2019 Land Rover Discovery

Land Rover has always specialized in sport utility vehicles, but recent years have seen this upscale British brand stretch well into prestige vehicle territory, particularly with its high-end Range Rover and the super-stylish Velar.

These days, the links to Land Rover's utilitarian roots are subtle, and we'd argue you'll see them most clearly in the Discovery, a mid-range luxury vehicle with optional seating for seven that puts function on a closer level to form than most of Land Rover's models.

Introduced in its current form in 2017, the Disco gets significant updates for the second year in a row. Entry-level SE trim gets new standard safety kit in LED headlights, powered inner tailgate, lane keeping assist and reverse traffic detection.

A new wade sensing system uses sensors on the bottom of the door mirror housings to warn the driver when they are approaching the car's maximum wading depth. The system also indicates the vehicle's angle and can estimate whether the water will get deeper or is becoming shallower.

There's a new steering wheel with capacitive touch controls, and Land Rover now offers more optional drive assistance features.

The updates don't come free: Land Rover has upped the Disco's starting price, but the additions are mostly useful ones, while the wade sensing setup is more of a gimmicky call-out to an off-roading heritage most of the brand's customers probably barely acknowledge.

Engine choices remain a 3.0L supercharged V6 that makes 340 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque and a 3.0L turbodiesel good for 254 hp and 443 lb-ft. Both are matched with an eight-speed automatic transmission and 4WD with Terrain Response.

Land Rover offers an advanced tow assist system that lets the driver aim the trailer using the Terrain Response dial while the car worries about the necessary steering inputs. There's also a height-adjustable rear suspension to help line up car and trailer and a trailer stability assist system. The Disco boasts a trailer tow rating of 3,500 kg.

SE and HSE trims start out as five-seaters that can be optioned into seven-seaters, an arrangement standard in the HSE Luxury.

SE trim includes 19-inch wheels, a fixed panoramic glass roof, 10-inch infotainment display, automatic headlamps, power folding mirrors, rain-sensing wipers, automatic emergency braking, rear parking aid, 12-way power front seats, and a 250-watt 10-speaker sound system.

The HSE trim adds 20-inch wheels, panoramic sliding glass roof, LED headlamps, fog lights, front parking sensor, keyless entry, power tailgate, and a 10.0-inch navigation display system.

The Luxury trim adds two-speed transfer case, air suspension, chrome door handles, 16-way power seats, seating for seven, power-folding third row, tri-zone climate control, ambient interior lighting, and an 825-watt 14-speaker Meridian sound system.