• by Tanya Gazdik , Staff Writer, Yesterday

When consumers think of the Land Rover brand, the Defender might be the first vehicle to come to mind since it is the brand’s rugged halo vehicle. 

The Defender was first released in the U.S. market in 1993, while the  Discovery debuted in 1994 to bridge the gap between the utilitarian Defender and the luxury Range Rover. The Discovery is now in its fifth generation. 

While it might fly under the radar compared to its flashier older sibling, it is every bit as capable, despite having a more refined appearance and comfortable interior. 

I recently spent a week driving the 2026 Discovery Gemini Edition and have mostly positive things to say.  

The Gemini is a special edition of the midsize luxury SUV introduced to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Discovery brand. Paying tribute to the codename of the original 1989 Tdi diesel engine, this edition focuses on combining heritage with modern luxury, featuring unique design elements and enhanced comfort features.

The license plate on the modern Discovery is offset as a deliberate design nod to its predecessors. Older Discovery models had the spare wheel mounted on the rear door, which forced the license plate to be mounted to one side. 

While the design is divisive and possibly unsettling to those of us who prefer symmetry (raising my hand here), it is a stylistic choice meant to distinguish it from other SUVs. That it does. I can't think of another SUV on the road with an offset license plate. 

The Discovery is tuned for a smoother, quieter, and more refined daily driving experience compared to the firmer, truck-like feel of the Defender. 

However, like its sibling, fuel efficiency is nothing to write home about: 17 city mpg and 23 highway mpg results in a combined 19 mpg.  

That said, merging on the freeway couldn’t be any easier, with the 3.0 Liter MHEV 8 cylinder gas engine providing 355 horsepower and 369 lb.-ft. of torque. 

The seats and interior were plush — which I would fully expect for a vehicle with a base price of $70,800. The model I tested tallied $83,195 with optional equipment, including $2,400 for the advanced off-road capability back. 

Discovery has an “always on” marketing presence, says Charlotte Blank, who shifted from Jaguar Land Rover CMO to brand director for Land Rover Defender and Discovery for North America in March. 

Land Rover recently collaborated with Atlas Obscura and actress Kelly McCreary on an activation. 

“The partnership beautifully captures the Discovery lifestyle, following Kelly and her family on an escape from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara,” Bank says. “It highlights the spirit of local discovery and, most importantly, family time.”

The sponsored content features a photo of the vehicle on the drive up to Lizard's Mouth rock in the hills above Santa Barbara. 

“It truly is a versatile vehicle, designed to transition seamlessly from exploring local wonders to an evening restaurant destination,” Blank tells DriveTime.