Newly restyled for its 2017 debut, the fifth-generation Land Rover Discovery rock crawls into 2018 much the same, save for pricing, new standard and available content, and the wider availability of a powerplant with a bad global reputation.
Not to say that Jaguar Land Rover’s 3.0-liter diesel V6 is a bad motor — rather, that all oil-burning engines have taken an image hit since Volkswagen’s recent naughtiness. Still, Jaguar Land Rover is enjoying surprising success with its diesels in the United States, so it’s not entirely surprising to see a powerplant known for stump-pulling torque setting up shop in another off-road focused model.
For 2018, the price of an entry-level Discovery SE rises from $50,985 (USD) after delivery to $53,085, an increase of $2,100. However, if you’re a diesel lover who doesn’t want to shell out for a higher-trim model, you’re in luck. The 3.0-liter diesel — which, like last year, adds $2,000 to the window sticker — is now available on the SE, HSE, and HSE Luxury, rather than just the latter two.
That pushes the entry price of a diesel Discovery down from $59,945 after delivery to $55,085. The Td6 engine, which promises five extra miles per gallon on the EPA combined cycle, offers up 254 horsepower and 443 lb-ft of torque, mated to a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission. Gas-powered variants pair that tranny with a 340 hp, 332 lb-ft 3.0-liter V6.
Moving up the trim ladder will cost a bit more for 2018, with the (gas-powered) HSE rising from $57,945 to $59,485. An HSE Luxury now costs $66,485, up from last year’s $64,945.
For the new price, all buyers receive a 10-inch multimedia touchscreen (even lowly SE patrons), with a 12.3-inch instrument cluster display now standard on HSE and HSE Luxury. Those upper-crust trims also see a second-generation Head-Up Display, now with piles more space to flash information relating to vehicle speed, traffic sign recognition, Adaptive Cruise Control, gear selection, and driver assist features.
Aiding our connection to the modern world, 4G Wi-Fi joins the across-the-board standard features list. Perhaps more important, at least for the safety conscious, is the 2018 Discovery’s standard automatic emergency braking with pedestrian recognition.
What you won’t get for 2018, however, is the old LR4 back. JLR has admitted the new model’s soft appearance leaves some Discovery purists wishing for more.
[Image: Jaguar Land Rover]
I’ve only seen two of these so far in the LA area (which is Range Rover central). The styling is somehow goofy and oafish, like an inbred cousin to the rest of the…range.
I also see very few Discovery Sports, which really don’t look premium at all. If they keep this up, I could imagine LR discontinuing the Land Rover line and just focusing on Range Rover. Their modern day target audience wouldn’t even notice.
Yeah – they managed to absolutely kill off an iconic design overnight. Not easily done. I’m sure the D5 is capable and very good in a lot of ways, but the design is non-descript at best. I’d be shocked if it’s successful.
“Goofy and oafish” is a perfect description of the entire current Land Rover lineup. Even the Range Rover looks like a school bus chop on a Yukon.
I expect the next Defender will look like a 120% scale Renegade.
That rear 3/4 shot makes it look like the designers were working off of a carbon copy of the current Durango.