The Land Rover Discovery Sport HSE Luxury is a replacement for the iconic Freelander. The expectations from this one were high – and it did not disappoint. It’s an SUV that packs in a lot of torque and luxury to suit the needs of its target customers.
We took the Land Rover Discovery Sport HSE Luxury for a spin and here’s what we think about this mini tank.
The Looks
The Discovery Sport HSE resembles the Range Rover Evoque a lot. They are both based on the same platform. The Discovery Sport appears and is bigger than the Evoque. It’s also longer by about 80 mm.
And yes expensive too!
The car has circular daytime running lamps, angular bumpers and a massive road presence that makes it look like a mini battle tank.
Compared to its peers, the Land Rover Discovery Sport is definitely the Batman, in terms of its looks.
The Good
The Discovery Sport that we had was the top-of-the-line HSE Luxury 7-seater variant. The interiors are warm and welcoming and will appeal to people who look for detailing.
The Windsor leather aroma fills the interiors of the car the moment you step in.
The moment you fire up the 2.2-litre SD4 diesel engine on the Discovery Sport you know you have awakened a monster. A 2.2-litre engine might not sound powerful on paper but the feeling inside the cabin is overwhelming.
And then there’s also the stylish transmission wheel that make you feel like you’re sitting inside a futuristic vehicle. The nine-speed transmission on the Discovery Sport works wonders for the driver, with optimal gear shifts that are hardly felt.
The SUV is easy and fun to drive as it delivers 420 nm of torque at 1750 rpm. The maximum output of the engine is 190 PS and that’s plenty to catapult this vehicle. And yes it can do a 0-100 km/h in 8.9 seconds and has a top speed of 188 km/h.
The Land Rover Discovery can handle any terrain. But there’s a lack of adrenaline rush as this SUV makes you feel safe all the time, even as it tackles the harshest of landscapes. The torque on demand makes it a peppy SUV that’ll remind you of your aunt’s terrier but only while off-roading. The 212-mm ground clearance on it means you are pretty much safe from any pothole that you’ll come across in India.
The 25-degree approach angle also means that this is the best SUV to take to the hills with your family and friends and if you find a bridge over a river just don’t take it. The doors are all water sealed and the 600-mm wading depth should keep you nice and comfortable while crossing a river without a bridge.
The Discovery Sport also comes with a lot of USB ports and entertainment options for both front and rear passengers to keep the occupants engaged while stuck in traffic. The Meridian sound system is impressive and coupled with Dolby audio it makes any song on your playlist sound out of this world.
The automatic parking assist feature on the Discovery Sport also helps you park in tight spots. It basically asks you to operate the transmission, accelerator and brakes. The manoeuvering is done by the Discovery on its own. So next time you think a parking spot might just be too tight to fit this SUV, leave it to the car and let the on-board computers work their magic. The car’s capable of both perpendicular and parallel parking on its own.
The comfort for the middle row passengers is optimum with plenty of legroom and gadgets to keep them entertained in the rear seats.
The Bad
The fuel efficiency on the Discovery Sport HSE Luxury is low, as expected. During our drive it was capable of giving us 12.3 km/l.
The third row on the Discovery Sport HSE Luxury is just for the kids in the family. A regular adult might not be happy to be seated in that row.
The Discovery Sport has a lot of power but driving around the city, we found it to be a little sluggish at times.
The Rivals
At a price point of Rs 62 lakh (ex-showroom New Delhi), the Discovery offers way more than the likes of Audi Q5 or the BMW X5.
With standard equipment like Terrain Response , Hill Descent Control (HDC), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Traction Control (ETC), Electric Power Assisted Steering (EPAS), Hill Start Assist, Roll Stability Control (RSC), Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), Electric Parking Brake (EPB), Emergency Brake Assist (EBA), Electric Brake Force Distribution (EBD),Trailer Stability Assist (TSA), Memory seats and Seven Airbags there is really not much competition if you are looking for a complete SUV in this price bracket.
Verdict
The Land Rover Discovery Sport HSE Luxury is a car that has ample power to catapult you out of any terrain. It also has a foolproof off-road management system. But it’s a shame that with all that off-roading capability, it will still be driven in the city and in traffic. The interiors are luxurious and you feel at home in this one. It offers good value for money too if you compare it with its rivals.
Overall, this is the complete car and probably the only SUV you’ll ever need for the rest of your life.
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