We are not alone about preferring outgoing models.
A friend just traded in his 3-year-old Honda Pilot to get the last year of the square corner Pilot. He wanted no part of the new Pilot that looks like a CR-V on steroids.
I know two other people that just ordered an Audi Q7 before the new one comes out. That new Q7 is really hideous. Pretty sad when people are scrambling to buy a design that 8 years old instead of a new design.
I'm with you, Paul, having learned that hard way. Nearly 2 years ago I purchased one of the first MY14 Acura MDXs. Foolishly I didn't do research and assumed the MDX would continue to be an adequate vehicle for back roads - better than our Lexus RX350. I was wrong. Not only had the shape changed, but they had lowered the ground clearance by an inch. And then there were numerous issues.
- Some of the issues were software bugs that could be corrected. But auto makers have a long way to go to understand software, how it relates to hardware and the importance of being able to easily fix the software.
- Many of the issues were design changes that they won't be able to fix until the 3rd or later MY for that new model. From an absurdly confusing, dual-screen, soft button user interface for Nav/Infotainment to a Voice Command system that was so bad we used it as entertainment on long road trips to a drivers seat that belongs in a car, not an SUV. Don't get me wrong. They did a lot of things well. A rear cargo area where everything behind the front seats goes completely flat, very good gas mileage, handles great on pavement, good use of storage/convenience, electronic "safety" features like adaptive cruise and lane-keeper-assist. And over time they will fix some of the design miscues and software bugs. But it had clearly become a very different vehicle than the former MDX models - for better or worse.
Whatever the new Discovery is it will be a very different vehicle. And there will be growing pains, design miscues and bugs for the first couple of years.
There is a lot to be said for purchasing a vehicle that has been improved through experience!