Compare the2023 Land Rover DiscoveryVS 2022 Tesla Model X

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Discovery’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Model X doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

The Discovery has a standard 3D Surround Camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Model X only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Discovery’s standard rear cross-path warning system uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The Model X doesn’t offer a cross-path warning system.

The Discovery has standard InControl, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Model X doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Discovery and the Model X have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, 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 and driver alert monitors.

There are over 30 percent more Land Rover dealers than there are Tesla dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Discovery’s warranty.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Discovery’s reliability 20 points higher than the Model X.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Land Rover vehicles are better in initial quality than Tesla vehicles. With 33 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Land Rover higher than Tesla.

The Discovery stops shorter than the Model X:

For better traction, the Discovery’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Model X (285/40R22 vs. 265/35R22).

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 Model X; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

The Discovery has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Model X’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

For greater off-road capability the Discovery has a 3 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Model X (11.1 vs. 8.1 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 250 to 300 pounds less than the Tesla Model X.

The Discovery is 4 inches shorter than the Model X, making the Discovery easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Discovery has 2.1 inches more front hip room, 2.7 inches more rear shoulder room, .8 inches more third row headroom, 3.7 inches more third row legroom, 3.3 inches more third row hip room and 6.4 inches more third row shoulder room than the Model X.

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 Model X doesn’t offer tailgating seats.

The Discovery’s cargo area provides more volume than the Model X.

The Discovery’s standard rear seats fold to accommodate long and bulky cargo. The Model X 6-Passenger doesn’t offer folding rear seats.

Pressing a button automatically lowers or raises the Discovery’s second and third row seats, to make changing between cargo and passengers easier. The Model X doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Discovery’s available liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Model X doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

The Discovery’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Model X’s (5925 vs. 5000 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Tesla Model X is only 5000 pounds. The Discovery offers up to a 8200 lbs. towing capacity.

While the Model X w/22” wheels can only tow 3500, any Discovery can tow a minimum of 5925 pounds.

A Service Interval Indicator is standard on the Discovery to save the owner time and money by calculating maintenance intervals for oil changes based on odometer mileage. This takes the guesswork out of keeping your vehicle in top condition and helps it last longer. Tesla doesn’t offer a maintenance reminder on the Model X.

The Discovery’s entire steering wheel hub sounds the horn, facilitating hitting the horn in an emergency. The Model X has a small, single button on the steering wheel spoke that can be hard to find quickly in an emergency.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the Model X, the Discovery offers an optional driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The Discovery offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Model X doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Discovery has a standard rear wiper. The Model X doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

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 Model X doesn’t offer headlight washers.

The Discovery’s standard side window demisters help clear frost or condensation from the side windows in the winter. The Model X doesn’t even offer side window demisters, so the driver may have to wipe the windows from the outside to gain side vision.

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 Model X doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats for the second row.

The Discovery has a standard center folding armrest for the middle row passengers. A center armrest helps make middle row passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The Model X doesn’t offer a middle row seat center armrest.

The Discovery HSE/Metropolitan offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Model X.

Insurance will cost less for the Discovery owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Discovery will cost $4550 to $8665 less than the Model X over a five-year period.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Land Rover Discovery will be $27692 to $31387 less than for the Tesla Model X.

The Land Rover Discovery outsold the Tesla Model X by 43% during 2021.