this car seat check was written in september 2017 about the 2017 land rover discovery. little of substance has changed with this year's model. to see what's new for 2018, click here, or check out a side-by-side comparison of the two model years.
land rover's new discovery slots between the smaller discovery sport and larger range rover in the automaker's stable. standard seating is for five passengers; we tested a model with the optional two-seat third row. although we applaud the inclusion of third-row latch and tether anchors, the discovery got some low marks for its difficult head restraints, which we had to remove to install two of our car seats.
how many car seats fit in the second row? two, but it was close. three might fit if you use different car seats.
how many car seats fit in the third row? two
related: more car seat checks
solid
- latch, grade a: in the second row, two sets of latch anchors sit under a leather flap; they're easy to access and use. the top tether anchors on the seatbacks are also clearly marked and easy to use.
- infant, grade a: the seat was easy to install and fit well. the front passenger had ample legroom.
- rear-facing convertible, grade a: this seat was also easy to install and fit well. the front passenger had ample legroom.
- third-row latch, grade a: in the third row, two sets of latch anchors sit under a leather flap; they're easy to access and use. the top tether anchors on the seatbacks are also clearly marked and easy to use.
so-so
- forward-facing convertible, grade c: latch connection was easy, but we had to remove the head restraint to get a good fit. it was very difficult and takes two people to remove, per the owner's manual. after removal, it dangles on a cable, which doesn't seem safe.
- booster, grade b: the buckles are on stable bases, making them easier for kids to grasp and use, but we had to raise the head restraint, which was difficult (but not as difficult as removing it).
- third-row access, grade c: the seats power out of the way, but the opening is small and the step-in is tall.
- third-row forward-facing convertible, grade c: latch connection was easy, but we had to remove the head restraint to get a good fit. it was very difficult and takes two people to remove, per the owner's manual. after removal, it dangles on a cable, which doesn't seem safe.
- third-row booster, grade b: the buckles are on stable bases, making them easier for kids to grasp and use, but we had to raise the head restraint, which was very difficult.
skip it
- none
grading scale
solid indicates an a grade for optimum ease of use and fit. so-so indicates b or c grades for one to two ease-of-use or fit issues. skip it indicates d or f grades.
a: plenty of room for the car seat and the child; doesn't impact driver or front-passenger legroom. easy to find and connect to latch and tether anchors. no fit issues involving head restraint or seat contouring. easy access to the third row.
b: one room, fit or connection issue. some problems accessing third row when available.
c: marginal room plus one fit or connection issue. difficult to access third row when available.
d: insufficient room, plus multiple fit or connection issues.
f: does not fit or is unsafe.
about 's car seat checks
editors jennifer geiger, jennifer newman and matt schmitz are certified child safety seat installation technicians.
for the car seat check, we use a graco snugride classic connect 30 infant-safety seat, a britax marathon convertible seat and graco turbobooster seat. the front seats are adjusted for a 6-foot driver and a shorter passenger. the three child seats are installed in the second row. the booster seat sits behind the driver's seat, and the infant and convertible seats are installed behind the front passenger seat.
we also install the forward-facing convertible in the second row's middle seat with the booster and infant seat in the outboard seats to see if three car seats will fit; a child sitting in the booster seat must be able to reach the seat belt buckle. if there's a third row, we install the booster seat and a forward-facing convertible. learn more about how we conduct our car seat checks.
parents should also remember that they can use the latch system or a seat belt to install a car seat, and that latch anchors have a weight limit of 65 pounds, including the weight of the child and the weight of the seat itself.
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