Land Rover Discovery Sport review - A talented all-rounder - Land Rover Discovery Sport prices, specs and rivals
Subtly brilliant, the Discovery Sport takes fight to the Germans
On-the-road prices for the Discovery Sport start at £28,995 and rise to £46,510. All are powered by the same 2.0-litre Ingenium turbodiesel engine and the automatic gearbox comes at a £1,805 premium.
Entry-level cars are badged SE, but even they come with partial leather upholstery, Bluetooth, DAB, Land Rover's new 'InControl Remote' system, an eight-inch colour touchscreen, climate control, heated windscreen, cruise control, heated front seats and 18-inch alloy wheels. The 148bhp car is five-seat-only regardless of trim level, but 178bhp models all get the '5+2' seating arrangement - seven seats, in other words.
For £1,500, SE Tech adds a powered tailgate, front fog lights, auto lights and wipers, front parking sensors and satellite navigation. From there up the Discovery Sport makes a rather good impersonation of the Range Rover range, with HSE and HSE Luxury models. The former features a panoramic sunroof, electrically adjusted leather seats, upgraded headlights with Xenon and LED technology, keyless entry, 19-inch wheels and a few other visual identifiers. The HSE Luxury enhances all of this while adding more driver assist tech such as Park Assist.
In its recent suite of revisions, Land Rover has also added three features to HSE Luxury models that most customers were selecting as options anyway: 20in 'Aeroviper' alloy wheels, USB ports in the second and third rows, and third-row climate control with rear-facing vents.
A sixth trim line has also joined the range, again based on feedback from customers and popular options. HSE Black models get gloss black 20in alloy wheels, privacy glass, a contrasting black roof, and a black grille and side vents.
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Rivals are numerous. Those include the Audi Q5, a new version of which has recently been introduced with improvements in virtually every area. Cabin quality is up to typical Audi standards (and significantly above the Discovery Sport and it's sharper to look at too. A new SQ5 performance model gives buyers further options over the Land Rover.
The BMW X3 is also worth a look, making its larger X5 counterpart seem almost superfluous. It drives well, has a good engine range and packs plenty of tech into its cabin. Mercedes-Benz too offers a similarly-sized SUV in the shape of the Mercedes-Benz GLC. It's handsome (more so in regular form than the slightly unusual GLC Coupe), refined, comfortable and has surprising off-road chops (if not quite in Land Rover's league), while it too has a performance model - the satisfyingly swift Mercedes-AMG GLC 43.
Those seeking more performance than practicality should seek out the Porsche Macan (no seven-seat option, but fantastic to drive), while it's worth considering some models from non-premium marques too, which trade a neighbour-impressing badge for great value and plenty of space.
And of course, you shouldn't forget about Land Rover's own Range Rover Evoque. It's stylish, even several years after launch, drives better than the Discovery Sport, and has the same engine range. It too is less practical, but it's an appealing alternative.
