Pre-Owned Land Rover Discovery: The 7-Seat Secret for Ski Families

Saturday morning. The ski boots are lined up by the door. The kids are arguing over who sits where. Two sets of poles, three helmets, a bag of snacks, and a cooler need to fit somewhere. The dog is watching from the hallway, hoping she's coming too.

This is the reality of getting a Quebec ski family out the door. The vehicle that handles this routine needs more than just all-wheel drive. It needs space for seven people, room for all the gear, and the off-road confidence to handle a snow-covered parking lot at the base of the mountain. Most families assume the Defender is the only Land Rover that checks those boxes. They're missing the Discovery.

The Capability Nobody Talks About

The Land Rover Defender dominates social media feeds. It's rugged, photogenic, and built for trails. But the Discovery shares the same core off-road DNA—and adds a level of family practicality that the Defender can't match at the same price point.

Every Discovery comes standard with all-wheel drive and Terrain Response 2, the same adaptive system that reads changing conditions and automatically adjusts throttle, transmission, traction, and suspension settings to match. Driving through packed snow on a Saturday morning is handled the same way it would be in a Defender: the system detects the surface and responds without requiring driver input.

Hill Descent Control maintains a steady, controlled pace on steep slopes—helpful when navigating icy ski resort access roads. All Terrain Progress Control balances torque and braking at low speeds on loose or slippery surfaces. Standard air suspension adjusts ride height automatically, offering up to 284 mm (11.2 inches) of ground clearance at maximum height. The Discovery also features a wading depth of 900 mm (35.4 inches), which means spring melt puddles and flooded parking lots aren't a concern.

On the slushy lanes of Autoroute 15, these systems work quietly in the background, keeping the vehicle composed and planted while other drivers white-knuckle their way through lane changes.

Seven Seats and Real Cargo Space

Here's where the Discovery separates itself. Three rows of seating accommodate seven passengers—not five-plus-two cramped jump seats, but seven usable positions with enough room for adults in the second row and older children or teenagers in the third.

When the whole family is on board for a Tremblant run, the third row stays up and gear goes in the back. With all seven seats occupied, there are approximately 172 litres of cargo space behind the third row—enough for a couple of duffel bags. Fold the third row flat, and that space jumps to roughly 992 litres. Drop both rear rows and the Discovery opens up to nearly 2,000 litres of cargo volume, which is enough to swallow a weekend's worth of ski equipment, luggage, and everything else a family trip demands.

The second row splits into three sections, so you can fold the centre seat independently to slide longer items—like ski poles or a snowboard bag—between passengers. Power-adjustable seatbacks and a remote fold control panel in the cargo area make reconfiguring the interior quick, even with gloves on.

Built for the Drive North

The route from Montreal to the Laurentians is familiar to every ski family. North on the A-15 through morning traffic, then onto smaller roads where conditions deteriorate. Plowed highways give way to snow-packed regional routes. Ski resort access roads are often steep, narrow, and icy.

The Discovery handles this progression without complaint. The P300 model pairs a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder with 296 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque—more than enough for confident highway merging and uphill climbs. The P360 steps up to a 3.0-litre mild-hybrid inline-six producing 355 horsepower and 369 lb-ft, adding a layer of effortless power for drivers who tow a trailer or simply want more reserve.

Both engines connect to an 8-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive. Towing capacity reaches up to 3,720 kg (8,200 lbs) on properly equipped models, which covers snowmobile trailers, enclosed cargo trailers, and most recreational loads a family would need.

Back on the highway heading home, the air suspension smooths out the frost heaves and patched asphalt that define Quebec roads from January through April. Heated front seats and a panoramic sunroof come standard, and the cabin stays quiet enough to let the kids sleep through the drive back to Montreal.

The Certified Pre-Owned Advantage

A new Discovery carries a significant price tag. A Certified Pre-Owned example delivers the same Terrain Response 2 capability, the same seven-seat layout, and the same air suspension—with substantial warranty coverage still in place.

Land Rover's Approved Certified Pre-Owned program in Canada backs every vehicle with a 165-point inspection performed by Land Rover-trained technicians. Mechanical systems, electronics, bodywork, and on-road performance are all evaluated before certification. Service history and mileage are verified.

Warranty coverage extends up to seven years or 160,000 km from the original in-service date, with a $0 deductible on warrantable repairs and 24/7 roadside assistance included. For a family putting serious kilometres on the A-15 every winter weekend, that protection matters. It means seasons of ski trips, school commutes, and grocery runs without worrying about unexpected repair costs.

Coverage is honoured at authorized Land Rover retailers across Canada and the United States—useful whether you're driving to the Eastern Townships or heading to Vermont for a long weekend.

The Practical Choice

The Defender will always have its fan base. But for families who need seven seats, real cargo space, and the same proven off-road systems—at a lower entry point—the Discovery is the quieter, smarter answer.

A Certified Pre-Owned Discovery doesn't ask you to choose between capability and practicality. It delivers both, backed by the kind of warranty coverage that makes multi-winter ownership straightforward.

Explore the Selection at Decarie Motors

Decarie Motors carries Certified Pre-Owned Land Rover Discovery models inspected and backed by the full CPO program. If Saturday mornings have you playing gear Tetris in a vehicle that wasn't built for your family's winter routine, it may be time for a closer look.

Bring the ski boots. Bring the kids. See how seven seats and Terrain Response 2 change the way your family gets to the mountain.