Types Of Gas A Land Rover Discovery Takes (LR3/LR4/L462)

On this blog, we do a lot of research regarding specific questions about different cars. Today we’ll look at the Land Rover Discovery and answer what kind of gas this car requires. To find the answer, we’ve gone through the owners’ manuals of the LR3, LR4, and L462. Here’s a quick answer:

All generations of the Land Rover Discovery (LR3, LR4, and L462) use premium gasoline with an octane rating of 91. Land Rover Discovery manufactured after 2009 can also use 87 octane whenever premium gasoline is not available.

However, that doesn’t tell the whole story. Below we’ll dive into what kind of gas this car takes. We’ll talk about reformulated gasoline, E-85, and gasoline with additives. Should or shouldn’t you use this for the Land Rover Discovery? We’ll also talk about the fuel mileage of each generation as well as possible knocking noises and so much more. Read on!

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Infographic explaining the different fuel types for a Land Rover Discovery

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Does The Land Rover Discovery Need Premium Gasoline?

First of all, we feel it’s important to clarify a few things about the above-stated octane ratings. One of these things is that Land Rover Discovery made between 2004 – 2009 (also referred to as the LR3) take 91 octane or higher when they have a V8 engine. However, there’s also a V6 engine that can also use gasoline with an octane rating of 90. That’s a slight difference but worth mentioning nonetheless.

Furthermore, people always wonder if more premium gasoline isn’t always a better option. For example, Land Rover recommends 91 octane but isn’t it better to go for 93 octane to enhance the lifespan and performance of your Discovery?

This is not the case; if a carmaker recommends a certain octane level, we advise you to follow these guidelines. Using gasoline with a higher than recommended octane rating does not result in better performance or an increased lifespan because the engines cannot derive any benefit from it. All you would do is pay for more expensive gasoline without the benefits it can have to other cars.

What Types Of Gasoline Can And Can’t Be Used?

Furthermore, it’s important to discuss different types of gasoline and additives available on the market. It’s essential to discuss which ones have merit for your engine and which ones will only hurt it.

Reformulated Gasoline

Let’s start with reformulated gasoline. Reformulated gasoline is a gasoline that’s designed to burn more cleanly than regular gasoline. Therefore, it’s better for the environment than other types of gasoline that are non-reformulated.

In some areas of the United States, reformulated gasoline is mandatory, and it’s the only available thing. In other parts of the United States, there’s still a difference between reformulated and non-reformulated.

It’s good to know that all generations of the Land Rover Discovery are capable of running on reformulated gasoline. Furthermore, Land Rover recommends using reformulated gasoline whenever it’s available. This is because it’s better for the environment, and it doesn’t diminish the lifespan or the car’s performance in any way.

Gasoline/Oxygenated Blends Or E-85

Besides reformulated gasoline, there’s also the possibility of buying oxygenated gasoline blends. Oxygenated blends of gasoline are gasoline forms mixed with ethanol or methanol. Especially ethanol is very common in today’s market. There are some straightforward recommendations regarding both ethanol and methanol.

Land Rover Discovery manufactured between 2004 – and 2016 can take gasoline with a maximum of 10% ethanol. Land Rover Discovery manufactured from 2017 onwards can take gasoline with a maximum of 15% ethanol.

The use of methanol is strictly advised against in all generations of the Land Rover Discovery. Doing so will harm the fuel system and the engine of your car.

If you’re wondering why people would use ethanol in their gasoline, that’s because ethanol typically burns a lot cleaner than gasoline that does not contain ethanol. This is one of the reasons why the United States government has forced carmakers to produce engines in the past decade capable of handling 15% instead of 10% ethanol.

Gasoline With Added Materials

Many people wonder if adding materials to your fuel can be beneficial. This is a very standard question to have, given that there are many products on the market that are supposed to either improve the performance of your vehicle or its durability.

