Skip to main content

Swimming can be plenty of fun, swimming in your SUV…not so much. Many off-road vehicles have enough capability to explore nature in unique ways. These explorations can often force drivers to make quick decisions and maneuvers that could save their vehicles and themselves from harm. Some drivers make off-roading look easy, but it is actually extremely challenging. One driver found out that Land Rover Discovery SUVs can’t swim the hard way.

The Land Rover Discovery needs floaties

A gray Land Rover Discovery is driving in water.
The Land Rover Discovery in water | Land Rover

What imagery comes to mind when you visualize off-roading? Perhaps you think of trucks and SUVs climbing steep hills or gracefully tiptoeing over jagged rocks. Off-roading can be visually stunning when executed correctly, but there are plenty of fails to balance the highlight reel moments associated with the pastime.

These off-road fails can come in the form of a punctured tire, an unplanned descent down a hill, or the classic “whoops, I totally forgot my SUV can’t swim” moment. If your SUV survives being forced into deep water, that bad memory can be water under the bridge, unless, of course, you actually get your vehicle stuck in water under a bridge.

According to The Drive, a crew of Land Rover drivers decided to cause some off-road mischief in Derbyshire, England. The drivers wreaked havoc on a field with their Land Rovers then one of the drivers ended up in a waterway. The Land Rover Discovery was trapped under a small bridge. It’s one thing to know you may you ruined your vehicle, but the spectacle made it to YouTube, and the local police had to get involved as well.

Is the Land Rover Discovery a good SUV?

A gray Land Rover Discovery is driving on the road.
The Land Rover Discovery | Land Rover

The Land Rover Discovery is a luxury SUV model that can off-road with the best of ’em. It has a refined cabin and an excellent ride quality. The Land Rover Discovery is one of the few luxury SUV models that can tackle trails and take the road less traveled.

The luxury off-road SUV balances power with capability and opulence. Some of the few drawbacks that it struggles with are a lack of space when using the third-row seats and its fuel efficiency.

Should you buy a Land Rover Discovery?

A gray Land Rover Discovery is parked.
The Land Rover Discovery | Land Rover

The Land Rover Discovery starts at $55,000. It uses a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine to make 296 horsepower. The luxury SUV achieves 19 miles per gallon in the city and 22 miles per gallon on the highway.

If you’re looking for an off-road vehicle, luxury may not be the first thing on your mind. The Land Rover Discovery is reserved for folks who are willing to pay upwards of $50K for a luxury SUV that can manage off-road obstacles. The question is, do you really want to risk damaging an SUV that expensive?

Related

What’s the Difference Between a Range Rover and a Land Rover Discovery?