG & RUNNING COSTS

Early cars were offering in CS, XS and range-topping HSE trims, but these were wittled down to just two mainstram trim levels towards the end of the Dicsovery 4's lifecycle: Graphite and Landmark.

Fuel consumption wasn't one of the Disco's strong points. You'd struggle to beat 28mpg in everyday use, but at least the 82-litre tank could manage over 450 miles between fills. And you could just about manage around 30mph if driving more conservatively on a long journey.

ZF's eight-speed 'box has made a big difference to economy, as has that stop-start
Nic Cackett
Road tester

Running costs were reasonably high, as you would for a flagship SUV.

If buying a later example, we'd recommend going for a Landmark model; it came with an extensive, wide-ranging kit roster, and majored on comfort.

The low-spec models are tempting but demand is higher on the used market for better-equipped models when it comes to vehicles such as this.

VERDICT

Verdict

Model tested:

Rating: 8

Used Land Rover Discovery 2004-2016 review

Spacious, refined and supremely versatile, the go-anywhere Discovery is a crackerjack SUV

Good

Cabin space and usability

Off-road ability

Refined on-road manners

Bad

High running costs

Stately pace

Size and weight

The pre-eminent Land Rover Disovery 4 was a cracker of an SUV. While it might have felt a little dated in its twightlight years, it certainly had the character, refinement and practicality to out-do many of its more sporting rivals.

There was a quiet classlessness to the fourth-generation Disco, which made it only more appealing.

It was easy to drive, had a luxurious edge to compliment its functional characteristics and, crucially, had solid on-road dynamics to match its unprecendent off-road ability.

Sam Phillips

Title: Staff Writer

Sam joined the Autocar team in summer 2024 and has been a contributor since 2021. He is tasked with writing used reviews and first drives as well as updating top 10s and evergreen content on the Autocar website.

He previously led sister-title Move Electric, which covers the entire spectrum of electric vehicles, from cars to boats – and even trucks. He is an expert in new car news, used cars, electric cars, microbility, classic cars and motorsport.

Sam graduated from Nottingham Trent University in 2021 with a BA in Journalism. In his final year he produced an in-depth feature on the automotive industry’s transition to electric cars and interviewed a number of leading experts to assess our readiness for the impending ban on the sale of petrol and diesel cars.

Matt Saunders

Title: Road test editor

As Autocar’s chief car tester and reviewer, it’s Matt’s job to ensure the quality, objectivity, relevance and rigour of the entirety of Autocar’s reviews output, as well contributing a great many detailed road tests, group tests and drive reviews himself.

Matt has been an Autocar staffer since the autumn of 2003, and has been lucky enough to work alongside some of the magazine’s best-known writers and contributors over that time. He served as staff writer, features editor, assistant editor and digital editor, before joining the road test desk in 2011.

Since then he’s driven, measured, lap-timed, figured, and reported on cars as varied as the Bugatti Veyron, Rolls-Royce Phantom, Tesla Roadster, Ariel Hipercar, Tata Nano, McLaren Senna, Renault Twizy and Toyota Mirai. Among his wider personal highlights of the job have been covering Sebastien Loeb’s record-breaking run at Pikes Peak in 2013; doing 190mph on derestricted German autobahn in a Brabus Rocket; and driving McLaren’s legendary ‘XP5’ F1 prototype. His own car is a trusty Mazda CX-5.