The Land Rover LR4 nameplate is dead replaced with the Discovery moniker around the world. With the new name comes new styling that takes off-road SUV to new, more subdued stylings without compromising its hard-core, off-road prowess.
The 2018 Discovery rides on the D7 platform that underpins the Ranger Rover and Range Rover Sport. The architecture uses aluminum exclusively, which has worried some the Discovery may not be as off-road friendly as it once was. However, to combat those notions, the Discovery uses steel subframes for increased strength.
The styling is significantly more subdued and luxurious than the outgoing model it replaces. The boxy look is gone, though there is still a bit a funk to how the SUV looks. With those looks comes a wading depth of 35.4 inches. The departure and entry angles are just as good as the outgoing model while being slightly longer and 1.5-inches wider. With the body-on-frame architecture gone, the 2018 Discovery weighs almost 1,000 pounds less.
Inside, the Discovery carries over the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport ethos. There will be three rows of seats, powered, of course, which can be done remotely with a smartphone. With all the seats down, there are 88.3 cubic feet of cargo space. Also inside is a litany of plugs and ports: six USB ports and six 12-volt chargers. A Wi-Fi hotspot is available, which can connect up to eight devices. At the back, there is a standard liftgate. Gone is the split rear tailgate. To appease those upset about the new tailgate, there is an aluminum seating plate that folds out of the floor.
Power will come from Jaguar Land Rover’s supercharged 3.0-liter V-6 engine. It makes 340 horsepower and is mated to a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission. There will be either a single or two-speed Torsen-based torque center gearing. A 254-horsepower 3.0-liter turbodiesel will also be available. Towing capacity is 8,201 pounds.
The 2018 Land Rover Discovery may be growing up, but it is definitely not forgetting where it came from. The new Discovery will hit dealers in the middle of next year. IT will have a starting price of $50,985.
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