2003 Land Rover Discovery

My guess is that those who buy the Land Rover Discovery are going to do so for one of two basic reasons: its raw capability or its rugged image.


It is, certainly, one of the most capable off-road vehicles on the planet. Aston Martin Jaguar Land Rover (division of Ford Motor Co.) president Mike O'Driscoll says the Discovery's bigger brother, the $71,000 Range Rover, is "truly the most capable vehicle in the world." O'Driscoll makes no such claim for the '03 Discovery, but it must be close in what it can do.

The stepped-up rear roof and barely rounded corners of its starkly functional shape are part of its appeal.

Most of what Discovery does best is measured off-road. Although the upgraded and refined 2003 version is reasonably smooth, quiet and agile on the asphalt, it is more at home and truly intended for traversing rivers and rain forests and the Sands of Serengeti.


This desert and jungle prowess is a big part of Discovery's image, well fortified by its shape. It sits high and square, looking much like the box it must have come in. The stepped-up rear roof and barely rounded corners of its starkly functional shape make it unique yet familiar from years of stardom in adventure movies and wildlife documentaries. Therein lies the other half of its appeal to some.


For '03, Discovery inherits three important family traits from big brother Range Rover: a 217-hp 4.6-liter aluminum V-8 engine; a new face dominated by a flat black horizontal grille and large, rectangular, multifaceted head and signal lamps; and interior, chassis and body refinements to enhance its ride, handling, braking and overall level of lux.