Land Rover Discovery Sport Handed a Nip and Tuck

Land Rover Discovery Sport Handed a Nip and Tuck

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Land Rover is beefing up its Discovery Sport SUV with a collection of new technologies and a new sleek cabin to keep it afloat in the respective segment. 

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That said, it borrows some interior features from other models under the JLR banner and headlining the changes inside the new 3-row SUV is a new dashboard that does away with knobs and switches in favour of digitalisation. 

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If you recall, the outgoing model used a haptic climate control panel and rotary dials for temperature selection and fan speed. This time, everything can be controlled via the new 11.4” curved central display that uses the latest Pivi Pro2 system. The new dashboard design allowed engineers to free up storage spaces up front for a standard wireless charging pad. 

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Other changes come in the form of a new gear shifter that is surrounded by a dark anodised aluminium trim finisher, a new 3-spoke multi-function steering wheel, two new USB-C chargers for each row, a 12-volt power socket in the second row and boot as well as third-row climate control and USB-C charging for the 7-seater variant. 

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The Dynamic SE models can now be specified with Duo Leather interior with up to three colour options, however, if the leather isn’t your thing, JLR says you can have either Suede cloth matched with soft, non-leather Luxtec material made from recycled polyester microfibre. 

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The Dynamic HSE model can be had with Ebony Windsor Leather with Lunar Grey contrast detailing on the seats or a DuoTone Light Oyster and Ebony trim for a two-tone appeal. 

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Aesthetically, the Discovery Sport has been given a fresh new look through a contrast roof, exterior accents such as gloss black D-I-S-C-O-V-E-R-Y script, grille, lower body sills and bumpers. A new Varesine Blue shade has been added to the colour palette. 

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It rides on a set of 19” wheels, available in either gloss black or a diamond-turned style. These can be upgraded to 21” gloss black wheels.

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The powertrain options remain largely unchanged and consist of plug-in electric hybrid and mild-hybrid models, but the engineers have revised the battery chemistry of the P300e model that can now travel up to 47 km on battery power alone. This particular engine is paired with a 1.5-litre 3-pot turbo-petrol engine with 227 kW and 540 Nm. 

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Its battery pack can be replenished via DC charging, which can recharge the unit from 0-80% in 30 minutes. 

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The electric hybrid model features an Ingenium 1.5-litre turbocharged 3-cylinder engine plus a 14.9 kWh battery for up to 61 km of driving range. Its D200 counterpart uses an unchanged 2.0-litre turbodiesel with 147 kW and 430 Nm of torque. 

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Despite its 'Sport' badge, the Land Rover Discovery Sport is a versatile and convenient SUV that leans more on the side of comfort than, well, anything sporty. But thanks to its recent tech upgrades, it is now back in with a fighting chance.

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