UPDATE: New 2017 Land Rover Discovery ready for Chattanooga debut

UPDATE: A month after our first test drive of the new Land Rover Discovery in June 2017, the manufacturer allowed us to spend a few days behind the wheel of a gas-engine version of the SUV in July.

All of our positive impressions from the first test drive were confirmed in the longer-term test, along with a growing admiration for the vault-like build quality of the Discovery.

This time we were able to experience the Discovery in its natural element, a wicked mid-summer rainstorm. The sensation of driving the SUV during this downpour was a bit like watching a movie about a hurricane with the sound turned off. We could barely hear the drop of rain hitting the top of the Discovery, and the thunder was so muffled as to be almost inaudible.

Meanwhile, the Discovery, with its supercharged, six-cylinder gasoline engine, handled as if it were negotiating dry pavement.

Meanwhile, this gasoline-motor powered tester rang up at $82,300, while the diesel had an as-tested price of $74,443. It should be noted that Test Car No. 2 included almost $20,000 in options including a bevy of safety-tech features, various material and cosmetic upgrades, an enhanced off-road package, premium lights, satin gray 21-inch wheels, a rear-seat entertainment package and premium metallic paint.

We continue to rate the new Discovery as one of the most luxurious and functional SUVs on the planet - a vehicle that should instill confidence in any driving situation.

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The upscale interior of the 2017 Land Rover Discovery includes leather upholstery and soft dash and door surfaces.

ORIGINAL STORY: Land Rover's 2017 Discovery SUV, a complete redesign of one of the world's most iconic off-road vehicles, will be showcased today at Land Rover Chattanooga on Lee Highway from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

In anticipation of the local unveiling, we test drove a new Discovery earlier this week. A short drive confirmed the growing consensus in the automotive media that the new, fifth-generation "Disco" - as the Discovery is affectionately called - is an order of magnitude better than the last generation LR4.

"It (the Discovery) is getting a lot of traction, and we're handling a lot of pre-oders," said Zac Schmidt, a sales guide at Land Rover Chattanooga.

The 2017 Discovery sheds its former body-on-frame design for a new unibody platform shared with Range Rover. Consequently, it has a much more car-like ride. A softer exterior design also adds to this sense that the Discovery has been domesticated.

But underneath it all, the Discovery's 11-inch ground clearance, boulder-hopping four-wheel-drive system and gymnastic suspension setup ensure that it remains an off-roading beast. Land Rover claims the Discovery can slosh through water up to three feet deep. It also can breathe with its front grille submerged, according to the company, which would make it the world's first snorkeling SUV.

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Discovery buyers have a choice of gas or diesel engines. Our tester was a diesel-powered Discovery HSE Td6, which proved to be one of the quietest diesels we have ever driven. Indeed, the isolated driving dynamics and plush interior of the Discovery HSE Td6, belie its superior off-road chops.

The gas-engine variant features a supercharged, 340-horsepower, 3.0-liter V-6 which, by all reports, has a little more mid-range acceleration. Meanwhile, the diesel Discovery is the fuel-economy champ of the line with a 26 mpg highway rating.

My 10-year-old son and I took the Discovery out for a morning romp earlier this week. He was amazed by all the cubbies and hidden compartments in the Disco.

"Look Dad," he said, shoving his whole arm inside the center stack. "This has got to be 18 inches deep."

He also had fun flipping the switches that sent the rear seats up and down. When he found the air suspension buttons, I called a time out. "Enough, buddy," I said. "Buckle up."

DESIGN AND FEATURES

One can sum up the exterior of the new Discovery in two words, "softer edges." Gone are the boxy panels and abundant right angles that used to define Land Rover LR4's design.

Of course, there are still some bows to tradition to be found in the new Discovery, including the traditional sloping roof line and off-center tag position. The narrow, horizontal grille looks like it was installed by an orthodontist, and the swept headlight assemblies add to the rounding effect.

One of our favorite features is a hefty roof rack, part of a $3,995 appearance package that has a Mad Max vibe and includes a luggage basket and and running boards. Other Discovery extras that reach four-figures each are the Windsor leather memory seats ($1,220), vision assist package (1,000), cold climate package ($1,250), seven-seat comfort package (2,150), and the remote seat fold package (1,070) that allows you to configure the interior using your smartphone.

The HSE trim level is generous to start with, and includes such standard features as four-wheel drive, 20-inch split spoke wheels, two-part panoramic sunroof, three-zone climate control and 380-watt Meridian sound system.

Cabin comfort is first rate, in fact it's everything you'd expect in a luxury SUV designed to be a family hauler. The quality of materials of this UK-made SUV is right up there with the German competition, notably the Mercedes-Benz GLE and Audi Q7.

PERFORMANCE AND DRIVING IMPRESSIONS

We were most impressed with the Discovery's refined driving dynamics. Straight-line highway cruising is a dream, with passing power to spare. While we didn't get to do any off-roading on our short test drive, the Discovery has the pedigree to be one of the top rock hoppers in the world.

Again, we found the diesel to be delightfully quiet; and as with all diesels it has more low-end torque than you'd expect from a vehicle with a "mere" 254 horsepower. Checking the box for the diesel engine adds about $2,000 to the vehicle's bottom line.

The eight-speed automatic transmission is quiet and efficient, and you can actually feel that the Discovery has been on a diet since the last LR4 rolled off the line. Land Rover says the Discovery is about 830 pounds lighter than before, which makes a huge difference in its handling.

BOTTOM LINE

The fifth-generation Land Rover Discovery is a deft execution of the British carmaker's mission to build off-road worthy vehicles with more than a dash of luxury.

The creature comforts baked into the new Discovery, combined with more contemporary styling, is a formula for success. A base, gas-engine Discovery SE has an MSRP of $49,990. The Discovery HSE Td6 starts at $58,950. With most of the available options installed, our tester has a bottom line of $74,443.

Contact Mark Kennedy at mkennedy@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6645. Follow him on Twitter @TFPCOLUMNIST. Subscribe to his Facebook updates at www.facebook.com/mkennedycolumnist.