Of all its good qualities, what makes the Land Rover Discovery stand out most in a crowded field of rental SUVs is its flexibility. Let’s say, for example, that you’re combining a work trip with a family vacation. For business, this upscale midsize SUV’s leather-trimmed cabin is luxe enough to impress even the most jaded clients. With the Discovery’s third-row seat folded down, you have a cargo area that will easily hold all those product samples you brought.
When family time rolls around, this seven-passenger SUV will take you and your brood pretty much anywhere you want to go. With its Terrain Response system, which features preset modes for a wide variety of driving situations, the Discovery handles off-pavement excursions as blithely as it does long freeway slogs.
The Discovery is as at home pulling into the valet stand at a fancy restaurant as it is traversing the muddy, rutted dirt road to the lakeside cabin you rented.
- Classy ride with room for the whole family
- Go-anywhere four-wheel-drive system
WEAKNESSES
- Think twice before venturing too far off-pavement.
- Can be pricey even to rent
BOTTOM LINE
- Stylish good looks combined with impressive capabilities
SAFETY
- NHTSA: Not yet tested
M.P.G. (city/highway)
- 21/25 (2.0L I4/automatic)
