Is the Land Rover Discovery reliable?

The Land Rover Discovery scores 71/100 on Forecourt's MOT-based reliability measure, ahead of 23% of the cars we track. That is computed from 4,545,307 real DVSA MOT test results.

How much does a used Land Rover Discovery cost?

A 2023 Land Rover Discovery with around 31,194 miles is worth roughly £39,850 today (typical range £36,000–£43,700). Dealer forecourt prices sit higher and part-exchange offers lower; newer or lower-mileage examples cost more.

How quickly does the Land Rover Discovery depreciate?

A new Land Rover Discovery typically loses about 28% of its value over the first three years, then depreciates more slowly. Buying at three to five years old avoids the steepest part of the curve.

What insurance group is the Land Rover Discovery?

The Land Rover Discovery sits in insurance group 32 of 50 — the more expensive end of the scale. Exact premiums depend on the trim (some versions sit a few groups higher or lower), your age, postcode and no-claims history.

What goes wrong on a used Land Rover Discovery?

The most common age-related issues we track for the Land Rover Discovery are: brakes (typically around over 100k miles, £150-£500 to put right); suspension (typically around over 100k miles, £150-£450 to put right); tyres & wheels (typically around over 100k miles, £80-£500 to put right). A full service history and a recent MOT with no advisories are the best protection.

What does the Land Rover Discovery cost to run?

Expect around 32 mpg combined on the Discovery D300 3.0 Diesel mHEV, £200 a year in road tax, about £290 for a standard annual service. The full cost-of-ownership table above breaks this down per year and per mile for the exact year and mileage you choose.

Is the Land Rover Discovery ULEZ compliant?

Most petrol Land Rover Discoverys from 2006 and diesels from September 2015 meet the Euro standards for London ULEZ and other UK clean-air zones, so they are generally exempt from the daily charge. Pure-electric versions are always exempt.

How many Land Rover Discoverys are on UK roads?

About 278,395 Land Rover Discoverys are currently taxed and on the road in the UK, from DfT vehicle-licensing data.

Ranked #56 car in the UK · SUV · 11,383 units sold last year

Land Rover Discovery

The Land Rover Discovery (L462, 2018 on) is the consummate seven-seat family 4x4 - hugely capable off-road and on tow, with three rows of proper seats and a vast, versatile cabin. UK cars are mild-hybrid petrol and diesel. It swapped the boxy charm of older Discos for a smoother shape, but remains one of the most genuinely useful big family vehicles - provided you buy on history and check electronics and air suspension.

How these figures are sourced — the valuation is anchored to a researched used-market price for this model (AutoTrader median, 2023 at 30k miles). Reliability, mileage and variant data are real DVSA MOT records. Dimensions, tyre sizes and costs, servicing figures and the insurance group are segment-level estimates rather than sourced per car, and are being replaced model by model.

Body: SUV
Years: 2018–2026
Fuel: Mild Hybrid
Economy: 32 mpg
Insurance: Group 32

The short version

63/100

Forecourt score

Value 94 · Reliability 32 · catalogue percentiles

The Land Rover Discovery holds its value well. Its MOT-based reliability is good — an MOT score of 71/100, ahead of 23% of the cars we track. On three-year value retention it ranks better than 94% of models.

The Forecourt score blends how this car ranks against the catalogue on value retention, reliability and insurance cost (weighted 40/40/20) — the from-new ownership picture. Higher is better; running cost is not yet folded in.

Pick your version

Estimates are tuned to the version you choose.

Fuel

Mild Hybrid · 2997cc

Power

300 ps

Drivetrain

AWD

Cam drive

Chain

Quoted MPG

32 mpg

Volume Discovery (Mk5). 3.0 Ingenium inline-six diesel mHEV. Chain timing + wet-belt oil pump caveat - genuine watch-out on a £60k tow car.

Tell us about the one you're looking at

Year of registration2023

20182026

Mileage on the clock31,194 mi

0Expected: 31,194180k

Conditiongood

PoorFairGoodExcellent

Tidy and well looked-after for its age — the typical car.

Region

Remembered as you browse other cars.

Know the registration?

Optional — fills in the exact year and ULEZ status for your specific car. The registration isn’t stored.

Estimated market value

£39,850

Range £34,150 – £45,950

medium confidence

When new (2023)£57,800Age-based value£41,772Mileage adjustment+£0Condition & region+£14Market calibration+£114Forecourt price£41,900Private sale£37,800Part-exchange£33,250

Holdthis 3-year-old

Fair value — the 5-year mark is the sweet spot.

