Land Rover Discovery VS Volvo XC60
Land Rover Discovery
Likes
- Comfortable on-road
- Capable off-road
- Air suspension
Dislikes
- Price-tag
- Wheels and tyres not suited to off-roading
- Spongy brakes
Volvo XC60
Likes
- Safety feature-heavy without being intrusive
- Large and comfortable cabin space
- On-going costs are reasonable
Dislikes
- Cabins of rivals have more visual impact
- The stop/start idling feature can be clumsy
- Option packs are expensive
Summary
Land Rover Discovery
The Land Rover Discovery is a bit of a classic with 4WDers – and while it’s never attracted a massive and passionate fanbase like its hard-core stablemate, the Defender, it’s done okay for itself.
There used to be a clear distinction between the Discovery and the Defender. The Discovery was always your Landie of choice if you were after a luxurious smooth-riding 4WD, while the Defender was a gruff, rough-riding, hard-core adventure machine.
Read More about the Discovery
Well, with the new Defender being so refined, so well-appointed, so comfortable and so nice to drive – it’s almost like a Discovery in disguise – is the 22MY Discovery even relevant any more?Â
More importantly, does it make sense as your next seven-seat 4WD wagon?
Read on.
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 3.0L turbo |
| Fuel Type | Diesel |
| Fuel Efficiency | 7.5L/100km |
| Seating | 7 seats |
Volvo XC60
Volvo is a brand that has some strong images associated with it. High-end safety, five km/h below the speed-limit-driving-styles, sitting close to the steering wheel, sweater-sets, ‘bloody Volvo driver’ expletives… ahem (present company excluded, of course).
Those who are watching the brand closely know those images are almost defunct because that’s old Volvo and this is new Volvo.
Comfort and safety still appear to be at the top of the brand's priority list but style is being retuned to make this medium-sized SUV a true competitor against its luxury rivals, the BMW X3, Audi Q5 and Lexus NX.
Read more about
I’ve been family-testing the new Ultimate B5 Bright grade for the last few weeks and have thrown road-trips, kids and pets at it!
In this review I’ll unpack how the XC60 has handled life with my family of three.
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 2.0L turbo |
| Fuel Type | — |
| Fuel Efficiency | 7.6L/100km |
| Seating | 5 seats |
Verdict
Land Rover Discovery8/10
The Land Rover Discovery D300 S is a great family-friendly 4WD wagon.
It’s quiet, refined, and supremely well appointed; it’s also very nice to drive on-road and it’s a lot of fun – and very capable – off-road.Â
It’s packed full of driver-assist tech and its Pivi Pro system is a real treat to use once you’ve mastered the art, which doesn’t take long.
But you could say all of those same things about the new Defender.Â
So, is the Discovery still relevant? I reckon it is … at least for the time being.
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Volvo XC608.4/10
The Volvo XC60 Ultimate B5 Bright is a fine example of a family car that actually caters to families. There are plenty of practical features inside to help everyday living and it has a good amount of occupant and boot space for the class. I like how it handles on the road and its running costs are reasonable for a luxury SUV. It's not as flashy as its rivals but it's still stylish.
My husband and son spent a lot of time in the XC60 and they have enjoyed a high-level of comfort on our journeys together. We all love the built-in booster seats in the back row because of the independence they offer.
Design
Land Rover Discovery
As always, I’ll avoid waxing lyrical about the styling of a vehicle – suffice to say, it looks good.
In terms of dimensions, this Discovery is 4956mm long (with a 2923mm wheelbase), 2220mm wide and 1888mm high.
It has a listed kerb weight of 2437kg.
Volvo XC60
The XC60 looks mature and graceful with its wide stance and well-proportioned body. The pronounced bonnet and stylish grille confirm its luxury SUV credentials.
The LED headlight design has been inspired by ‘Thor's Hammer’ (gotta love that Scandi heritage!) and the chrome accents around the windows accentuate the optioned darker tint.
