Used Land Rover Discovery 4x4 1998 - 2004 review

There are much better alternatives

More used reviews:

• (2016 - 21)
• (2016 - 21)

See used cars for sale

Luxury SUV

Jump to:

What's the used Land Rover Discovery like?

Ownership cost

Our recommendations

Reliability

Stuart Milne

Updated: 1 January 2006

How we test cars

What's the used Land Rover Discovery like?

The series II Discovery aged very quickly. When it was launched, it immediately trounced opposition such as the Toyota Landcruiser and Mitsubishi Shogun, but it soon became outdated, its limitations shown up only too clearly by the likes of the BMW X5 and Mercedes M-Class.

That's not to say it was without its strengths. The Discovery driver has a fantastic view out, there's plenty of space in the back and it's extremely impressive off-road.

Overview

There are much better alternatives

Pros

• Superb off-road
• well equipped
• spacious

Cons

• Unrefined on the road
• dreadful cabin layout

Used cars available now

In partnership with

Land Rover Discovery

2.5 TD5 GS Station Wagon 5dr (7 Seats)

£1,750

Land Rover Discovery

2.5 TD5 ES Station Wagon 5dr (7 Seats)

£4,999

Land Rover Discovery

2.5 TD5 S Station Wagon 5dr (7 Seats)

£5,495

Land Rover Discovery

2.5 TD5 XS Station Wagon 5dr (5 Seats)

£5,495

Land Rover Discovery

2.5 TD5 Landmark Station Wagon 5dr (7 Seats)

£5,495

Land Rover Discovery

2.5 TD5 GS Station Wagon 5dr (7 Seats)

£5,495

Land Rover Discovery

2.5 TD5 GS Station Wagon 5dr (5 Seats)

£5,495

Land Rover Discovery

2.5 TD5 Metropolis Station Wagon 5dr (7 Seats)

£6,295

Land Rover Discovery

2.5 TD5 GS Station Wagon 5dr (7 Seats)

£6,490

See all available cars

All the latest deals, offers and much more from the What Car? team. Don't miss out.

See our full privacy notice for more details.

CAPTCHA

This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

See used cars for sale

Equipment levels were also very good, particularly towards the end of its life, and some models had seven seats, making it an alternative to an MPV.

On the other hand, however, getting into the back is awkward, the ergonomics in the cabin are dreadful, and the whole car is sluggish and not particularly enjoyable on the road. A BMW X5 is far better to drive, more refined and simply more comfortable.

Ownership cost

How much does cost to run a Land Rover Discovery?

Buying a used Discovery is not too painful an experience. It costs pretty much the same as a Jeep Grand Cherokee and much less than a Mercedes M-Class of the same age.

advertisment

scroll for more

Look at servicing, too, and it's much the same story: the Discovery looks pretty good next to the likes of the M-Class and Mitsubishi Shogun. It's a couple of insurance groups lower than the Grand Cherokee, which further helps to keep running costs down.

The diesel's 30mpg also looks perfectly respectable by the standards of big 4x4s, but the V8 petrol returns just 17mpg on the combined cycle, which is well behind rivals from Mitsubishi and Mercedes.

To cap it all, Warranty Direct tells us that, when you need to have repairs done, average Land Rover dealer labour rates are among the highest.

Our recommendations

Which used Land Rover Discovery should I buy?

The engine choice is simple - petrol or diesel - but which is best is tricky. We just about favour the diesel for its better fuel economy. However, it's so sluggish that many will prefer the V8 petrol, which is much more up to the job of hauling round such a big, heavy car.

There's very little difference - and none at all on some models - in price between the five- and seven-seater models, and the extra seats fold neatly out of the way when not needed.

advertisment

scroll for more

Otherwise, we favour GS trim, one step up from the basic S. This is so well equipped it's not worth spending any more on the XS or ES (which bring leather trim and a CD 'changer). However, it is worth looking out for a model from after the June 2002 face-lift, when the car was remodelled to look more like the larger Range Rover.

How reliable is the land-rover Discovery ?

land-rover Discovery

Read reliability

Used cars available now

In partnership with

Land Rover Discovery

2.5 TD5 GS Station Wagon 5dr (7 Seats)

£1,750

Land Rover Discovery

2.5 TD5 ES Station Wagon 5dr (7 Seats)

£4,999

Land Rover Discovery

2.5 TD5 S Station Wagon 5dr (7 Seats)

£5,495

Land Rover Discovery

2.5 TD5 XS Station Wagon 5dr (5 Seats)

£5,495

Land Rover Discovery

2.5 TD5 Landmark Station Wagon 5dr (7 Seats)

£5,495

Land Rover Discovery

2.5 TD5 GS Station Wagon 5dr (7 Seats)

£5,495

Land Rover Discovery

2.5 TD5 GS Station Wagon 5dr (5 Seats)

£5,495

Land Rover Discovery

2.5 TD5 Metropolis Station Wagon 5dr (7 Seats)

£6,295

Land Rover Discovery

2.5 TD5 GS Station Wagon 5dr (7 Seats)

£6,490

See all available cars

About the writer

Name: Stuart Milne

Title: Digital editor

Follow Stuart Milne on

Stuart has been a motoring journalist for more than 25 years, writing and editing for a wide range of consumer titles. Today, Stuart is responsible for the smooth running of whatcar.com and all of its related social and digital channels. And he’s the man responsible for making sure you're able to find What Car?’s industry-leading content whenever you search for it.

News and advice

Best of

Best 7-seat cars 2026 – and the ones to avoid

Whether you want a part-time seven-seater or one to carry lots of people every day, this run-down of the best seven-seat cars will help you pick the right model for your family

Sat Sep 5 2026

Sponsored

Best used luxury SUVs

A luxury SUV can make you feel like a millionaire, but if you follow the advice of this top 10 you won’t need a lottery win to afford one

Mon Jun 29 2026

Sponsored

Most reliable Land Rovers - and the unreliable ones to avoid

In our annual Reliability Survey, we ask readers to rate the dependability of cars aged up to five years old. Here are most and least reliable Land Rovers

Sun Jun 21 2026

Sponsored

What Car? Reliability Survey: Most and least reliable 7-seaters

In our annual Reliability Survey, we ask readers to rate the dependability of cars aged up to five years old. Here we list the most and least reliable 7-seaters in the UK

Mon Jun 1 2026

See all latest advice