Few manufacturers have embraced the commercial SUV concept as consistently as Land Rover. And the Discovery is one of its best-known examples, with thousands of models making the transition to business use over the years.

These days, it’s got competition from within – the Defender 90 and 110 hard tops offer the same tax incentives, plus space for three bums up front.

But the Disco trumps them for comfort with a plusher interior, squishier seat cushions and floatier suspension.

See also: On test: Land Rover Defender Hard Top is comfortable all-rounder

Now in its fifth generation, very little links this truck to the 1990s workhorse that first bore the name.

There’s a light monocoque construction rather than a steel girder chassis, and the coil springs have long been ditched for adjustable air bags.

It’s long in the tooth by modern standards though, with the core design harking back to 2017 and the last major refresh in 2021.

That’s when the old Ford-derived V6 diesel was retired – infamous for its crank snapping abilities – in favour of in-house Ingenium offerings with mild hybrid technology.

These have their own foibles, but the six-cylinder version used in the Discovery is probably the most solid.

Looks have seen little change: bodywork is still curvier than a throat lozenge and that contentious offset numberplate hasn’t budged.

© James Andrews

Is it quick?

Just one powerplant is offered in the Discovery Commercial – the top spec D350. This oozes power, with a straight six-diesel engine, battery and electric motor combining to deliver 350hp and 700Nm of torque.

Together, they fire it from 0-60mph in just 5.9sec, carry it to a top speed of 130mph and make light work of towing trailers, even when they’re weighted up to 3.5t.

It’s a far cry from the Toyota Land Cruiser featured opposite, which generates a comparatively asthmatic 200hp from its four-cylinder block.

The eight-speed automatic gearbox slips cleanly through the ratios too, and the air suspension delivers pillow-like ride quality.

All this sophistication means it’s far more road biased than previous Discovery models, or the Defender.

Yet it still has some decent off-roading credentials.

A clever electronic centre differential helps distribute power to wheels with the most grip, while the air suspension simultaneously pushes them into hollows to maximise traction.

Various off-road modes can be engaged too, which help set the car up for different terrain.

These are fairly foolproof. So much so, that novice off-roaders will be able to push through terrain they never thought possible.

The problem is that this level of hand holding requires lots of electronic assistance. And it’s fair to say that Land Rover’s wiring doesn’t have the strongest reputation for reliability.

What about storage?

Where the rear seats once were there’s now a sizeable load area (2,204 litres) with a raft of storage boxes that make uses of now redundant spaces.

This includes lockers in the rear passenger footwells and a neat under-floor area where the third row of folding seats used to reside.

Discovery load area © James Andrews

Conversion work is carried out in Land Rover’s factory in Nitra, Slovakia, where the Discovery is made.

As a result, it is considerably higher quality than most other maker’s retrofit conversions.

Verdict

Judge it purely on the way it drives and there’s little to dislike about the Discovery 5 Commercial.

It’s blisteringly fast, smooth and has enough off-road ability for most agricultural buyers.

But to make it perform this way, Land Rover has made it incredibly high-tech. And this means there’s a lot to go wrong.

It’s also nearing the end of its lifespan, with JLR bosses hinting recently that a major reinvention is on the cards.