2019 Land Rover Discovery Sport Review

　　

zzdcar' Expert Review

byWill KaufmanSenior Editor and Content Strategist, CarMax

　　Will Kaufman has worked in the automotive industry since 2017. He has written hundreds of car-related articles and reviews over the course of his career. Will is a senior editor and content strategist for CarMax at zzdcar. Will has been featured in the Associated Press and a number of major outlets on the topics of infotainment and vehicle data, vehicle subscription services and autonomous vehicles. Will started his career in online publishing by writing and editing standardized test guides, but he has a lot more fun writing about cars.

　　

What's new

Minor updates to infotainment softwareLandmark Edition trim introduced exclusively for the 2019 model yearPart of the first Discovery Sport generation introduced for 2015

　　After several years of changes culminating in last year's new seats and engines, Land Rover seems to have the Discovery Sport where it wants it. For 2019, the Discovery Sport carries over essentially unchanged.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2019 Land Rover Discovery Sport SE 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 9A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.78 per gallon for premium unleaded in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$207/mo  for Discovery Sport SE

　　Discovery Sport SE

　　SE 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 9A) - $37,795 MSRPHSE 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 9A) (Most Popular) - $42,395 MSRPLandmark 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 9A) - $44,795 MSRPHSE Luxury 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 9A) - $46,795 MSRPHSE Dynamic 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 9A) - $49,395 MSRPHSE Luxury Dynamic 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 9A) - $52,895 MSRP

　　vs

　　$183/mo

　　Avg. Midsize SUV

　　If you're looking for a small luxury SUV with more off-road capability than average, the Disco Sport's ground clearance and traction control features make it stand out in its class. It's also currently the only luxury SUV of its size with an available third row. While it's incredibly cramped, some buyers will appreciate the option to seat more passengers in a pinch.

　　There are downsides. The Discovery Sport starts with less equipment and fewer features than competitors, and the price racks up quickly as you start ticking boxes. You'll wind up paying top dollar to get a similar luxury experience to other small SUVs. Additionally, the Land Rover infotainment system can be frustrating to use, even after this year's updates.

　　The 2019 Land Rover Discovery Sport certainly has its niche, but automakers are fighting hard for small luxury SUV dominance. With so many excellent choices on the market right now, it might be worth looking at other vehicles in the segment if you don't need the Disco Sport's particular advantages.

　　

zzdcar' Expert Rating

　　

Driving

　　We are impressed with the Discovery Sport's handling and braking performance. Although the base engine provides lackluster acceleration, a more powerful option is available. While the Sport is not as rugged an off-roader as other Land Rovers, its traction system makes it competent in the dirt.

　　

Interior

　　With lots of room for passengers and easy entry and exit, the Discovery Sport is a good people mover. It also gets high points for visibility and materials quality. Unfortunately, the interior design doesn't feel especially luxurious, and the infotainment system is clunky and overly complicated.

　　

Utility

　　The Discovery Sport offers a lot of cargo space for the segment, and it also has an impressively high towing capacity. But there's not a lot of storage space for small items in the cabin.

　　

Technology

　　There's a lot of available technology if you're willing to spend the money to add it. Active safety features and driver aids are available but pricey. The infotainment system is a weakness. While it's customizable (and more responsive thanks to recent updates), it's also distracting to use, and much of the functionality is more difficult to access and master than competitive systems.

　　

Which Discovery Sport does zzdcar recommend?

　　We think the additional equipment on the HSE trim will appeal to luxury shoppers. We'd also recommend adding the Vision Assist package, which includes blind-spot monitoring and a surround-view camera. The Cold Climate package is worth considering even if you live somewhere warm since it adds not just heated but cooled front seats. The Intelligent Dynamics package is another good one as it improves both ride quality and fuel efficiency.

