2017 Land Rover Discovery revealed

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British SUV specialist Land Rover has revealed the fifth generation Discovery at the Paris Motor Show, in the process introducing new powertrains and new technology.

Designed to cater to modern families, the Discovery maintains the iconic stadium-style three-row seating (capable of accommodating seven adults) and stepped roof of previous variants, while adding connected remote folding seats, and weight saving aluminium construction.

Australian buyers will be able to purchase the new Discovery from July 2017, with the range opening from $81,590 (plus on-road costs) - with seven seats standard.

Compared to the outgoing model, the new Discovery is up to 480kg lighter, using aluminium monocoque construction in place of a steel ladder frame chassis and introducing a four-cylinder engine for the first time since the original model which was introduced in 1989.

The new base engine, a 2.0 litre turbo diesel from Jaguar Land Rover's (JLR) Ingenium family, produces 132kW and 430Nm of torque, with fuel consumption as low as 6.3 L/100km and capable of accelerating the Discovery Td4 from 0-100 km/h in 10.5 seconds.

A more powerful Sd4 variant, featuring JLR's first use of sequential twin turbocharging, ups outputs to 177kW and 500Nm with fuel consumption of 6.5L/100km and a 0-100 km/h sprint of 8.3 seconds - comparable to the previous model SDV6.

The most powerful discovery engine for the time being is the 3.0 litre Td6 V6 turbo diesel, rated at 190kW with a single turbocharger. Fuel consumption for the Td6 is claimed at 7.2 l/100km and acceleration takes 8.1 seconds from 0-100 km/h

Included in the technology suite for the new Discovery is seven USB charging points (or up to nine on vehicles with rear seat entertainment) while an Activity Key - a wearable entry device that you can take swimming while leaving the actual car key, deactivated, inside the vehicle - has been borrowed from the Jaguar F-Pace.

By far the most impressive new feature is the debut of Intelligent Seat Fold - a system that allows the second and third row seats to be folded from buttons in the cargo area and on the C-pillars, or via a smartphone app allowing the interior to be configured remotely in preparation for the loading of large or bulky items.

Intelligent Seat Fold also checks to make sure the coast is clear, using seat sensors to ensure the seats are unoccupied, or if already folded, that nothing is resting atop them before unfurling.

Land Rover has also loaded the Discovery with available heated seats in all three rows, as a segment first, as well as heated and cooled first and second row seats, plus a massaging function for front row occupants.

Land Rover's InControl Touch Pro infotainment system features a 10-inch touchscreen, with smartphone compatibility for Apple and Android devices, allows control of the Intelligent Seat Fold functions, connected services, off-roading apps and music playback thanks to a 14-speaker Meridian audio system.

Off road devotees will still be able to get away from it all with 283mm of ground clearance and 500mm of wheel articulation thanks to adjustable air suspension which can be raised by 75mm for off-road excursions or, at the opposite end of thing, can be lowered up to 60mm to ease loading bulky items in the boot and entry into the cabin.

The Discovery also touts a 900mm wading depth, an approach angle of up to 34 degrees, a breakover angle of 27.5 degrees and departure angle of 30 degrees, with the air suspension set to its highest Off Road mode.

Two all-wheel drive systems will be offered, either a full-time four wheel drive system utilising a Torsen centre differential and single-speed transfer box with a 42/58 static torque split that is variable between 62/38 and 22/78 as conditions require.

For more rugged conditions a two-speed transfer case is available, with a standing 50/50 torque split, and able to be shifted between low and high ranges on the move at speeds of up to 60 km/h.

Styling also marks a major change for Land Rover, with the previous Discovery's boxy form banished in favour of a more rounded shape, following in the footsteps of the smaller Discovery Sport and the Discovery Vision Concept of 2014.

One of those major stylistic changes sees the previous split tailgate replaced with an electrically operated one-piece tailgate, paired with a fold-down panel at the leading edge of the boot floor, which can be used as bench seat, and is able to hold up to 300kg.

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