At 31,194 miles it’s below the ~39,182 typical for a 3-year-old — a well-kept reading.

Seen one for sale?

A data-led guide from the depreciation curve, UK parc trend and reliability — not financial advice.

The depreciation curve

How a 2023-registration Land Rover Discovery loses value over time.

Marker = your selection
Dashed = mileage either side

What it costs to own

Over

Based on the 2023 car with 31,194 miles you entered above — worth about £39,850 today — here is the cost of owning it for the next 5 years, at roughly 10,398 miles a year.

5-year total

£23,893

Per year

£4,779

All-in per mile

£0.46

Fuel per mile

18.2p

Depreciation£6,325

Fuel / energy£9,448

Servicing£2,570

Road tax£1,000

Insurance£4,550

Best age to buy — around 4 years

A 4-year-old example loses roughly £4,750 a year — 53% less than the £10,100 a one-year-old sheds. The steepest drop is behind it.

Uses current UK pump and home-charging prices (DESNZ weekly), typical-driver insurance and manufacturer service intervals. "Fuel per mile" is just the energy input — so an EV at ~9p and a diesel at ~22p make running-cost comparison direct. A guide; your own costs will vary.

How it compares

Where this car ranks against the 340 vehicles in our index — higher is better.

Holds its valuebetter than 94%

Reliabilitybetter than 32%

Percentile rank across our full index. A measure is shown only where the data spreads meaningfully across the index.

Petrol, diesel, hybrid or EV?

How the available versions compare on price, running cost, and the headaches each tends to develop.

D250 / D300 / P360

JLR's full-size 7-seat luxury SUV. Separate from Discovery Sport (smaller). Cross-shop Audi Q7, BMW X5, Mercedes GLE 7-seat, Lexus LX. The Discovery has class-leading off-road capability and 7-seat practicality but Land Rover reliability remains the major caveat — service history critical.

New price: circa £75,000
Annual fuel / energy: £2,100
3-yr depreciation: 52%

Watch for

·🔔 Land Rover 30th of 31 in 2025 Driver Power
·Air suspension faults common at high mileage
·Infotainment freezes pre-2022 (Pivi Pro 2022+)
·UK-built at Solihull

Fuel/energy costs based on this week’s UK averages (w/c 03/08/2026) · Petrol 159.9p/L, Diesel 179.2p/L, Electricity 27.0p/kWh · DESNZ

Estimated insurance

Group 32 of 50 (upper-mid — pricier to insure) · Comprehensive · 3 years NCB

Indicative annual comprehensive premiums for this car, by driver age band and risk profile. Pick the combination closest to your circumstances.

No-claims bonus3 years

0 yearsBaseline: 3 years15+

Risk profile:

Estimated annual premium · typical, age 33-39

£910/ year

Roughly £76 per month

Typical

Average UK driver — 3 years NCB, average postcode, no recent claims.

Age band	Lower risk	Typical	Higher risk
Age 17-25	£2,075	£2,594	£3,372
Age 26-32	£1,083	£1,274	£1,554
Age 33-39Selected	£801	£910	£1,074
Age 40-49	£680	£755	£876
Age 50+	£606	£673	£795

How we estimate this

Indicative annual comprehensive premium estimates. The 'Typical' figure represents an average UK driver in each age band; Lower and Higher risk show the realistic spread driven by factors UK insurers legitimately price on (postcode, occupation, claims history, NCB, voluntary excess, modifications). Based on 10,000 miles/yr, £250 voluntary excess, and the no-claims bonus selected above. Always get individual quotes before buying.

Expected annual costs

Adjust the annual mileage to match how you'll actually use the car. Insurance is what you selected above (age 33-39, typical risk, 3 yrs NCB).

Annual mileage10,398 mi/yr

2,000UK avg for this model: 10,39830,000

Routine service

£290

Annual main-dealer service

Major service

£280

Every 2 years, annualised

Road tax

£200

Standard rate, post year-one

Fuel

£2,362

32 mpg, £1.60/L

Insurance

£910

Age 33-39, group 32

Clean-air zones

✓ ULEZ compliant

Mild Hybrid variants are compliant with London ULEZ and all UK clean-air zones.

Based on London ULEZ standards — Birmingham, Bath, Bristol, Sheffield, Glasgow and other UK clean-air zones generally follow the same rules.

