Land Rover Discovery Sport review

While the full-size Land Rover Discovery is as capable off road as it is comfortable and practical on it, it's always been a pricey purchase. The smaller Discovery Sport, then, is designed to bring similar qualities to a wider audience.

A replacement for the Freelander, which was discontinued in 2014, the Discovery Sport is based on the Range Rover Evoque. Yet, with the boxier lines of a traditional SUV, rather than the Evoques’s coupé-esque sillouette, the Discovery Sport is a proper family-friendly machine.

The 178bhp 2.0-litre diesel engine is the mainstay of the range. There are two other diesel options and, from 2017, a couple of 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol joined the line-up. You get the choice of five or seven seats, but being a Land Rover, four-wheel drive is available as standard on all but the entry-level diesel.

Even though it’s cheaper than the bigger Discovery, the Sport still fits into the premium sector, competing with similarly upmarket models such as the five-seat only Audi Q5 and BMW X3.

However, don’t forget that you can get similar-sized or bigger seven-seat rivals with more equipment for similar money. But you'd need to settle for a more mainstream badge, such as the Kia Sorento, Skoda Kodiaq or Peugeot 5008.

Read on for everything you need to know before buying a Discovery Sport, including which version to go for.