The 2.0-litre diesel makes the Discovery Sport feel like a refined, premium product
Land Rover has worked hard to isolate the worst engine noise from the Discovery Sport cabin. Replacing the older 2.2 TD4 diesel with the newer 2.0 Ingenium early in its life saw the Discovery Sport jump near to the top of the pile for refinement. At a cruise, the engine note subsides to a faint background hum.
A six-speed manual gearbox is standard, but the optional nine-speed automatic transmission (about £1,800) is well worth the extra outlay if you can stretch to it. Not only is it smooth and responsive, it allows you to make the most of the available performance by keeping the engine revs in the mid-range where things are more subdued.
Outright acceleration is improved with the auto box compared to the manual. Interestingly, the Ingenium-powered Jaguar F-Pace uses an eight-speed auto, rather than the Discovery Sport’s nine-speed ‘box, but it makes little difference to its performance or emissions, thanks largely to that car’s lower kerbweight.
The most impressive thing about the Discovery Sport is the lack of road noise. There’s virtually no tyre roar and only the biggest bumps transmit a muted thump into the cabin from the suspension.
The Land Rover’s relaxing character is enhanced by the composed ride. There’s a firm edge to the suspension at low speed which means it’s less cossetting than a Mercedes GLC, but the new multi-link rear axle comes into its own the faster you go, and most bumps and potholes are effortlessly smoothed out.
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That said, it’s a shame that the Evoque’s excellent MagneRide adaptive dampers aren’t currently available, even as an option. They’d remove the firm edge to the ride and make the Discover Sport feel truly luxurious on the road.
The Discovery Sport feels agile and alert through a series of corners, particularly for an SUV. The steering is extremely sharp and direct, allowing the Land Rover to dive through bends with an eagerness that belies its bulk, although the Jaguar F-Pace is still a more engaging driver’s car.
And while there’s not much in the way of feedback, the electrically assisted steering set-up is precise. Combined with the high-set driving position and excellent visibility, it allows you to place the Disco Sport on the road with confidence.
At times the Discovery Sport does feel quite large though, and while the view ahead is great, the standard rear camera and parking sensors are essential when reversing – that stylish rear screen looks letterbox narrow from the driver’s seat. The light steering means it’s easy to manoeuvre, at least.
Body movement is also well controlled, and there’s plenty of grip even on the standard fit all-weather tyres; the electronically controlled permanent four-wheel drive system delivers confidence-inspiring traction, even in the slipperiest conditions.
Where the Land Rover steals a march over rivals such as the Jaguar F-Pace and BMW X3 is off the beaten track. It has better ground clearance, and the front and rear overhangs are shorter and higher, so steep slopes are easily negotiated. Also, its Terrain Response system can adapt the four-wheel-drive’s traction control to suit different conditions, helping the car go further than most owners would dare to take it. Just choose between Normal, Mud, Sand, Rocks and Snow modes, then let the car’s sophisticated traction control system do the rest.
And that’s not all, because you also get a variable hill descent control, an impressive wading depth of 600mm, plenty of ground clearance and excellent approach and departure angles. When the going gets tough, the Discovery Sport leaves its compact SUV rivals floundering.
Engines
The 2.0-litre TD4 Ingenium diesel is available with 148bhp, 178bhp or 238bhp, while the higher-powered versions get the benefit of a nine-speed automatic gearbox.
The lower powered 2.0-litre engine is branded ‘e-Capability’ and is manual-only, and despite the gearbox itself being pleasantly smooth to operate – if a little long of throw – it doesn’t really fit the character of what is a very refined, graceful family car. The auto gives a more apt, fuss-free driving experience.
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Specify the 178bhp 2.0-litre with an automatic gearbox and you’ll hit 0-62mph in 8.9 seconds, while the manual will take one second longer. The most powerful diesel is auto only, and will whip you to 60mph in 7.1 seconds with a top speed of 127mph.
As of late 2017, customers can choose from two new Ingenium 2.0-litre four cylinder turbo petrol engines. The 238bhp variant does 0-60mph in 7.1 seconds with a 124mph top speed, while numbers for the 288bhp range-topper are 6.5 seconds and 135mph. They’re surprisingly good fun to drive, with a willingness to rev and a racy induction roar to accompany it, although poor fuel economy means they’ll be a bit of a niche choice in the UK.