The Land Rover name has always stood for the ultimate in off-roading—but that's changed now that the stylish Evoque is one of their best-sellers.
This year Land Rover has a new SUV that applies some of the Evoque's polish to its rugged mid-size SUV. But does the new Discovery Sport have the goods to tackle rivals like the Audi Q5 and BMW X3?
From the outside it’s all about stance with the Discovery Sport. The outline may look stark and somewhat plain, but big wheels give it a planted, secure look. The clamshell hood, short front and rear overhangs, and skid plates tie it in nicely with the Range Rover lineup.
Inside, the Disco Sport is serious and businesslike. You might think it's a little too simple. We think it's more refreshing than that, straightforward and elegant. There are real knobs and buttons, and all the materials feel high quality.
Land Rover's paid close attention to making the interior of the Disco Sport more family-friendly. The front seats are nicely contoured with just the right amount of side support. You feel like you’re sitting in the Discovery Sport, not on it.
In the second row, stadium seating elevates the second and available third row above the front row. This makes things a bit less claustrophobic than rival models. The second row slides fore and aft to increase leg room or cargo room, and there’s just enough headroom. Of course, it splits and folds for increased cargo capacity.
The optional third row is even smaller than the one in some smaller vehicles. Land Rover sets the bar low and calls this a 5+2 configuration--and it's fine for small kids for very short trips, but it’s not padded and it basically destroys all cargo room when in use.
The Disco Sport knows how to dance, a little. Under the hood there's a 2.0-liter turbo four with 240 horsepower. Power is sent to all four wheels through a nine-speed automatic transmission.