Land Rover Discovery Sport Review 2021
Designed to replace the Freelander in 2014, the Land Rover Discovery Sport is a compact and affordable alternative to the larger Land Rover Discovery.
Available with five or seven seats, this practical, easy to drive, and capable off-roader makes for an ideal family car, competing with upmarket large SUVs including the Audi Q5, BMW X3, and seven-seat Mercedes GLB.
Our Land Rover Discovery Sport review covers:
- Modern exterior design with optional contrasting roof and Black Exterior Pack
- Refreshed cabin design with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard
- Huge 981-litre boot with 40/20/40 split rear seats
- Wide range of petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid engines with mild-hybrid technology
- Six trim levels are available, including Discovery Sport, SE, HSE, Urban Edition and Sport Black
The latest Land Rover Discovery Sport boasts a modern appearance with its distinctive clamshell bonnet, slick new nose, scrolling indicators and revised rear end. Customers can also personalise their vehicle with a contrasting roof or optional Black Exterior Pack to truly make it stand out on the road.
Inside, there's plenty of room with a third row of seats on selected models for seven-seat practicality. Head and legroom are among the best in the class, although it is not as wide in the front as rivals, such as the Kia Sorento.
Storage options include numerous cup holders, up to seven USB sockets for easy charging, large door pockets and a spacious glove box.
Five-seat versions offer an impressive 981-litre boot which is larger than many of its rivals but is not quite as big as the Audi Q5, Kia Sorento and Peugeot 5008. Space increases to 1,698-litres with the rear bench folded flat, but when all seven seats are in place, there's only really room for a few shopping bags, and there's no under-floor storage.
On the plus side, spilt 40/20/40 rear seats on the second row mean you can slide and recline each of the three seats independently for extra legroom when required. The boot lip also sits flush with the boot floor, making it easy to load and unload heavy items when needed.
Inside, the Discovery Sport has been refreshed to bring a much-improved touchscreen display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard. Build quality feels solid, but harder and scratchier plastics and flimsy controls mean the Discovery Sport doesn't quite match up to the Audi Q5 and BMW X3 for overall quality.
Six trim levels are available, including the entry-level Discovery Sport, SE and HSE. There are also two special editions for 2022 called the Urban Edition and the Discovery Sport Black.
Standard equipment includes a 10-inch Pivi Pro infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, LED headlights and alloy wheels. The mid-spec SE trim adds larger alloy wheels and more luxurious seats, along with upgraded interior trim. The top-of-the-range HSE brings Matrix LED headlights, leather upholstery, keyless entry and a premium Meridian stereo system.
Under the bonnet, the Discovery Sport offers a wide range of petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid engines. The entry-level 197bhp P200 petrol engine has plenty of poke for city drivers, but the 247bhp P250 feels far brisker with its claimed 0-62mph time of 7.3 seconds. A top 286bhp P290 variant is also available.
Diesel options include the entry-level D165 diesel and the more potent D200, which use Land Rover's impressive mild-hybrid tech. However, if you plan to run the car through work, the plug-in hybrid P300e 1.5-litre petrol engine makes the most sense, offering lower company car tax rates and up to 34 miles on electricity alone.
The Discovery Sport soaks up bumps well in terms of ride, and its high driving position helps with overall visibility but doesn't feel as agile on twisting country roads as the Jaguar F-Pace. Thankfully, the ride improves on motorways, and overall, the Discovery Sport is a comfortable car to travel in.
Prices for the new Land Rover Discovery Sport start from £33,840.00 OTR* or to lease from £347.75 per month.
Leasing the Land Rover Discovery Sport offers many benefits over buying outright with a bank loan or dealer finance.
Fixed monthly rentals and a low initial outlay not only help with budgeting, while inclusive road tax and breakdown cover helps keep running costs down.
All Discovery Sport lease deals with Nationwide Vehicle Contracts also come with free mainland GB delivery, direct to your door (exclusions apply).
*'On the road' price correct at time of publication and typically includes one year’s road fund license, DVLA first registration fee and number plate fee. Always check with the manufacturer.
