What are the most common problems with the 2016 Land Rover Discovery?

The engine group is named in 17 complaints and the power train group in 16. Steering and brakes follow with 7 each.

Does the 2016 Land Rover Discovery have recalls?

Yes. The by-year facts list recalls for this year. See the Recalls section on this page for the list.

Is the 2016 Land Rover Discovery reliable?

NHTSA has 57 complaints on file. Engine and power train reports lead. These are unverified owner reports, so read the problems section and weigh them yourself.

What is the gas mileage of the 2016 Land Rover Discovery?

See the Fuel economy section on this page. It is built from EPA data.

Which year of the Land Rover Discovery is best?

See the by-year comparison on this page. Compare complaint and recall counts there, and read the problems section for this year.

2016 Land Rover Discovery Problems, Recalls and MPG

NHTSA has 57 owner complaints on file for the 2016 Land Rover Discovery^[1]. The engine group is named most often, in 17 complaints^[2].

57owner complaints^[1]

2recalls^[3]

22MPG combined (EPA)^[4]

Problems
Recalls
Fuel economy
Engine and size
By year
Verdict
FAQ

Most reported problems

Here are the complaint groups in the stories we read, biggest first.

Engine. 17 complaints^[2]. Owners describe overheating warnings, sudden stalls in traffic, a loss of pulling power and engines that needed major repair.
Power Train. 16 complaints^[5]. Owners describe rough shifting at city speeds, gear selector faults and the car losing power while driving. A few describe the car lunging when moved out of a parking spot.
Steering. 7 complaints^[6]. Owners describe steering that went away for a few seconds or failed outright. Some describe the power assist motor coming loose from the steering rack.
Brakes. 7 complaints^[7]. Owners describe brake lines and hoses that split, a soft pedal, low pressure alarms and brakes that stopped working.
Unknown or other. 7 complaints^[8]. These do not point to one clear part.
Structure. 6 complaints^[9].
Electrical system. 5 complaints^[10].
Electronic stability control. 3 complaints^[11].

Recalls

Newest first. Each recall covers only certain vehicles, so not every 2016 Discovery is necessarily included.

Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Lower Arm (16V889), December 2016. About 220 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, parts separating. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[12]
Exterior Lighting (16V274), May 2016. About 14,731 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[13]

Fuel economy

EPA ratings depend on the engine and drive. Annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not prices when the car was new.

Version	City / highway / combined MPG	Annual fuel cost
Discovery Sport, 2.0L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic (S9), Premium, 4-Wheel Drive^[4]	20 / 26 / 22	$3,750

Engine and size

Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles.

Engine	Horsepower
2016 Land Rover Discovery with 2.0L 4-cylinder^[14]	240 hp

These are Canadian-market specifications from Transport Canada, so US models can differ slightly.

Version	Length	Width	Height	Wheelbase	Curb weight
DISCOVERY SPORT^[15]	181 in	74 in	68 in	108 in	3,845 lb

How 2016 compares with other years

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for each Discovery model year. The 2016 is highlighted^[3].

Show the numbers

Model year	Complaints	Recalls
1995	53	4
1996	75	3
1997	37	2
1998	33	1
1999	53	8
2000	70	10
2001	44	6
2002	51	3
2003	111	3
2004	51	1
2015	14	2
2016	57	2
2017	94	5
2018	59	5
2019	60	4
2020	32	10
2021	15	6
2022	15	6
2023	11	7
2024	8	7
2025	6	3
2026	1	1

NHTSA's counts for the Discovery show 57 complaints and 2 recalls for 2016^[3]. Among the 22 model years listed, 15 have fewer complaints than 2016 and 6 have more^[3]. The fewest complaints are for 2026 (1) and the most are for 2003 (111)^[3]. These counts are not adjusted for sales, so treat them as a rough guide. The chart above shows every year.

Should you buy a used 2016 Discovery?

The 2016 Land Rover Discovery has 57 complaints on file^[1]. Engine and power train reports lead the list^[2]^[5]. Steering and brake reports are fewer, but owners describe them as frightening because the car stopped responding^[6]^[7]. Check the recall section on this page, since the by-year facts show recalls exist for this year^[3]. A careful pre-purchase inspection of the engine, gearbox, steering and brake lines makes sense.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2016 Land Rover Discovery?: The engine group is named in 17 complaints^[2] and the power train group in 16^[5]. Steering and brakes follow with 7 each^[6]^[7].
Does the 2016 Land Rover Discovery have recalls?: Yes. The by-year facts list recalls for this year^[3]. See the Recalls section on this page for the list.
Is the 2016 Land Rover Discovery reliable?: NHTSA has 57 complaints on file^[1]. Engine and power train reports lead^[2]^[5]. These are unverified owner reports, so read the problems section and weigh them yourself.
What is the gas mileage of the 2016 Land Rover Discovery?: See the Fuel economy section on this page. It is built from EPA data.
Which year of the Land Rover Discovery is best?: See the by-year comparison on this page. Compare complaint and recall counts there, and read the problems section for this year^[1].

Keep exploring

Other model years of the Land Rover Discovery

1998 33 complaints, 1 recall
2000 70 complaints, 10 recalls
2001 44 complaints, 6 recalls
2002 51 complaints, 3 recalls
2003 111 complaints, 3 recalls
2016 this page
2017 94 complaints, 5 recalls
2018 59 complaints, 5 recalls
2019 60 complaints, 4 recalls
2020 32 complaints, 10 recalls

Compare all model years of the Land Rover Discovery

Other Land Rover models from 2016

2016 Land Rover Range Rover 203 complaints, 14 recalls

All Land Rover models

Similar cars from 2016: small suvs

2016 Subaru Forester 415 complaints, 3 recalls
2016 Toyota Highlander 117 complaints, 2 recalls
2016 Toyota RAV4 257 complaints, 3 recalls
2016 Volkswagen Tiguan 97 complaints, 2 recalls
2016 Volvo XC60 38 complaints, 3 recalls
2016 Acura MDX 377 complaints, 7 recalls

All small suvs we cover

Facts and sources

NHTSA has 57 owner complaints on file for the 2016 Land Rover Discovery (4 mention a crash, 0 a fire, 0 injuries, 0 deaths reported). NHTSA vehicle records
17 complaints name the engine component group (2 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 52,500). NHTSA vehicle records
Owner complaints and recalls for every Land Rover Discovery model year (chart above). NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Discovery Sport, 2.0L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic (S9), Premium, 4-Wheel Drive: 20 city / 26 highway / 22 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,750. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
16 complaints name the power train component group (2 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 24,800). NHTSA vehicle records
7 complaints name the steering component group (1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
7 complaints name the brakes component group (1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
7 complaints name the unknown or other component group (1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
6 complaints name the structure component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
5 complaints name the electrical system component group (1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
3 complaints name the electronic stability control (esc) component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
Recall 16V889, filed December 9, 2016: Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Lower Arm. NHTSA recall database
Recall 16V274, filed May 6, 2016: Exterior Lighting. NHTSA recall database
EPA Test Car List, 2016 Land Rover Discovery with 2.0L 4-cylinder: rated 240 hp. www.epa.gov
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, DISCOVERY SPORT: length 181 in, width 74 in, height 68 in, wheelbase 108 in, curb weight 3,845 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov

Complaints submitted to NHTSA by owners; unverified reports, one complaint can name several components. Complaint counts are not normalized by sales; compare years of the same model, not different models. EPA annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not the price when the car was new. Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles. Dimensions are Canadian-market specifications and can differ slightly from US models.

2016 Land Rover Discovery: problems, recalls and fuel economy