However, let it be clear that adding additives to your gasoline is strongly advised against by Land Rover and all other carmakers. This is because some of these additives will contain silicon or forms of metal that won’t ‘help clean your engine’ but will damage your car’s fuel system.

Instead, it’s advised that you buy gasoline that already has all the proper additives mixed into it. This type of fuel is typically referred to as TOP TIER. Gasoline from TOP TIER retailers has more than the minimum amount of additives mixed into it.

Furthermore, these retailers are regulated by their organization, and research has shown that the engine does stay cleaner (and therefore performs better) when using fuel from these retailers. You can find a retailer in your area via toptiergas.com.

What If I Hear A Knocking Noise From The Engine After Refilling?

Another important aspect of this car we’ve got to discuss is the potential knocking sound of the engine after refilling. It’s common for cars to produce a slight knocking sound, especially when they’re driving up a hill or when they’re towing things.

However, there are also moments where this becomes a problem. For example, if you hear a loud knocking noise coming from the engine right after filling up your tank, this is a reason for concern. In this case, you’ve likely used fuel with a lower than recommended octane rating.

Using a lower than recommended octane rating can result in engine misfiring, which causes the knocking sound. This is important to know because most Land Rover Discovery have 91 octane recommended but can also take 87. However, if you notice a loud knocking noise with 87 octane gasoline, you’re advised to stop the car immediately.

In this case, your vehicle’s fuel system is likely not adapting to the lower octane gasoline as it’s supposed to do. It’s best to contact your garage or dealer because it’s very likely the car needs to be towed and drained of its fuel. Furthermore, the fuel filter will need to be replaced to get the whole system cleaned out.

Does the Land Rover Discovery Have Good Gas Mileage?

Let’s also look at the fuel economy of the Land Rover Discovery and the generations that have sprung from this series. The data in the tables below is indicated in miles per gallon.

One conclusion that we can draw from this table is that the Discovery has never been a fuel-efficient car. However, the recent 2.0 and 3.0 ‘Mild Hybrid Electric Vehicle’ make an effort to improve the historically questionable fuel economy of the Discovery.

2004 – 2009

Engine	Combined	City	Highway
4.4	14	13	17

2010 – 2016

Engine	Combined	City	Highway
3.0	16	15	19
5.0	14	12	17

2017 – Present

Engine	Combined	City	Highway
2.0	21	19	22
3.0 (Gas)	18	16	21
3.0 (Diesel)	23	21	26
3.0 MHEV	21	18	24

What’s The Gas Tank Size Of A Land Rover Discovery?

Land Rover Discovery made between 2004 and 2009 have a fuel tank capacity of 22.72 gallons or 86 liters.
Land Rover Discovery made between 2009 – 2016 have a fuel tank capacity of 22.72 gallons or 86 liters for gasoline-powered vehicles. The diesel versions have a capacity of 21.67 gallons or 82 liters.
Land Rover Discovery made from 2017 onwards have a fuel tank capacity of 23.8 gallons or 90 liters.

How Much Does It Cost To Fill Up A Land Rover Discovery?

Below, we’ll give you a rough overview of what it costs to fill up different kinds of Land Rover Discovery models. This is, of course, subject to the gasoline prices in your area. We’ll calculate this with an average price of $4 per gallon.

It costs a total of $90,88 to fill up a Land Rover Discovery made between 2004 and 2016 with a gasoline engine. Furthermore, it will cost $86,68 to fill up the Discovery with a diesel engine made between 2009 – 2016.

Land Rover Discovery made from 2017 onwards have a fuel tank capacity of 23.8 gallons which means it costs $95,20 to fill up this generation of Discovery.

Sources

Stefan K.

Hi! My name is Stefan; I’m the owner and lead writer at TheDriverAdviser.com.

I’m an active writer on this blog myself, as well as a novice car mechanic. For the really technical stuff, I find writers with experience as a mechanic or who have studied mechanical engineering.

Read more about our fantastic team on our about page!

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