Total expected£4,042 / year

Excludes depreciation and unscheduled repairs (see next section).

Unexpected costs

What out-of-warranty repairs typically run, by mileage band. Your selected mileage is highlighted.

0-30k miles

£120

per year · low risk

30-60k miles

£360

per year · low risk

60-100k miles

£780

per year · medium risk

100k+ miles

£1,350

per year · high risk

Tyres

215/65 R17 · 235/55 R18 · 235/50 R19

What a full set of four will cost you (including fit and balance), and which brand each tier of buyer should pick. A typical set lasts about 24,000 miles.

Budget

£400

set of 4, fitted · £85 per tyre

Mid-range

£580

set of 4, fitted · £130 per tyre

Premium

£840

set of 4, fitted · £195 per tyre

What to fit

Optional extras worth paying for

Factory options ranked by how much of their original cost they recover at resale. Anything above 70% return tends to make money back; below 40% is paying for your own enjoyment.

Option	New cost	Added used value	Return
Tow bar (factory-fit) Niche, but the buyers who want one will pay for it.	£650	£450	69%
Parking sensors & reversing camera Near-expected now — its absence costs more than its presence returns.	£500	£300	60%
Heated seats / cold-weather pack	£450	£200	44%
Adaptive / matrix LED headlights	£900	£400	44%
Metallic or premium paint Almost universal — an unusual colour is the bigger resale risk.	£600	£200	33%
Panoramic / opening roof	£1,100	£350	32%
Advanced driver-assistance pack	£1,500	£450	30%
Larger alloy wheels	£700	£200	29%
Premium sound system	£800	£200	25%

Parts most likely to fail

Drawn from owner reports and warranty data. Filtered for relevance to 31,194 miles.

Watch now

Failure typically happens around your current mileage.

Upcoming

A known weak point — but you haven't reached its usual mileage yet.

Already due

Past its usual failure mileage. Either already fixed, or about to.

BrakesUpcoming

Typical at over 100k milesCost £150-£500medium severityParts high

Recorded in 11.5% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 4,513,223 DVSA MOT tests analysed.

SuspensionUpcoming

Typical at over 100k milesCost £150-£450medium severityParts high

Recorded in 13.0% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 4,513,223 DVSA MOT tests analysed.

Tyres & wheelsUpcoming

Typical at over 100k milesCost £80-£500low severityParts high

Recorded in 5.6% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 4,513,223 DVSA MOT tests analysed.

Lighting & signallingUpcoming

Typical at over 100k milesCost £15-£120medium severityParts high

Recorded in 9.2% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 4,513,223 DVSA MOT tests analysed.

Driver's viewUpcoming

Typical at over 100k milesCost £60-£300low severityParts high

Recorded in 3.7% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 4,513,223 DVSA MOT tests analysed.

Body & structureUpcoming

Typical at over 100k milesCost £200-£1,200low severityParts high

Recorded in 5.9% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 4,513,223 DVSA MOT tests analysed.

"Parts low/medium/high" indicates how easy the replacement part is to source — discontinued or specialist parts mean longer workshop time and bigger bills.

Safety rating

Euro NCAP's independent crash-test rating for the Land Rover Discovery, from its 2017 assessment.

5/5

TEST YEAR2017

Rating lapsed after 2023 · protocol superseded

The passenger compartment of the Discovery remained stable in the frontal offset test.

Independent crash-test data from Euro NCAP. Star ratings reflect the test protocol of the year shown — newer protocols are stricter, so a 5-star from 2024 represents a higher bar than a 5-star from 2014. Euro NCAP ratings run for six years from publication; a lapsed rating means the protocol has moved on, not that the car performs any worse than it did on test.

MOT outlook

How this model fares at its MOT as it ages — from 4,545,307 real DVSA test records.

MOT pass rate by age

85.6% at 3yr → 72.1% at 25yr

A 3-year-old Discovery passes its MOT 85.6% of the time; by 25 years that has slipped to 72.1%. The y-axis is zoomed to this model’s range so the trend is readable.

Longevity

90%of 8-year-old examples are still taxed and on the road — a useful read on how well the model lasts.

From 9,856 vehicles registered in 2018.

Survival by registration year

90% of 2018 cars still on the road

Each point is one registration cohort. Older cars on the left, newer on the right. A flatter line means the model holds up over time; a steep drop means cohorts disappear from UK roads faster.

