Drive Review: Discovery Sport could be all the car you need

Another SUV but this one has a different slant

Of the tougher variety compared to the run-of-the-mill family of SUVs because the Discovery Sport can be optioned with 7 seats as well as being able to cross terrain other than a soggy football field. Potentially this is the only car you’ll ever need; whatever conceivable obstacle placed ahead of it is new bumper and grille is competently dispatched with a whiff of luxury.

It’s a handsome SUV

Within the fashionable mould of the Range Rover Evoque although this one leans towards offering flexible comfort and swallowing weekend-activities, plus a Labrador. The Sport’s styling is far less polarising versus the bigger Land Rover Discovery and as usual there are three trim levels identified, mostly, by larger alloys and panoramic sunroof – although these can still be fitted to lower spec models. Fortunately neither trim level is what we’d describe as unattractive but the more sensible rubber options do yield a smoother ride.

What’s actually new?

Lots of small things that don’t necessarily enhance the Discovery Sport’s core appeal in base D180 guise. The actual reason behind the new platform’s existence is to carry all the components needed for an electrified powertrain, although at this point the effort is fairly wasted on South African owners.

Viewed under a microscope the body has received a subtle nip and tuck while off-road enthusiasts will rush out to the nearest water splash to verify the increased wading depth. This compliments the Terrain Response II system now featuring the know-it-all Auto setting.

There’s only one engine, for now

Fortunately the 2.0-litre diesel will likely be the volume seller so no need to panic, supported later in the year by a higher output 2.0-litre petrol. Contrary to the name Sport there is nothing sporty to savour here; docile acceleration and yawning top speed are watered down further by numb handling that simply can’t match the German SUVs for feeling pinned to the road.

The Land Rover Discovery Sport 180D is typical of an engine that’s been intentionally wound all the way down to a 4,000rpm redline, squeezing out the last remaining bit of character that a small capacity diesel could ever wish to have. The silver lining is the updated 9-speed gearbox software isn’t as lazy as it once was, although fuel consumption is still the overriding goal here.

It’s lost a few buttons

Fairly normal procedure in today’s thread of interior designs. They’re still there, in theory, except they’re now behind a big glass panel which has the undesired effect of making the interior appear more sparse. You do get wireless charging, enough USB ports so the kids will never peep out the window while the higher grades are equipped with a better Meridian audio system and digital displays behind the steering wheel. Its driving position is exactly what you’d expect from a car that is leaner and lower than a Discovery and we already mentioned the myriad seating configurations that seem impossible from the dimensions.

Overall Discovery Sport is not quite as well finished or as cossetting as a Lexus RX, mainly because there’s a visible resilience to the surface textures with blank spaces, particularly around the gearlever, that can appear emotionally cold. It’s as though all the good creative designers left midway through to start work on the Defender.

Verdict

Peel away the off-road armour and the optional seven seats and the Discovery Sport is no longer as convincing as it was a few minutes ago. Yes it compliments just about any scenery you park in front of but the engine and roadholding left us underwhelmed once the city was no longer in view. And if you feel frustrated paying for an off-road system that you might never use, how would feel about paying for the Discovery Sport’s internal hybrid architecture when the D180 engine derives no tangible benefit from it.

Specification: Discovery Sport D180 AWD R-Dynamic SE Automatic

• R855,300
• 2.0 4cyl turbocharged diesel, AWD
• 132kW, 430Nm
• 0-100kph in 9.7 secs, 202kW
• 8l/100km, 152g/km