Despite having a stately kerb-side presence, it’s not a boring looking car. The 20-inch dual-coloured alloy wheels and sleek body panelling help the XC60 appear almost sporty. Overall, its exterior design looks like it will age well.
The interior style of the XC60 can be summed up in two words - understated elegance.
The cabin isn't as flashy or wowing as some of its rivals and that might be because it lacks the visual impact of customisable ambient lighting, or because the chunkier dashboard looks more solid and dependable than sleek and fancy.
Regardless, the high-quality leather-accented upholstery and trim options elevate the space to earn the 'luxury' tag.
There is a plethora of soft-touchpoints throughout the car and visual highlights like chrome accents, an illuminated crystal shifter by Orrefors and a solid-feeling steering wheel.
Practicality
Land Rover Discovery
The interior has a real premium feel about it, but it still serves as a very practical space.
The third-row seats can be either manually folded down into the floor to use that area as cargo space, or lifted up into a seating position.
There is a load-space cover, light, luggage tie-downs, bag hook and 12v in the rear, and two USB charging sockets for the third-row passengers.
The second row is a 60:40 electric-folding set-up with manual slide and powered recline, centre headrest and armrest, as well as map pockets, and door-moulded recesses. Second-row passengers get two USB C and one USB A charging points, air vents, air-con controls and more.
The front seats are 14-way electrically-adjustable with captain’s armrest, grained leather seat facings with Ebony interior; the Pivi Pro 11.4-inch touchscreen with digital radio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto; as well as one USB A and three USB C points.
The Discovery has a fixed front and rear panoramic roof.
Volvo XC60
Families will appreciate the XC60's cabin. Both rows of seating are roomy for the class and the front seats are supportive and comfortable with multiple adjustments available.
However, there is an electric toggle dial that controls the lumbar-, side-, and under-thigh supports as well as the massage function, but flipping between modes can be a bit confusing at first.
I enjoy having the practical two-position memory function on both front seats, as I’ve been travelling a lot with my husband and the heat/ventilation features on the front seats have been great during a recent run of strange weather.
The back seats are well-cushioned and the bench is wide with three adults being able to sit without too many grumbles.Â
I have plenty of room for my 168cm height and my seven-year old is able to get in and out without any trouble thanks to the higher ground clearance.
Our absolute favourite feature is built-in child booster cushions in the outboard seats. They have two height positions to accommodate different heights/weights and it’s been wonderful for my son to have the autonomy of buckling himself in. But also just awesome for my husband and I because it’s one less thing to think about!Â
Storage throughout the car is good for the class with the front enjoying a mid-sized middle console, large glove box, two cupholders and two large drink bottle holders. The extra-large storage bins in the front doors are also very handy.Â
In the rear, you have two retractable cupholders in the fold-down armrest, two map pockets and two drink bottle holders in each door.
The other amenities are great with the individual climate control and four sets of directional air vents – ideally located on the back of the centre console and on the B-pillars.Â
Charging options are solid with both rows enjoying two USB-C ports and the front also getting a 12-volt outlet and wireless charging pad. The boot has a 12-volt socket, too.
Onto the other technology, the 9.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system is responsive and relatively easy to get around once you spend some time with it. Along with the Google subscription, you also get wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.Â
The 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster shows the navigation map and the head-up display incorporates directions, which is great.
The cluster itself isn’t customisable, though, and I like fiddling with things like that to personalise the driving experience.
Another practical feature is a secondary key fob which can be programmed to control the maximum speed the car can travel and the audio volume.
I'm sure this would be handy for parents of any P-platers out there who often borrow the family car.
The key fobs are easily distinguishable. too. The spare for our test vehicle is a bright orange colour, so there are no 'whoops, I grabbed the wrong key' arguments, either.
The boot space is a great size at 483L offering plenty of room for holiday luggage. The back seat has a 60/40 split and a ski-port to open up storage options.