What’s on the road

The fuel-type split of every Discovery with MOT history in the DVSA record. From 402,750 vehicles tested at least once - not the number on the road today, which is lower.

Diesel 93.9%
Petrol 5.2%

What fails at the first MOT

The defect categories a Discovery registered 2020–2023 fails on at its first MOT, from 27,025 first tests. Every car here is the same age and the same generation, so these are the faults that show up first - not the wear a high-mileage older example collects.

Tyres & wheels5.9%
Driver's view1.6%
Brakes1.3%
Lighting & signalling0.7%
Identification & other0.3%
Seat belts & restraints0.3%

Share of first MOT tests recording at least one defect in that category. DVSA test-item categories, not parts: “Driver’s view” covers mirrors, wipers and glass.

Typical mileage by age

The average odometer reading for a Discovery at MOT, by age — measured from the same DVSA records, not assumed. A useful yardstick for whether a given car has done more or fewer miles than its age suggests.

3 yr39,182
4 yr50,675
5 yr61,668
6 yr72,083
7 yr81,667
8 yr90,686
9 yr99,530
10 yr107,964
11 yr115,783
12 yr122,856
13 yr129,110
14 yr134,412

Mean recorded mileage at MOT by vehicle age, from DVSA test records. Ages below three are not shown: the first MOT is due at three years, so the few cars tested earlier are a self-selected minority rather than a representative sample. Ages with at least 10 tests shown.

Reliability

71/ 100

Good

First-MOT pass rate and defect rate for cars registered 2020 onward (27,025 first tests), with cohort survival — high confidence.

MOT outlook · age 5 years

81%first-time pass rate

23rd percentile — Among the worst — investigate carefully

Based on 245,234 MOT tests · ranked against 248 catalogue models with comparable data

Where this car sits in the catalogue

Pass-rate distribution across 248 catalogue models

Things owners say

01The diesel is the towing and high-mileage default; all seven seats take adults - a real family workhorse.
02Class-leading off-road and towing ability, with clever powered-folding seats and storage.
03Air suspension and electronics are the known cost areas - a thorough inspection and full history are essential.

Safety recalls

Manufacturers occasionally issue safety recalls to fix a fault free of charge. You can check whether the Land Rover Discovery, or your exact vehicle, has any outstanding recalls on the official DVSA service.

Check on GOV.UK

Opens the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency recall checker. Choose the make, model and year of manufacture — no registration needed.

Theft risk

A general indicator from UK 2025 theft data and this car’s characteristics — not a prediction for any one vehicle.

Whole-car theft

Higher

Desirable SUVs like this are relay-theft targets — keyless entry can be exploited from the driveway in under a minute.

Parts theft

Higher

Hybrid versions are a catalytic-converter target — a hybrid cat is rich in precious metals and can be cut out in about a minute.

Worth doing

Keep keys in a Faraday pouch and away from the front door to block relay attacks.
A catalytic-converter guard or forensic marking makes a hybrid far less appealing to cut.
A visible steering lock is a cheap, strong deterrent on a frequently-targeted car.

Clean-air zones

Whether driving a Land Rover Discovery into a UK clean-air zone will cost you anything. Rules use the same Euro standard across most zones — petrol from 2006 and diesel from 2015 onwards are exempt; pure electric is always exempt.

Charging zones for cars

City	Area	Daily charge	Likely outcome
London	All of Greater London (within the M25)	£12.50	Likely exempt Hybrid petrol engines from 2006 meet Euro 4.
Birmingham	Inside the A4540 Middleway	£8.00	Likely exempt Hybrid petrol engines from 2006 meet Euro 4.
Bristol	City centre and part of the Portway	£9.00	Likely exempt Hybrid petrol engines from 2006 meet Euro 4.
Glasgow	City centre	—	Likely exempt Hybrid petrol engines from 2006 meet Euro 4.
Edinburgh	City centre	—	Likely exempt Hybrid petrol engines from 2006 meet Euro 4.
Aberdeen	City centre	—	Likely exempt Hybrid petrol engines from 2006 meet Euro 4.
Dundee	City centre	—	Likely exempt Hybrid petrol engines from 2006 meet Euro 4.

Zones that don't charge private cars

Bath — City centre (Private cars and motorbikes are not charged).
Bradford — Outer ring road and the Aire Valley (Private cars are not charged).
Sheffield — Inside the A61 inner ring road (Private cars are not charged).
Newcastle & Gateshead — City centres and the Tyne, Swing, High Level and Redheugh bridges (Private cars are not charged).
Portsmouth — Part of the city centre (Applies to taxis, PHVs, buses, coaches and HGVs only).

