Compare the2023 Land Rover DiscoveryVS 2022 BMW X7

For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Land Rover Discovery have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The BMW X7 doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

Both the Discovery and X7 have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Discovery has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The X7’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

Both the Discovery and the X7 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

On the EPA test cycle the Discovery gets better mileage than the X7:

The Discovery has 1.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the X7 (23.8 vs. 21.9 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Land Rover Discovery higher (7 out of 10) than the BMW X7 (3). This means the Discovery produces up to 24.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the X7 every 15,000 miles.

The Discovery stops much shorter than the X7:

The Discovery offers an optional full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the X7; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare or run-flat tires, either of which has mileage and speed limitations.

For better maneuverability, the Discovery’s turning circle is 2.1 feet tighter than the X7’s (40.7 feet vs. 42.8 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Discovery has a 2.4 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the X7 (11.1 vs. 8.7 inches), allowing the Discovery to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Land Rover Discovery may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 550 to 700 pounds less than the BMW X7.

The Discovery is 8.2 inches shorter than the X7, making the Discovery easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Discovery has .4 inches more front shoulder room, 1.4 inches more rear shoulder room, 1.3 inches more third row headroom and .2 inches more third row legroom than the X7.

Flexibility is maximized at the game, campground or a drive-in theatre in the Discovery when its optional tailgating rear seats are deployed, allowing people to sit facing out of the liftgate. (Do not use while vehicle is in motion.) The X7 doesn’t offer tailgating seats.

The Discovery has a standard third row seat which folds flat into the floor. This completely clears a very large cargo area quickly. The X7 doesn’t offer seats that fold into the floor.

The Discovery’s liftgate lifts up in one piece, completely out of the way of loading and unloading, while sheltering the cargo loading area. The X7’s tailgate’s top part raises up, but the bottom part lowers, getting in the way of loading and making an uneven surface for sliding cargo.

Maximum trailer towing in the BMW X7 is limited to 7500 pounds. The Discovery offers up to a 8200 lbs. towing capacity.

Standard Trailer Stability Assist (TSA) on the Discovery uses the Dynamic Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The X7 doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are optional on the Discovery to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The X7 doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Discovery has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the X7 only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The Discovery HSE/Metropolitan offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The X7 doesn’t offer headlight washers.

The Discovery HSE/Metropolitan has standard front air conditioned seats and the Discovery offers them optionally in the second row. This keeps the passengers comfortable and takes the sting out of hot seats in summer. The X7 doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats for the second row.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Land Rover Discovery has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The X7 doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

Insurance will cost less for the Discovery owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Discovery will cost $3560 less than the X7 over a five-year period.

The Discovery will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Discovery will retain 50.7% to 50.86% of its original price after five years, while the X7 only retains 46.76% to 47.92%.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Land Rover Discovery will be $17601 to $58599 less than for the BMW X7.