Land Rover Discovery Sport review

The Discovery Sport is priced competitively against five-seat premium large SUV rivals such as the Audi Q5 and BMW X3, which are both less versatile in terms of passenger accommodation. It looks rather expensive when you compare it with mainstream rivals such as the Peugeot 5008 and Skoda Kodiaq though.  Still, if you’re willing to pay the premium for the Discovery Sport’s upmarket image, you can rest assured that it should have quite slow depreciation, thanks in part to that premium badge. That also means it’s reasonably cheap on a PCP finance deal.

All versions with an automatic gearbox use mild-hybrid technology. In essence, there's a battery that can power the car’s ancillaries (the air conditioning, power steering and so on), allowing the engine to be switched off to save fuel when decelerating. Even with that tech, though, fuel economy is disappointing – the official fuel consumption of the D200 diesel is 41.2mpg, which is worse than most rivals, and in our real-world test the P200 petrol managed just over 25mpg. As a reference, the less-expensive hybrid Honda CR-V hit over 45mpg. 

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Every Discovery Sport model come with a hefty equipment list that includes dual-zone climate control, automatic lights and wipers, ambient interior lighting, heated front seats, dual-zone climate control and a heated windscreen. You also get a full roster of off-road systems, including Terrain Response to maximise traction, hill descent control to get you down slopes safely and low traction launch. That's on top of the infotainment, visibility and safety aids. 

Discovery Sport Urban Edition contains a few exterior styling upgrades, including 20-inch alloys in place of the standard 18-inch wheels and a fixed panoramic glass roof, but also gets you the upgraded Pivi Pro infotainment system with sat-nav. R-Dynamic SE ups the stakes with upgraded LED headlights, an interactive digital driver’s readout and additional safety features. Going for R-Dynamic HSE adds keyless entry, full matrix LED headlights, upgraded leather and a Meridian sound system among other goodies, but the price is steep.