Land Rover Discovery vs Volvo XC60
Figures updated
The Land Rover Discovery and Volvo XC60 are two of the UK's most popular large SUVs. We compare the L462 (2017–) Discovery and the Mk2 (2017–) XC60 on price, size, boot space, performance, safety and running costs, plus how reliable each has been across 239,742 real MOT tests.
The short answer
Pick the Land Rover Discovery for the bigger boot, or the Volvo XC60 for the lower price, lower fuel costs and more performance.
- The Volvo XC60 is the cheapest to buy new: from £49,860, £19,680 less than the Land Rover Discovery.
- The Land Rover Discovery has the biggest boot: 922 litres, 439 more than the Volvo XC60.
- Their MOT records are close: once age and mileage are taken into account, they fail about as often as each other.
- The Volvo XC60 is the cheapest to fuel: comparing petrol versions, about £576 a year less than the Land Rover Discovery at 7,500 miles a year.
| Figure | Land Rover DiscoveryL462 (2017–), 5-door SUV | Volvo XC60Mk2 (2017–), 5-door SUV |
|---|---|---|
| Price and practicality | ||
| Price newUK list prices, across the range | £69,540 to £83,940October 2026 price list | £49,860 to £71,865July 2026 price list (best) |
| Body | 5-door SUV | 5-door SUV |
| Seats | 7 (best) | 5 |
| BootSeats up / folded | 922 litres / 1,997 (best) | 483 litres / 1,543 |
| Length | 4,956mm | 4,708mm |
| WidthWithout mirrors | 2,073mm | 1,999mm |
| Height | 1,888mm | 1,660mm |
| Performance | ||
| Power | 350 PS | 250–406 PS (best) |
| 0–62mph | 6.3 sec | 4.9–6.9 sec (best) |
| Safety | ||
| Euro NCAP ratingTests get tougher each year | ★★★★★ (2017) | ★★★★★ (2017) |
| Economy and emissions | ||
| Fuel types | Diesel, Petrol | Diesel, Hybrid, Petrol, Plug-in hybrid |
| Official economyVersions of this generation | 24.6–44.8 mpg | 31.7–47.0 mpg |
| CO2 | 165–269 g/km | 22–202 g/km |
| Running costs at 7,500 miles a year | ||
| Petrol or hybrid171.7p a litre, today's UK average | £2,234 (26.2 mpg) | £1,658 (35.3 mpg) (best) |
| Diesel198.4p a litre | £2,013 (33.6 mpg) | £1,439 (47 mpg) (best) |
| Cheapest version to fuelWhichever fuel costs least | £2,013 (diesel) | £1,439 (diesel) |
| Car tax a yearCars registered from April 2017 | £200£640 in years 2–6 for versions listed over £40,000 | £200£640 in years 2–6 for versions listed over £40,000 |
| Reliability from real MOT tests | ||
| Reliability score | 132Well above average | 130Well above average |
| Failed MOT first time (ages 3–20) | 25.4% | 20.0% (best) |
| Failed at 3 years old | 14.4% | 9.5% (best) |
| Failed at 5 years old | 14.1% | 12.1% (best) |
| Failed at 10 years old | 25.0% (best) | 26.1% |
| Most common MOT fault | Pins and bushes (3.9% of tests) | Coil spring (3.6% of tests) |
| Fails more than average on | Nothing stands out | Nothing stands out |
| MOT tests analysed | 131,841 | 107,901 |
| About the cars | ||
| Type | Large SUV | Large SUV |
| Owners' average miles a year | 10,300 | 10,100 |
| On sale | 2017 on | 2017 on |
Green marks the better figure where the difference is more than 3%. Reliability figures cover every version of each model tested in the year. Running costs use the typical official economy of recent versions (WLTP where available); real-world economy is usually a little worse for every car.
More comparisons
Frequently asked questions
›Is the Land Rover Discovery or the Volvo XC60 more reliable?
There's little in it. Once age and mileage are taken into account, both fail their MOT about as often as each other (reliability scores 132 and 130, where 100 is average).
›Which is bigger, the Land Rover Discovery or the Volvo XC60?
The Land Rover Discovery is 248mm longer (4,956mm against 4,708mm). The Land Rover Discovery has the bigger boot: 922 litres against 483.
›Which is cheaper to buy, the Land Rover Discovery or the Volvo XC60?
The Volvo XC60: new prices start at £49,860, £19,680 less than the Land Rover Discovery (from £69,540). These are manufacturer list prices; dealers and brokers often sell for less.
›Which is cheaper to run, the Land Rover Discovery or the Volvo XC60?
Comparing petrol versions, the Volvo XC60 costs about £576 a year less to fuel at 7,500 miles (£1,658 against £2,234), using typical official economy and current UK average fuel prices.
›Which is safer, the Land Rover Discovery or the Volvo XC60?
Euro NCAP gave the Land Rover Discovery 5 stars (2017) and the Volvo XC60 5 stars (2017). Euro NCAP makes its tests tougher every few years, so ratings from different years aren't directly comparable.
›Should I buy the Land Rover Discovery or the Volvo XC60?
Pick the Land Rover Discovery for the bigger boot, or the Volvo XC60 for the lower price, lower fuel costs and more performance. The comparison above sets out price, space, performance, safety, running costs and reliability side by side.
Sources: manufacturers' UK specifications and price lists and Euro NCAP (listed on each model's page); DVSA anonymised MOT tests 2024 (Open Government Licence v3.0); Vehicle Certification Agency car fuel data, © Crown copyright, VCA cannot accept liability for its accuracy; fuel prices from the GOV.UK Fuel Finder scheme. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited under each picture.