Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Defender (90/110/130), and Discovery share Land Rover's deepest 35.4-inch wading rating — Defender OCTA rates even higher at 39.6 inches, while more road-focused models like the Velar, Evoque, and Discovery Sport are rated shallower. Ground clearance follows a similar pattern: Range Rover and Defender lead at 11.5 inches, with the compact Discovery Sport at the other end of the lineup.
Range Rover and Defender share Land Rover's highest published ground clearance among core body styles, at up to 11.5 inches with Electronic Air Suspension raised to its off-road setting. Discovery follows close behind at up to 11.1 inches, the performance-focused Defender OCTA rides higher than all of them at up to 12.7 inches, and the compact Discovery Sport sits at 8.3 inches — genuinely capable, but built for a different job than the rest of the lineup.
Wading depth follows a similar pattern, but it now covers every current model, not just the tallest ones. Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Defender (90/110/130), and Discovery all share the same maximum figure — 35.4 inches — when equipped with Electronic Air Suspension, so among those models the deciding factor for a water crossing isn't which one you buy, it's whether that specific vehicle has air suspension at all. Defender OCTA rates even higher, at 39.6 inches. The Velar (up to 22.8 inches with air suspension, 20.9 without), Evoque (20.9 inches), and Discovery Sport (23.6 inches) are all rated shallower — real numbers, not omissions, reflecting that these models prioritize on-road comfort and styling over maximum off-road depth. The Defender buying guide covers how suspension choice affects the rest of the vehicle, from ride comfort to towing.
Both numbers matter for the same reason: they define what a Land Rover can drive over and through before you have to turn around. Ground clearance is what keeps rocks, ruts, and trail crowns from contacting the underbody. Wading depth is what keeps water out of the engine's air intake and electronics during a creek crossing or a flooded low-water road. A shopper cross-referencing the Range Rover, Defender, and Discovery for genuine off-road use should weigh both figures together, not just one.
These are the maximum published figures for each current Land Rover line, measured with Electronic Air Suspension raised to its off-road setting. Tap a model name below to see current inventory for that line.
| Model | Max Ground Clearance | Max Wading Depth |
|---|---|---|
| Range Rover | Up to 11.5 in. Top Clearance | Up to 35.4 in. |
| Land Rover Defender | Up to 11.5 in. Top Clearance | Up to 35.4 in. |
| Land Rover Discovery | Up to 11.1 in. | Up to 35.4 in. |
| Land Rover Defender OCTA | Up to 12.7 in. Highest Clearance | Up to 39.6 in. Deepest Wading |
| Land Rover Discovery Sport | 8.3 in. | Up to 23.6 in. |
The table above focuses on Land Rover's off-road-oriented models. Land Rover's own published wading-depth figures cover the entire current lineup, including the more road-focused Range Rover Sport, Velar, and Evoque:
| Model | Max Wading Depth |
|---|---|
| Range Rover | Up to 35.4 in. (900 mm) |
| Range Rover Sport | Up to 35.4 in. (900 mm) |
| Range Rover Velar | Up to 22.8 in. air / 20.9 in. coil (580 mm / 530 mm) |
| Range Rover Evoque | Up to 20.9 in. (530 mm) |
| Defender (90/110/130) | Up to 35.4 in. air / 33.5 in. coil (900 mm / 850 mm) |
| Discovery | Up to 35.4 in. (900 mm) |
| Discovery Sport | Up to 23.6 in. (600 mm) |
The 11.5-inch clearance and 35.4-inch wading depth above are maximums — they require Electronic Air Suspension, raised to its highest off-road setting. A Defender built on the standard coil-spring suspension measures meaningfully less on both.
Raised to its off-road setting, a Defender reaches up to 11.5 inches of ground clearance and a 35.4-inch wading depth — the figures published for the lineup's maximum off-road capability.
A Defender built on the standard coil-spring suspension instead measures up to 8.9 inches of ground clearance and a 33.5-inch wading depth. Confirm which suspension a specific unit carries through our Parts Center before counting on the air-suspension maximum.
The reason air suspension changes both numbers at once is mechanical: Electronic Air Suspension replaces steel coil springs with height-adjustable air springs at each corner, so the Terrain Response system can physically raise the body before a rocky climb or a water crossing, then lower it again for everyday driving. A coil-sprung Defender has no equivalent adjustment — its ground clearance and wading depth are fixed at one height, which is one reason serious off-road buyers tend to prioritize the air suspension option specifically.
Ground clearance and wading depth cover what's underneath the vehicle. Approach and departure angles cover the front and rear bumpers — how steep an incline or ledge a Land Rover can clear without scraping. Here, Defender's three body styles genuinely differ, unlike the shared clearance and wading figures above.
| Defender Body Style | Approach Angle | Departure Angle |
|---|---|---|
| Defender 90 & 110 | 38.0° | 40.0° |
| Defender 130 | 37.5° | 28.5° |
Ground clearance and wading depth aren't just spec-sheet numbers — they determine what's actually driveable once the pavement ends.
Available Wade Sensing uses ultrasonic sensors mounted in the side mirrors to measure the depth of water the vehicle is currently in and display it on the touchscreen in real time — it doesn't predict conditions ahead, so the driver still decides whether to proceed. Terrain Response's Wade program raises Electronic Air Suspension automatically before a crossing, helping the vehicle reach its rated depth.
The Velar, Evoque, and Discovery Sport are built for daily-driving comfort and on-road styling rather than maximum off-road clearance, so their published figures are genuinely lower — not a gap in this data. They're still capable everyday SUVs; see the Discovery Sport guide for what makes it a different kind of Land Rover than the off-road-focused lines above.
Rural roads throughout the Kansas City area include low-water crossings that can rise quickly after a spring storm. A Range Rover or Defender with Electronic Air Suspension and its full 35.4-inch wading depth has real margin in that situation — a vehicle without air suspension, or one parked at on-road height, does not.
Browse live Range Rover, Defender, Discovery, and Discovery Sport inventory, or talk with a sales advisor about which model and suspension setup actually fits how you drive.