The loading space is level and there is a temporary spare tyre underneath the floor. You can adjust the height of the car using the air suspension and I love a powered tailgate.
Price and features
Land Rover Discovery
For reference, this Discovery D300 S has a price-tag of $101,875* (plus on road costs).
As standard, the seven-seat Discovery’s list of features is considerable, as it should be at this price-point, and includes a 11.4-inch Pivi Pro multi-media touchscreen (like an all-in-one vehicle operating system, but more about it later), Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, fixed sunroofs, 3D Surround Camera, height-adjustable air suspension, 20-inch five-split-spoke, gloss silver wheels, and a whole lot of driver-assist tech.
There are also plenty of optional features available, which obviously push the price up the more you add to your Disco.
Our test vehicle was equipped with a stack of those extras and, because of that, its price-tag was $110,910* (plus on-road costs). (Prices correct at time of writing.)
Optional features on our test vehicle include Advanced Off-Road Capability Pack ($3970, twin-speed transfer box (high/low range), All Terrain Progress Control, Terrain Response 2, Configurable Terrain Response; Active Rear Locking Differential $1110; Tow hitch receiver $1000; Leisure Activity Key $960; Black Roof Rails $940; Privacy glass $920; Premium carpet mats $640; and wireless device charging $455.
By the way, the Discovery is available in a variety of colours including Fuji White, which is on our test vehicle, as well as versions of black, blue, grey and silver.
Volvo XC60
There are four variants for the XC60, split evenly between the B5 petrol engine and the T8 plug-in hybrid. Our test vehicle is the top-spec Ultimate grade coupled with the B5 petrol engine.
Without any packages, this combination will cost $80,990, before on road costs, which is a $1000 price hike for the 2024 model year.
The standard features list for the XC60 is robust and there are some great premium features, like the electric and heated front seats that feature electrically adjustable under-thigh support, lumbar support and side-bolster support.
The front seats also have a two-position memory function, which I find helpful whenever I share the driving with my husband as there is no hassle for me to get back to a comfy driving position after he drives!Â
Other premium features include a heated steering wheel, pre-entry climate control (perfect for those super-hot days), premium leather-accented and high-quality trims to choose from.
The technology highlights include a complimentary four-year subscription for the built-in Google Assistant, Google Maps and Google Play Store which are accessed via the portrait-style 9.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system.
There is a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and a very handy four-zone climate control system.
Other practical features include a handsfree powered tailgate, keyless entry, keyless start, coloured head-up display and a ticket holder on the windscreen, for those odd occasions where you have a physical ticket!
Now, here come the optional packs our model has been fitted with. There’s the 'Climate Pack' for $150 that adds headlight cleaners and a 'Lifestyle Pack' for an additional $13,800.
The latter sounds expensive but you get some lovely features in the pack, like a panoramic sunroof, improved Bowers & Wilkins sound system, Nappa leather upholstery, front seat ventilation, front seat massage function, air suspension and tinted rear windows.
Add on $2050 for the 'Thunder Grey' paintwork and it slides in at $96,990, before on-roads. and that places it towards the top-end of the market compared to its rivals, but the BMW X3 xDrive30i M Sport still just beats it with a $97,900 price tag.
Under the bonnet
Land Rover Discovery
The Discovery has a 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder twin-turbo-diesel engine – producing 220kW at 4000rpm and a whopping 650Nm at 1500-2500rpm – working with a mild hybrid system.Â
Those impressive power and torque figures don’t tell the whole story of just how well the Disco’s engine is able to punch this big unit along the road at a comfortable clip and – bonus – its chunk of torque, useable across a decent rev range, comes in very handy when off-roading.
It has an eight-speed automatic transmission and an all-wheel drive system.
Volvo XC60
Volvo is aiming to offer only fully-electric powertrains from 2026 and the new XC60 B5 petrol variants feature a mild-hybrid element designed to improve fuel economy, especially in stop-start traffic.
