Land Rover Defender vs Land Rover Discovery

The Discovery is one of Land Rover’s most iconic nameplates, right up there with the Range Rover and Defender. When it launched in 1989, the Discovery accelerated Land Rover’s transition (started by the Range Rover) from a purveyor of Spartan work vehicles to the luxury brand it is today. The Discovery has evolved with the Land Rover brand, getting more luxurious and more tech-savvy over the years.

Representing the nameplate’s fifth generation, the 2021 Land Rover Discovery is the family SUV of the Land Rover lineup. Not to be confused with the smaller Land Rover Discovery Sport, the seven-seat Discovery competes against luxury family haulers like the Audi Q7, BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class, and Volvo XC90. Unlike its Continental European competition, though, the Discovery also boasts serious off-road capability.

The current-generation Discovery dates back to the 2017 model year, but it gets a few notable updates for the 2021, including new engines, refreshed exterior styling, redesigned second-row seats, and a new infotainment system. Land Rover offers the 2021 Discovery in base S, R-Dynamic S, and R-Dynamic HSE trim levels; we tested out a mid-level R-Dynamic S for this review.