A sports SUV that Focuses more on Ride Comfort and Go Anywhere Ability

Land Rover Discovery Sport is the choice of those sensible automotive enthusiasts who like to have a combination of luxury, style and practicality in their vehicle of choice. Land Rover Discovery Sport stands heads and shoulders above the rest of the competition due to its heritage, distinctive style and go-anywhere ability. You get a 7-seat capacity, the ultimate luxury in the cabin and rugged looks to go with it.

Land Rover Discovery Sport was introduced in 2014 as a replacement for the Freelander 2014 and with time, it became the best-selling model of Land Rover. Discovery took a huge step in the design and engineering of the vehicle when it was given the unibody monocoque structure.

Sober Exterior

In all honesty, Land Rover Discovery sport, despite its name has hardly ever focused on the sport aspect. It would not be wrong to say that it ignores the sportiness and focuses on ride comfort, and go anywhere ability instead and rightfully so.

For the exterior, it does provide a modern-looking contemporary look with typical clean and minimalistic design language to go with it. The visual tweaks include fancy and modern-looking headlights well connected to a well-designed front grill.

The side profile includes clean lines and an uncluttered design with a falling roof and clamshell bonnet. The back of the vehicle has received some changes that enhance the looks of the vehicle a great deal. You still get a split tailgate and modernized tail lights. The overall look of the vehicle is sober yet transformative.

Plush Interior

It is hard to find many examples of seven seats in a car this size. It shows in the cabin as well. While the first two rows offer plenty of space, the third row is very congested. There is hardly any headroom or space for legs in the third row and it is only suitable for kids. The overall feel of the cabin is plush and comfortable. There is no wind or road noise present within the cabin and the cabin is well insulated.

Many driver assists use the latest technology to facilitate the driver in safe driving. Pivi pro helps by simplifying the touchscreen features and provide over the air updates. There is a 12-inch TFT screen, and a heads-up display, you get plenty of controls on the steering and temperature is controlled with the knobs instead of a screen display which makes things easier. Material quality is premium and you clearly can see the craftsmanship and minimalistic design at play. Boot space is plenty to hold your luggage and can be increased by folding the seats down.

Sporty and Powerful Engines

The first generation of Discovery sport provided the same Land Rover Discovery Sport engine range as the Freelander 2. A 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine produces 240 bhp and a 2.2-litre turbocharged diesel engine produces either 150 bhp or 190 bhp both produced by Ford.

However, those engines were replaced by the new Ingenium engine range produced by Jaguar Land Rover in 2015. Those engines have a range of modular turbocharged engines of 2.0-litre capacity that can be configured to deliver different power outputs. These engines could also be produced in 3,5, and 6-cylinder options and are efficient and economical with sufficient power output available.

The latest wave of engines is comprised of only four-cylinder engines out of which the plug-in hybrid is the most powerful. You get 305 hp out of its power unit combined with an electric motor. There are other choices for MHEV that produce power in the range of 200 to 290 hp.

How Does the Vehicle Handles and Ride

All-wheel drive comes standard with all variants of Discovery. Not only does this provide ultimate grip on the road it also helps the vehicle to glide over the bumpy and uneven track as well. For a big vehicle like Discovery, the handling may not be crisp but it is remarkably controlled. While cruising on the tarmac the cabin is silent and refined and you feel the luxury it is meant to provide you. Its independent suspension is computer controlled and works wonders when tackling different terrains. The mild hybrids provide a good fuel average and bring great value for money.

Verdict

The Land Rover Discovery Sport is supposed to be a cheaper version of the Range Rover. However, it surpasses the bigger sibling in many ways. Practicality is something that you can not ignore and its luxury feel, technological advancements and go-anywhere ability make it stand above its rivals. Not only it’s a perfect cruiser on the motorway, but its premium badge and practical appeal also do not even disappoint you on an everyday run. Gone are the days when you only find discovery in the possession of farm owners and farmers. Today’s discovery is as comfortable in the farmlands as it is on the tarmac.