2015 Land Rover Discovery Sport: How does an off-road legend stay relevant in the urban jungle?
Over its 66-year history, Land Rover has gone from building military-spec vehicles to trendy four-wheeled fashion statements. The brand's ability to stay alive and relevant is the stuff of marketing legends.
The 2015 Discovery Sport is just the latest example of a vehicle that looks great while achieving mastery over jungles, whether real or concrete.
At this point, Great Britain-based Land Rover finds itself in the duplicitous position of having three models - the LR2, Evoque and Discovery Sport - bunched together with starting prices that hover around $40,000. That seems odd, but it's an affordable trio when you consider the price of the company's higher models, such as the $51,000 (and up) LR4 and the $85,000 Range Rover.
The Discovery Sport is as rugged as the rest and is capable of fording streams, crawling over chunky boulders and generally going where drivers of typical car-based tall wagons and other pseudo utility vehicles dare not stray.
In many respects the Discovery Sport bridges the gap between the high-glam looks of the Evoque and the dated but more formal appearance of the LR2, which is reportedly due for retirement after the 2015 model year. From the sides, the Sport's rearmost roof pillars are angled forward, just like those of the Ford Explorer. Aluminum body panels for the roof, hood, liftgate and front fenders help keep the Sport's weight in Evoque territory, despite its larger dimensions. To call the exterior attractive is a dramatic understatement as it might just give the Evoque a fight for attention (and sales) on that aspect alone.
That shouldn't come as a surprise, really, since the Discovery Sport is actually assembled off the Evoque platform, but it's longer by 8.7 inches with nearly three inches added between the front and rear wheels. A taller roofline adds four inches in body height.
Why bigger? The addition of an optional two-place split-folding third-row seat that collapses into the floor when not needed. The rest of the cabin is conservatively tailored with minimal switchgear and levers. There's even a rotary shifter knob that connects to a nine-speed automatic transmission.
The second-row split-folding 60:40 seat is positioned two inches higher than the first row to provide a better view for passengers. The seat can be moved forward or backward up to 6.3 inches to tailor legroom and cargo space.
The Discovery Sport is only about 100 pounds heavier than the Evoque, so it doesn't add a lot of strain to the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that both models share. The Ford-developed powerplant makes 240 horsepower and 250 pound-feet of torque and can propel the 3,800-pound Discovery Sport to 60 mph from rest in 7.8 seconds. The Evoque does it in 7.1.
A nine-speed automatic transmission with paddle-shift controls is standard across the trims.
Along with all-wheel-drive, all models, starting with the $39,000 (including destination charges) SE include useful off-road safety features. Hill Descent control and Hill Start Assist prevent runaway situations, while Trailer Sway control keeps the Sport and whatever it's towing tracking straight and true in crosswinds and under hard braking.
Standard inside stuff includes leather-covered seats (eight-way power-operated in front), dual-zone climate control, rearview camera with parking sensors, electric parking brake and an eight-inch touch-screen for the infotainment system.
The HSE trim level adds a non-sliding panoramic roof, 10-way power front seats, upgraded leather and a power tailgate. The HE Luxury further loads up with a navigation system, front and rear parking sensors and upgraded trim.
Among the options are autonomous braking (that maintains a safe distance from the vehicle traveling in front), lane-departure warning (monitors unplanned lane changes) and blacked-out wheels, grille and trim.
The Discovery Sport is arguably the most rounded off-roader in the Land Rover fleet and should help move this storied brand into the mainstream of the entry-luxury category.
What you should know: 2015 Land Rover Discovery Sport
Type: Four-door, four-wheel-drive compact tall wagon
Engine (hp): 2.0-liter DOHC I4, turbocharged (240)
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Market position: Land Rover is attempting to extend its entry-luxury appeal by offering a vehicle that's off-road capable while possessing a certain uptown panache that looks perfectly at home in urban settings.
Points: All-new model has appealing design; Base price is similar to the Evoque, but comes with more passenger, cargo space; Base turbocharged four-cylinder engine emphasizes fuel economy; Optional third-row seat good for temporary accommodation; Although not an all-out rock crawler, off-road capability is certainly present.
Safety: Front airbags; side-impact airbags; side-curtain airbags; driver's knee airbag; anti-lock brakes; traction control; stability control.
MPG (city/hwy): 20/28
Base price (incl. destination): $39,000
BY COMPARISON
Audi Q5
Base price: $40,000
AWD wagon looks smart and offers turbo and supercharged engines.
BMW X3
Base price: $39,400
With up to 300 horsepower on tap, this Bimmer is quick and capable.
Jeep Grand Cherokee
Base price: $39,800
Limited version available with gasoline or optional turbo-diesel engines.