Our test vehicle has a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-petrol powertrain with a maximum power output of 183kW and 350Nm of torque. It’s an all-wheel drive and has a smooth eight-speed auto transmission.
Efficiency
Land Rover Discovery
Fuel consumption is listed as 7.5L/100km on a combined cycle.Â
Fuel consumption on this test was 9.8L/100km. That’s sound considering I did a lot of high- and low-range 4WDing on this test and the Disco is quite a hefty unit.
The Land Rover Discovery D300 S has an 89-litre fuel tank, so, going by those fuel-consumption figures, I’d expect an effective touring range of about 860km, but remember that figure includes a built-in 50km safe-distance buffer.Â
Volvo XC60
The official combined cycle fuel figure is 7.6L/100km and my real-world usage averaged 8.1L/100km.
That’s pretty economical given that I cover a good mix of open road and urban driving and am not precious with the power.
Based on the combined cycle number and the large 71L fuel tank, expect a driving range of around 934km. To give you an idea of time between fills, I drove it for 14 days before having to fill up.
You can’t sneak in any blends or lower grade fuel though as Volvo recommends a minimum 95 RON premium unleaded be used.
Driving
Land Rover Discovery
The Discovery is very impressive on-road. No surprise really as it has always had a reputation as a comfortable on-road cruiser – and it's lost nothing in this latest iteration.Â
It is a smooth driving experience: quiet, refined and you suffer little to no noise from outside intruding into the cabin.Â
The seats are very comfortable and supportive, and that makes it perfect for long-distance trips.Â
The straight-six engine and eight speed auto are a nice combination, quietly effective, and well-managed.Â
Acceleration is good with sharp throttle response, so you can crack on the pace when you need to, say, for instance, from a standing start or when you need to overtake a vehicle.Â
In terms of overall driving experience, there’s nothing too outrageously exciting or dynamic on offer here, because this is a large SUV, but it’s always comfortable and it’s lively enough if you want to give it the boot. There are paddle shifters if you want to get fancy with your up- and down-shifting.
It’s not all good news: visibility from the driver’s seat is a bit pinched out the rear of the Discovery (due to its styling); there is pronounced body-roll through corners; the brakes are quite spongy, with a real delayed-action feel about them; ride is a tad harsh because you are rolling along on 20-inch tyres and rims, which is something I’m not so used to; and, the steering column is manually adjustable only, which I reckon is a bit slack for such a pricey vehicle.
Volvo XC60
The XC60 is a relaxing car to drive, it does what you expect it to do most of the time. It has enough power to handle open-road touring with ease and while the suspension is on the firmer side, the ride feels well-cushioned.
The only time it skips a beat for me is when you're easing off the accelerator, slowing down, but then need to pick up speed again.
Say, when you find a gap in traffic and begin to merge. There can be a short delay before acceleration happens and it feels somewhat clumsy. But these moments are few and far between.
The cabin is quiet, with minimal wind and road noise. Our family had no issues chatting. It only gets loud inside when heavy rain hits that big panoramic sunroof.
Adaptive steering makes the XC60 feels nimble and horribly tight city streets less daunting. It’s easy to manoeuvre in a small car park, as well.
The clear 360-degree camera system and sensitive front and rear parking sensors also help to make light work of a parking.Â
Ownership
Land Rover Discovery
The Discovery has a five year/unlimited km warranty with five years roadside assistance.
The service plan applies over five years/130,000km (whichever occurs first) with a cost of $2650.
Volvo XC60
It’s not often common to associate a luxury brand with reasonable on-going costs but the Volvo XC60 is offered with very competitive pricing and terms.
The five-year/unlimited km warranty is normal for the class but you can pre-purchase a three-year/45,000km or a five-year/75,000km servicing plan.
The three-year plan is priced at $1750 (averaging $583 per service) and the five-year plan is priced at $3000 (or an average of $600 per service). Both plans are cheaper than a pay-as-you-go option and are inexpensive compared to some rivals.
Servicing intervals are good at every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first.