　　

2019 Land Rover Discovery Sport models

　　The 2019 Land Rover Discovery Sport is a compact luxury SUV that comes standard with five seats, though an optional two-person third row raises capacity to seven. There are three trim levels: SE, HSE and HSE Luxury. A more powerful engine is available for the HSE and HSE Luxury trims.

　　The base engine is a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder that makes 237 horsepower and 251 pound-feet of torque. A more powerful version of this engine is available for the HSE and HSE Luxury trims and makes 286 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. A nine-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive are standard.

　　The Discovery Sport's powertrain also includes Land Rover's All-Terrain Progress Control (a low-speed off-road cruise control), hill descent control and the driver-adjustable Terrain Response system. The latter technology has four settings that adapt accelerator and steering response, gear selection, center differential engagement, and braking and stability control systems to optimize performance in a variety of difficult driving scenarios. Unlike with other Land Rovers, there are no locking differentials, low-range gearing or adjustable suspension height.

　　Standard equipment on the SE includes automatic headlights and wipers, power-folding and heated mirrors, a rearview camera, cruise control, dual-zone automatic climate control, rear parking sensors, rear privacy glass, 18-inch wheels, and the Land Rover Terrain Response system, which changes vehicle settings to match various surfaces. Also standard are 10-way power front seats, partial leather upholstery, a 60/40-split rear seat (folding, reclining, sliding), an 8-inch touchscreen interface, four USB charging ports (two front, two rear), and a 10-speaker sound system with an auxiliary audio jack and a USB media player interface.

　　Some options are unique to the SE: The Convenience package adds proximity entry, a hands-free liftgate and an auto-dimming rearview mirror. The SE Vision Assist package includes foglights and xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights. Twelve-way power-adjustable front seats and navigation are available as stand-alone options.

　　The HSE comes with the contents of the Convenience and SE Vision packages and adds a fixed panoramic roof, front parking sensors, full leather upholstery, and 12-way power front seats with memory functions.

　　Both the SE and HSE can be upgraded with the Audio Upgrade package, which adds an 11-speaker Meridian stereo and satellite radio. Smartphone-connection apps, onboard Wi-Fi and satellite radio are available for both trims as stand-alone options.

　　The HSE Luxury adds the Audio Upgrade package, 19-inch wheels, fancier exterior trim, multicolor interior ambient lighting, upgraded leather upholstery and navigation functionality.

　　The HSE trims are available with several option packages. The Vision Assist package includes blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert systems, adaptive headlights, automatic high beams, and a surround-view camera system. The Driver Assist Plus package adds the navigation functionality, lane departure warning and automatic emergency braking. The HUD & Park Assist package brings a head-up display and an automatic parking system that can handle perpendicular and parallel parking duties.

　　The Intelligent Dynamics package adds an active all-wheel-drive system, which switches between front- and all-wheel drive based on conditions to save fuel, and an adaptive magnetic suspension. The Driver Assist Plus package with InControl Pro adds a 17-speaker Meridian sound system and the upgraded 10-inch InControl Touch Pro touchscreen interface that includes onboard Wi-Fi and its own upgraded navigation system. Finally, the Dynamic Design package adds a variety of special exterior and trim pieces, including gloss-black 20-inch wheels.

　　All trims can be equipped with the Cold Climate package, which includes a variety of heated items such as windshield, steering wheel, and front and rear seats. Also available as stand-alone options are different wheels, contrasting roof color choices, the head-up display, and a cargo cover as well as blind-spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control.

　　The Discovery Sport Landmark Edition is a special trim available only for the 2019 model year. It starts with the HSE trim's equipment, and then adds a number of unique design elements. The Landmark Edition has a different bumper, 19-inch wheels, graphite exterior trim pieces, ebony leather upholstery, and aluminum interior trim pieces.

　　

2019 Discovery Sport Highlights

Trim: SEHSELandmarkHSE LuxuryHSE DynamicHSE Luxury DynamicSE

　　

Base MSRP	$37,795
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	22 MPG
Cost to Drive	$207/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	34.6 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	all wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles