The Discovery 5 went on the market in 2017, and at this point, it's time for a mid-cycle refresh as we find ourselves around halfway through the model's lifespan. Spy shots have emerged with pictures of the new interior, with new tech taking center stage.
Yes, the controversial-to-look-at, wonderful-to-drive D5 will be in its fifth model year in 2021, and it's looking like time to spice things up for 2022 to sustain sales a few more years until a Discovery 6 comes along. The new vehicle also integrates new technologies found in new models, particularly the new Defender which has pioneered the new Pivi Pro infotainment setup.
Check out the spy shots here from Motor1...
The most prominent features in the spy shots of the new interior are a massive new center stack touchscreen and a new steering wheel. The steering wheel bears more of a similarity to the new Defender's wheel, with what looks like the exact same control buttons on the upper spokes. This drifts away from the current controller pads, which are based on Range Rover technology, and suggests that the Defender is the prototype for Land Rover's next generation of in-cabin tech. The steering wheel itself also looks a lot like the Defender's, though it has a different spoke layout from the Defender's, which is somewhat derived from traditional Land Rover steering wheels.
It's likely that the new, larger touchscreen will feature the Pivi Pro system from the Defender, or a variant of it. The rest of the center stack looks similar to the current interior, but the larger screen seems to eschew the current one's bezel for a large edge-to-edge display. The prototype vehicle has had some of the center console trim removed, so it's tough to tell exactly how it'll settle into the design.
There's going to be some design changes on the outside of the vehicle, too. Bad news for those hoping Land Rover would change the controversial rear license plate location though...the camo on the lower half of the vehicle clearly shows the sheet metal isn't changing. It's likely that the biggest changes will come to the bumpers and lights, as is typical in a mid-cycle facelift.
The upcoming model years will have some major changes to Land Rover's corporate underpinnings, with new fleetwide powertrains, new backend tech solutions, and turnover to the next generation of vehicles in the Range Rover and Discovery lines. This refresh will help to see Discovery 5 through the rest of its model run with some more commonalities with this new tech.
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