Land Rover is back in strength in the commercial 4x4 market with the arrival, late last year, of the new-generation Discovery Commercial. This is a 4x4 that is attractive to farmers and commercial users because of its good off-road ability, strong towing performance and comfort.

The new Discovery Commercial retains the shape of the passenger version, with a solid factory-fitted rear van conversion that’s durable and safe to use.

Five-seat commercials are no longer an option in Ireland, so the Discovery Commercial meets the new two-seat criteria very well.

More recently, Land Rover has boosted the performance from the V6 turbo-diesel engine that powers the Discovery Commercial by adding a second turbocharger and improved engine cooling.

The end result is a massive 306bhp output coupled with 700Nm of engine torque or pulling ability to rank the Discovery Commercial clearly at the top of the league.

Take the Discovery Commercial out on the road and you’ll quickly be impressed with its performance. The engine has a growl that hints to its ability. Hit the pedal and that ability is confirmed; this is a high-performance commercial 4x4 and there’s no hiding its power and acceleration ability.

The engine has a growl that hints to its ability

Land Rover is offering an automatic version only for the Discovery Commercial. This eight-speed gearbox is smooth and effortless to use. The combination of engine power and gearbox ability gives relatively good economy.

I took the Discovery Commercial across a range of driving conditions and was impressed with the fact that its economy figures where close to those rated by Land Rover.

The 85-litre fuel tank promised almost 800km. While I was a little short of that expectation, my analysis showed that I was only about 15% off the rated figure. That’s better than some of the claims from cars that I’ve recently driven.

The Discovery Commercial was not fitted with a hitch, so trailer testing was not an option. This new 4x4 commercial is rated at 3.5t towing ability and that puts it ahead of nearest rival, Toyota’s Land Cruiser.

There is a modern and solid feel to the dash which is attractive to look at and easy to get comfortable with.

Comparison

Both are compared in the table because they are effectively the only commercial 4x4s now available on the Irish market. The Mitsubishi Pajero and Volkswagen Touareg are no longer available here in commercial format, so the field is very narrow when it comes to the choice of stronger towing 4x4s.

In that comparison, the Discovery Commercial is well ahead of the Land Cruiser in terms of power, and towing ability.

There is little to separate them when it comes to running costs based on their fuel economy figures.

The registration figures show that Irish 4x4 buyers have continued to choose the Land Cruiser for its reliability and rugged performance. Over 1,444 were sold in 2018 and, already, it leads the Discovery Commercial in 2019.

The Discovery Commercial excels in terms of driver comfort and performance, but will this be enough to entice Land Cruiser drivers in the direction of the British brand? This new Land Rover Discovery Commercial is lighter than before and has greater ground clearance at 283mm, for better off-road ability.

What Irish drivers need is more confidence in the Discovery Commercial’s reliability which, by all accounts from UK user reports, is showing a significant improvement.

There is a lot of kit included in the new Discovery Commercial, including air suspension which gives great driving comfort and less roll than in the past. The passenger front seat included Isofix couplings and has good adjustment and comfort.

The Discovery has a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating that transfers to the commercial version.

There is also plenty of technology fitted such as cruise control and speed limiter, autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning, heated door mirrors, digital radio, tyre pressure monitoring system and hill launch assist.

The alloy spare wheel is tucked externally under the rear floor, but be aware that theft of this wheel has been a problem for some UK owners.

Entry price

The entry price for the Discovery Commercial is €56,790 or £49,475 in Northern Ireland – both prices include VAT. That’s almost €10,000 more expensive than the comparable Toyota’s Land Cruiser, which is currently the segment best-seller.

The Land Rover Discovery Commercial has so much to offer in terms of power, comfort and towing ability.

It now has improved road holding feeling and reliability, so if you can get a deal in hand, it is now a real option, especially for those with high towing needs.