Model-level guidance only. To check a specific registration, use the official gov.uk clean-air zone checker. Zone charges and boundaries are set by local councils and change over time.

Servicing & the dealer network

How well-supported Land Rover is across the UK — a practical read on how easy servicing, parts and warranty work will be to find.

Franchised UK dealers

~110

Large network

Premium SUV

Network size relative to the UK's largest (Land Rover is 2.4% of all franchised outlets)

Servicing, parts and warranty work are easy to find UK-wide, and most independent garages know the brand well — which keeps maintenance competitive.

For context, the UK has roughly 4,500 franchised car-dealer outlets in total, plus about 15,500 independent garages.

Approximate figures, curated from public UK industry sources (NFDA, Car Dealer Magazine). Franchised networks shrink year on year — these indicate network size, not an exact count.

Dimensions & weight

These are segment estimates, not manufacturer figures. 296 of 325 catalogued cars share one of 14 identical dimension sets, so they describe a class rather than this particular car. Sourced figures replace them model by model.

Length

4,600 mm

Width

1,880 mm

Height

1,650 mm

Kerb weight

1,750 kg

Boot

500–1,600 L

Fuel tank

60 L

How many are still out there

How the UK Land Rover Discovery fleet splits: taxed and on the road, parked off the road on a SORN, and gone from the register where that figure is available.

Currently registered

345,354

Currently taxed & on road

278,395

81% of all registered

SORN (off road)

66,959

19% of all registered

Scrapped or exported

n/a

not in this DfT extract

UK fleet trend — 2014 to 2025

-0.1% vs 2024

175,100278,395

Source: DfT VEH0124 vehicle licensing statistics (year-end 2025) · Updated 29 Jul 2026

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Same underpinnings

Built on the JLR D7 / MLA platform

Longitudinal-engine platform for the larger Range Rover models, Discovery, Velar and Jaguar F-Pace. Different badges, often substantially different residuals, but broadly the same mechanicals and repair cost profile.

Jaguar Land Rover Modular Longitudinal Architecture · JLR

Common questions

Land Rover Discovery, answered from the data

Is the Land Rover Discovery reliable?: The Land Rover Discovery scores 71/100 on Forecourt's MOT-based reliability measure, ahead of 23% of the cars we track. That is computed from 4,545,307 real DVSA MOT test results.
How much does a used Land Rover Discovery cost?: A 2023 Land Rover Discovery with around 31,194 miles is worth roughly £39,850 today (typical range £36,000–£43,700). Dealer forecourt prices sit higher and part-exchange offers lower; newer or lower-mileage examples cost more.
How quickly does the Land Rover Discovery depreciate?: A new Land Rover Discovery typically loses about 28% of its value over the first three years, then depreciates more slowly. Buying at three to five years old avoids the steepest part of the curve.
What insurance group is the Land Rover Discovery?: The Land Rover Discovery sits in insurance group 32 of 50 — the more expensive end of the scale. Exact premiums depend on the trim (some versions sit a few groups higher or lower), your age, postcode and no-claims history.
What goes wrong on a used Land Rover Discovery?: The most common age-related issues we track for the Land Rover Discovery are: brakes (typically around over 100k miles, £150-£500 to put right); suspension (typically around over 100k miles, £150-£450 to put right); tyres & wheels (typically around over 100k miles, £80-£500 to put right). A full service history and a recent MOT with no advisories are the best protection.
What does the Land Rover Discovery cost to run?: Expect around 32 mpg combined on the Discovery D300 3.0 Diesel mHEV, £200 a year in road tax, about £290 for a standard annual service. The full cost-of-ownership table above breaks this down per year and per mile for the exact year and mileage you choose.
Is the Land Rover Discovery ULEZ compliant?: Most petrol Land Rover Discoverys from 2006 and diesels from September 2015 meet the Euro standards for London ULEZ and other UK clean-air zones, so they are generally exempt from the daily charge. Pure-electric versions are always exempt.
How many Land Rover Discoverys are on UK roads?: About 278,395 Land Rover Discoverys are currently taxed and on the road in the UK, from DfT vehicle-licensing data.

Answers are generated from this car's Forecourt data — DVSA MOT records, DfT licensing statistics and our valuation model — and update with the weekly data refresh.