Land Rover Discovery freshens up for 2021

Published: 10 November 2020

► Discovery gets revisions for 2021 model year
► New engines, revised interior with Pivi Pro
► Plus, handsome new R-Dynamic trim

It’s gentle evolution for 2021 as Land Rover’s Discovery gets an interior and exterior makeover and a fresh engine line-up.

The Discovery’s sheet metal is unchanged, but the new look – achieved via new paint and wheel options, a new bumper and fresh LED lights at the rear, and a new front end with a new grille, revised DRLs and matrix LED headlights – updates the car without drastically changing Disco’s bold, distinctive aesthetic.

Discovery 2020 interior

The big news inside is Land Rover’s new infotainment system, Pivi Pro, which brings with it a new interface – a curved 11.4-inch touchscreen – and faster, more intuitive functionality (Land Rover claims that 90% of commands can be achieved in just two taps). We’ve used the system extensively in the Defender, and it’s a big step forward. New Discovery drivers will also enjoy JLR’s crisp new 12.3-inch digital display, a new multi-function head-up display, a chunky and handsome new steering wheel and a trigger-style gearshift lever in place of the weird old rotary control.  

You and your passengers can expect to be spoilt rotten inside with purified, ionised cabin air (you can even set the cabin air-conditioning system running before you drive, via the app, to ensure you breathe only the finest, cleanest air), heated seats in all three rows, 40 litres of personal storage in cubbies around the cabin, comprehensive connectivity for up to eight devices via optional Wi-Fi (you can fold seats from your phone) and, as before, huge carrying capacity; 258 litres with all seven seats deployed, 1231 litres in five-seat guise and an appliance-swallowing 2485 litres with the second and third rows stashed.

The engine line-up is straightforward and compelling, with two diesel options (D250 and D300 versions of the excellent new mild hybrid turbodiesel straight-six) and two petrol engines; the punchy but thirsty P300 turbo four-cylinder and the mild hybrid straight-six P360.

Discovery 2020 interior centre console

Intelligent all-wheel drive, optional Terrain Response 2 off-road drive modes, air suspension as standard and huge wheel articulation remain Discovery staples, promising enormous off-road ability.

Finally, in comes a new trim level, sporty R-Dynamic, which deploys a glass back finish liberally on the car’s exterior to deliver a striking, assertive aesthetic, and the most road-orientated Discovery yet from a design perspective.

New Discovery pricing starts at £53,050 in the UK, and it’ll be available in four trim levels; S, SE, HSE and R-Dynamic. 

Check out our Land Rover reviews

By Ben Miller

The editor of CAR magazine, story-teller, average wheel count of three

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