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Land Rover reckons that this Discovery Sport is the most versatile premium compact SUV currently on sale. Jonathan Crouch takes a look at the revised version.
Ten Second Review
Land Rover's Discovery Sport was a big success in its original form, with almost 100,000 examples sold in the UK alone. But competitors in the SUV 'D'-segment for 7-seat family Crossovers have caught up. Hence the need for this revised model. It's still the class of the field if you ever need to go off road. But now it pleases more in many other ways too.
Background
You hesitate to think of where Land Rover might be now without the Discovery Sport. It's one of the key models that's kept JLR going over the last five years and in the current climate, this car needs to pull its weight in the showroom more than ever. Which is a big ask, given that since the original launch in 2014, direct rivals like Volkswagen's Tiguan Allspace, Peugeot's 5008, SEAT's Tarraco and a new more up-market version of Hyundai's Santa Fe have all arrived to deliver an alternative to what the Discovery Sport can offer.
So Land Rover has set out to take the lead once more in this class, primarily with a fresh range of electrified engines. But also with a smarter cabin, extra technology and stronger standards of safety.
Driving Experience
This car might look the same but under the skin, it's actually a lot different thanks to the adoption of what Land Rover calls 'Premium Transverse Architecture'. This not only makes the body stronger and safer but has also allowed the brand to fit a sophisticated range of 'MHEV' mild hybrid engines, plus there's now a Plug-in hybrid option too. Basically, the same powerplant options already offered in the Range Rover Evoque. These 48-volt units use energy recouped during braking to reduce load on the powerplant under acceleration, while letting the engine cut out from deceleration below 11mph and give near-instantaneous restarts as needed.
Mind you, the engine that most customers choose, the base D150 diesel, doesn't feature anything electrified, which is a pity. This base model can only be had either in front-driven manual five-seat form. Or in AWD automatic seven-seat guise. Further up the range, all the engines feature the MHEV tech and have to have AWD and an automatic gearbox. There are D180 and D240 diesel options, the figures designating the hp output. And there are two conventional petrol options, the P200 and the P250. There's also a Plug-in PHEV variant, which pairs an electric motor with a three cylinder 1.5-litre petrol engine and offers a 38-mile WLTP-rated electric driving range. Whatever engine suits, you'll find this car's class-leading towing and off road ability as good as ever. It can tow up to 2.5-tonnes. And 'off piste' prowess is enhanced thanks to an improved 'Terrain Response 2' system that automatically detects the surface you're driving over and adjusts torque delivery to best suit the conditions.
Design and Build
At first glance, this improved Discovery Sport looks little different to the original model. If you take a second look though and you happen to be familiar with this car, the changes will become more obvious. Trademark Discovery design cues, including the clamshell bonnet, rising beltline and tapered roof remain, but the detail features have changed. For instance, there are re-styled signature LED headlamps at the front and rear, alongside an updated front grille and bumpers.
Inside, the standardisation of Land Rover's digital Touch Pro infotainment system and the introduction of more premium materials throughout makes a big difference. All the seats have been completely re-designed for improved comfort and versatility. And the second row bench gets 40:20:40 split fold and slide functionality, enabling a more flexible seating arrangement with up to 24 possible combinations. The brand says there's more luggage space too; with all the seats folded, there's now 1,794-litres of capacity. That's up from 1,698-litres previously. As before, the third row seats are strictly for small children only. But we like the way that the second row bench has been raised 5cms higher than the front chairs to give occupants a better view out.
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