STREAM THOUSANDS OF HOURS OF TOP MOTOR SHOWS!
- Access Digital Exclusives, Hit Shows, Live Motorsports, and more!
- Ad Free - Stream Across Multiple Devices
- Cancel Anytime
Stay Updated Car news, reviews, and more!
True, you may have to take a second look to tell the newly revised Discovery from its predecessor. That's because Land Rover intentionally chose a modest freshening of the original look-complete with its distinctive stepped roof and Alpine windows-rather than a more aggressive approach. (For our tastes, they may have kept it a little too modest.) Still, don't be fooled into thinking the Series II is simply a warmed-over version of the old Discovery. As the first major redesign of the model since its '89 introduction, this largely all-new vehicle represents a dramatic step forward, not only for the Discovery but, in some areas, for sport/utility engineering as a whole.
For starters, every exterior panel on the vehicle is indeed new. Plus, the chassis has been strengthened, with about a 20-percent increase in torsional rigidity. While the wheelbase has remained the same, the overall length has been stretched by 6.5 inches and the width by 3.8 inches. Much of the extra room created by these larger dimensions translates directly into additional cargo space-5.7 cubic feet-which ups the total to a roomy 41.1 behind the rear seat.
The real story, though, lies beneath the skin. Here, the Series II sports a cornucopia of leading-edge technology that makes it one of the most sophisticated SUVs on the road. At least in part, this is thanks to BMW, which bought the Rover Group in '94 and has proceeded to pour billions of dollars into the venerable British manufacturer, providing state-of-the-art engineering and improved production and quality control methods. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the revamped suspension and brake systems.
The Series II still sports live axles and coil springs both front and rear, but those axles, adapted from the Range Rover, have a greater span, increasing track by 2.1 inches in front and 2.9 in rear and providing a more stable footprint. In addition, the entire suspension is upgraded and retuned for better control, less body lean in corners, and an improved on-pavement ride. In driving the Series II back to back with the original Discovery, the difference is immediately noticeable. This vehicle offers quicker handling response, more precise cornering, and a dramatically more stable feel, even in quick transient maneuvers. Where last year's Discovery was clearly a step down from its modern competition in on-road handling, the Series II is right there with the best in the market.
If you want to move up still another notch in cornering control, you can opt for Land Rover's new Active Cornering Enhancement system ($2900), which is a first on a SUV. Acting like electronic antiroll bars, ACE is designed to keep the vehicle as level in corners as a fine-tuned sport sedan. It does this by monitoring cornering force and, when necessary, counteracting body lean by using a hydraulic pump to send fluid to front and rear actuators that take the place of anti-roll bars. ACE is so effective that it eliminates all body lean, keeping the vehicle perfectly flat up to 0.4 g of lateral acceleration (moderate cornering force). Over that mark, the system begins to allow some tilt to give the driver a sense of cornering, but still keeps body lean well within prescribed limits. In fact, it can generate enough pressure to counteract up to 1.0 g lateral acceleration in a mere quarter of a second, which should be a big boon to drivers forced into a sudden accident-avoidance maneuver. The ACE system also comes with beefy 18-inch wheels and 255/55HR18 tires.
Another option is a self-leveling rear suspension ($750) that uses air springs similar to those on the Range Rover. This is designed to automatically compensate for uneven loads or during towing in order to maintain optimum ride height. One trick advantage of this system is that the rear bumper height can be manually raised or lowered through a hand-held remote control. From its standard height, the rear can be lowered up to 4 inches to help in connecting a trailer or for loading heavy cargo in the rear compartment. Likewise, when off-pavement, the touch of a switch will raise the rear by 1.6 inches to provide extra ground clearance. In addition, should the vehicle become high-centered while at normal ride height, the system will automatically raise the vehicle this extra 1.6 inches to help it get unstuck.
Where most manufacturers would feel good boasting about four-wheel discs and four-channel ABS in their braking systems, this is only where the Series II begins. Complementing the ABS is an Electronic Brake Distribution system, which controls brake bias between the front and rear axles under heavy braking to provide extra control for the vehicle when it's heavily loaded or towing. If this system detects wheelslip between axles, it'll automatically adjust the line pressure to achieve the best distribution of brake force.
The strong engine braking of Land Rovers has always made them an excellent choice for one of off-roading's most difficult situations, descending a steep, slippery hill. Now, the company's exclusive Hill Descent Control system, first introduced in the Europe-only Freelander, goes one step further. While in low range, the system can be activated with the press of a switch and will operate as long as the driver's foot remains off the accelerator pedal. It monitors wheel speed during a descent and applies individual brakes as necessary to keep the vehicle below a preprogrammed speed. In first and second gear, the target speed is 4.4 mph, while in third and fourth, it's 7.5 mph.
Another function of the Series II's sophisticated braking system is its new four-wheel traction control, which complements the vehicle's existing full-time four-wheel-drive system. This traction control is similar to the one Mercedes uses in the M-Class. Should slippage at any wheel be detected, the system will apply braking force to that wheel, effectively routing torque to wheels with more traction. It works so well that only one wheel need have traction for the vehicle to advance.
Land Rover says that 85 percent of the Series II is new. Then there's the engine, which disappointingly remains basically a carryover, although with a number of refinements. The venerable OHV 4.0-liter aluminum V-8 features a new induction setup, repackaged ancillary accessories, a returnless fuel system, and more advanced Bosch Motronic engine management, similar to that in BMW's 750iL. This has helped squeeze out six more horsepower and 18 pound-feet of torque, bringing peak outputs to 188 horses and 251 pound-feet. This has also helped cut the vehicle's 0-60-mph time by a full second over the last Discovery we tested. In addition, thanks to a new centrifugal oil filter and improved engine manufacturing techniques, service intervals have been extended from 7500 to 12,000 miles, which will save owners some time, hassle, and money.
Still, this old-world powerplant just doesn't match the sophistication of the rest of the vehicle. Despite being quieter and smoother than the previous iteration, compared with competitive engines from Mercedes and Lexus, this V-8 is too underpowered and inefficient to be a good match for the Series II. Fortunately, replacing the old hydraulically controlled automatic transmission is a new electronically controlled four-speed, with sport and manual modes.
With standard cloth upholstery, the Series II retails for $34,150, while the leather appearance package on our test vehicle will bump the price almost another $2000. Either version comes with a host of comfort and convenience features. Overall, the Series II has made a tremendous leap forward, both in technical sophistication and in competitiveness within the SUV field. The average person may have to look twice to tell which version you're driving, but from behind the steering wheel, there's no comparison.