The all new Land Rover Discovery makes its Indian debut just a year after its global premiere. One of the most prominent members of the Land Rover family, the Disco is a capable alternative to the German trio of Mercedes-Benz GLS, BMW X5, and the Audi Q7. But if you want to stand out from the usual German SUVs, the Indian luxury SUV segment has a Swedish presence as well in the form of the Volvo XC90.
So keeping the price in mind, we have the Land Rover Discovery 3.0 SE in the corner on the left and the Volvo XC90 Inscription Luxury on the right. Let’s get ready to rumble!
Exterior
The Discovery has a come a long way from its boxy exterior with a new design philosophy first seen on the Evoque and then the Discovery Sport. So you get sleek and modern LED headlights, the Land Rover grille and a large, imposing bumper up front. The distinguished decked-up roof is now a little less stepped-up, the tailgate is no longer horizontally split and the rear windscreen is slightly raked. The tail lights too are more modern sleek LEDs
The new Discovery measures 4,988mm in length, 2,220mm in width and stands 1,846mm tall, with a wheelbase of 2,923mm. In comparison, the Volvo is slightly compact measuring 4,950mmx2,008mmx1,776mm. The XC90 is the first to introduce Volvo’s new design philosophy with Thor’s hammer LED headlamps, elegant vertical grille, with clean and smooth flowing overall design. Both these SUVs are available in three-row seven seater configuration, but the Disco can be had in a five-seater layout as well.
Interior
Both these cars have pleasantly furnished cabins. The Volvo has an all new clutter-free design for the dashboard with the centre console being dominated by a large touch-screen armed with the latest infotainment software. It gets almost all the creature comforts for a flagship SUV with leather upholstery, power adjustable seats, adjustable steering, automatic headlamps and rain sensing wipers. Volvo has added new four-zone climate system with a clean zone air purification system for the comfort of the passengers. Being a Volvo, airbags, driver aids and stability programs ensure occupant’s safety at all times. The Disco, on the other hand, comes with a simple yet functional cabin. The interior is loaded with features like leather upholstery, 250W Meridian sound system, two-zone climate, navigation system and a rear view camera, to name a few. It gets a host of off-road credentials from Land Rover.
Engine
Under the hood of the Discovery 3.0 SE is a 3.0-litre V6 diesel producing 255bhp at 3,750rpm and 600Nm of torque from as low as 2,000rpm. Transmission is an eight-speed automatic sending power to all four wheels. The XC90 is offered with the four cylinders turbocharged 2.0-litre diesel engine producing 225bhp of power and 470Nm of torque. The only gearbox option here is the eight-speed automatic and an AWD system.
Conclusion
Both these SUVs are spacious, comfortable and very potent. Quality is top notch and so is the feature list. And both these SUVs provide a much-needed exclusivity from the usual German triad. With their modern looks, both will manage to garner all the right attention on the street and no matter which one you choose, you won’t be disappointed.
