The article was originally produced on May 4, 2017, some facts and prices may have changed since then.

Land Rover Discovery 5

With fantastic off-road characteristics and now 500 kilograms less under the belt, the new Land Rover Discovery impresses. 

The angular and box-shaped design is gone and the new Land Rover Discovery has the same rounded corners as the rest of the Land Rover and Range Rover family. This design was first presented in the sibling Evoque in 2011. The first generation Discovery came in 1989 and with the new one you are in generation five. The purpose of the model was to fill the gap between the very practical Defender and the luxurious Range Rover. 

The Land Rover Series 1 arrived in 1948 and was an instant success. The model later changed its name to Ninety and One-Ten depending on the chassis length. In the end, the name became Defender. In 1970, the Range Rover was introduced, which was an elegant and robust car that attracted many city dwellers who could then pretend they had an estate in the country. The success of the Range Rover also meant that there was room for a slightly cheaper model. It resulted in Discovery which was a bit of a mixture of Defender and Range Rover. An elegant workhorse that you didn't need to be ashamed of.

Since the brand was taken over in 2008 by the Indian Tata Motors, a lot has happened. The quality has improved and the model range has been broadened. Both Land Rover and Jaguar were owned by Ford before Tata bought them along with the Daimler and Rover brands.

In order to really experience the new Discovery, we went to the only certified Land Rover Experience Center in Scandinavia. The center is located at a castle outside Billund, Denmark. The castle was built in the middle of the 16th century and has a total land area of 414 hectares. A perfect environment and surface to experience the new Discovery. The first part of the test drive consists of road driving. A ride of just under ten miles that is completed faster than it started. The car is so incredibly comfortable with its air suspension and on the Danish country roads and motorways the journey is completely undramatic. The diesel six with 258 horses is silky smooth and with a twist of 600 Nm, driving is pure pleasure and 100 km/h is reached in 8.1 seconds. You sit incredibly comfortably in the seats, which have adjustment options for all body types. What stands out, however, is that you can also sit really well on the third row of seats at the back, even if you are fully grown. To control and fold the seats there is an app so you can easily do this from your smart phone. If you don't want to use all seven seats but have more cargo space, the car swallows a total of 2,500 liters when the tasty seats are folded down. In terms of technology, literally nothing is missing, you have an infotainment system with a sound system from Meridian that even the most ardent hi-fi geek should not be disappointed with. For those in the back seat, it is possible to get screens on the back of the front headrests. If you often drive with a trailer, the Advance Tow Assist function will be your friend. The system, which is semi-automatic, helps you when reversing with a trailer. No more fussing back and forth to make reverse maneuvers with a trailer. Depending on engine options and which driver's license you hold, trailers of up to 3,500 kilograms can also be towed behind the new Discovery. In short, the new Discovery will handle long journeys without anyone having to suffer, on the contrary.

But buying a Discovery just to drive on the highway would be throwing pearls to swine. This is a car that really likes mud and bumpy terrain and that is exactly why we are at this Land Rover Experience Center. The new Discovery has gone through a serious diet compared to its predecessor. Thanks to extensive use of aluminum instead of steel, the total weight has been reduced by a whopping 500 kilos. This is of course something that shows itself very positively both in the consumption figures and out in the terrain. That the previous Discovery models were also good off-road is no news. What the new Discovery does that is different is that it can do most things without you having to think about it behind the wheel. You don't have to stop to reposition the entire car when you choose to change surfaces. Now you simply drive out into the terrain you want and the car will understand what you are doing and adapt to what is required for you to get there without obstacles.

To go through exactly all the programs and settings there are to do would take the rest of this magazine. The figures for how steep slopes the car can really handle are not official as they differ depending on how you loaded, what surface, etc. But they are far, far more than you feel comfortable with, something we get to experience on the off-road course. When it leans so much that you think the car is going to overturn, it makes it forward without the slightest problem and with decent margins. 

With the new Discovery, Land Rover shows that it is among the best car brands in the world when it comes to combining luxury and practicality. Discovery 5 is the car you want to drive far with and over everything.