Land Rover Discovery Sport Ingenium Review
Car Tested: Land Rover Discovery Sport Ingenium; Road Test No. 863
Price OTR Mumbai: Rs. 51.63 – 67.99 lakhs
The Discovery Sport is one of the most capable and tough SUVs in its segment
I had my first tryst with the then-new Land Rover Discovery Sport in 2015. The model we tested had the older 2.2-litre diesel engine in the lower 150 PS state of tune. I came out very impressed with this SUV and later on when I did some hardcore off-roading in the same car during the Land Rover Experience, my admiration for the Discovery Sport only increased. Now, Jaguar Land Rover have discontinued the old 2.2-litre engine and in comes the new 2.0-litre Ingenium diesel engine, that also powers the XE, XF, Evoque and F-Pace. We drove the 2017 Land Rover Discovery Sport with the Ingenium engine to check out the difference in its performance.
Motor Quest: The Land Rover Discovery Sport is actually a replacement for the erstwhile Freelander. It is available with a petrol engine along with a diesel engine that comes in 2 states of tune. The SUV is very potent in its off-road behaviour too.
The Discovery Sport has very good looks and presence
Exteriors – On the cosmetic front, there are absolutely no changes to this model. The styling elements on the SUV remain completely the same. The Discovery Sport looks like a proper SUV thanks to its rather intimidating design. The front fascia carries a bold look which is accentuated by the beautiful LED DRLs. The side profile has simple styling but that doesn’t mean that it looks bad. At the rear, you get LED tail-lights which have a funky design. The Discovery Sport is available in a number of colours and you can even get the roof in the contrasting black shade which adds to the looks. The Land Rover also has very good road presence.
The interior is very well laid out and practical
Interiors – The interiors have also been carried forward from the older model and there are no changes. The dashboard has a very functional design although it slightly lacks the finesse and premium feel of German SUVs. The black and beige layout makes the cabin feel airy while the seats are generously big in size and offer very good comfort. Outward visibility is excellent thanks to the large windows and the driving position is very good. The rear seat also has good space but things are quite bad in the third row, where space is extremely limited and best suited for kids.
The new engine feels way better than the older unit in a lot of ways
Performance – Let’s talk about the main thing in question – the 2.0-litre Ingenium oil-burner. Our test car was the HSE trim which means that the engine had the lower 150 PS and 382 Nm tune. Meanwhile, the higher HSE Luxury trim gets a more powerful 190 PS tune from the same engine. The new engine feels very refined and even at higher revs, the engine noise isn’t all that bad. While 150 PS might sound low on paper, it has been tuned very nicely and thus the power delivery is linear. Turbo lag is minimal and the SUV gains pace swiftly. 0-100 km/hr comes up in a notch above 10 seconds though.
Power is delivered in a linear fashion, engine is efficient too
The Ingenium engine is offered in two states of tune, depending on the variant
The engine doesn’t lose steam till about 4500 RPM and it is indeed excellent for cruising, with 100 km/hr in top gear coming in at around 1500 RPM. Most people won’t have a reason to complain while those who really want the extra performance will have to buy the top-most variant. The engine is mated to a 9-speed automatic gearbox which has been matched to the powerplant rather nicely. Gear shifts happen smoothly though I did feel some jerkiness at low speeds. Toggling Sport mode for the gearbox does make the SUV respond better. Fuel efficiency is pretty good, and we extracted around 10-12 km/l in a mix of city and highway driving. All said and done, I would have liked JLR to offer the same (higher) tune on all variants because a slight difference in fuel economy doesn’t really bother luxury car buyers.
The Discovery Sport has polished dynamics
Driving Dynamics – The Land Rover Discovery Sport has a very pliant ride which makes the passengers feel comfortable no matter how the road terrain is. Even on craters that are present on Mumbai roads, the Discovery Sport doesn’t feel unsettled at all and you don’t really need to slow down much. Handling is also good by SUV standards and while some body roll is present, the vehicle instils confidence and remains stable at high speeds even while cornering. While I don’t have any complaints with regards to the tyres, I feel that the brakes could have been more confidence inspiring, maybe the brake pads on our test car had worn out.
The Discovery Sport is indeed a good buy but falls a tad bit short on premium appeal
Verdict – The Land Rover Discovery Sport is a very likeable premium SUV because it is very practical for day-to-day usage and offers a comfortable ride too. The new engine impresses us with its performance and the off-road capabilities of the SUV are splendid. It also feels very tough and robust and makes you feel that it can indeed take you wherever you want to go. The Discovery Sport is an SUV hard to ignore, provided you can sacrifice a wee bit on the additional premium feel that is offered by Germans in the same price bracket, which is honestly the only fly in the ointment.
Our test car was the HSE trim, which is 1 below the top-end variant
What’s Cool
* Launched 2 years back, looks handsome even now
* The cabin is super practical, no complaints on this front
* New engine has been tuned nicely, gearbox is well-matched too
* Ride quality is superb, can glide over anything
* Off-road credentials are best-in-segment
What’s Not So Cool
* JLR could have added some feel-good materials on the inside
* Jaguar Land Rover aren’t best known for their service quality
Alternatives: Mercedes-Benz GLC, BMW X3, Audi Q5, Volvo XC60
Off-roading in the Discovery Sport is always fun
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Further Reading –
Land Rover Discovery Sport Off-Road Experience
2015 Land Rover Discovery Sport Review