2023 Land Rover Discovery Sport S D165

Best of Both

In Land Rover’s vision of the automobile, two vehicles occupy different sides of the SUV spectrum.

On one side, you have the Defender; perhaps the ultimate symbol of off-road capability and ruggedness. While the new generation is no longer as “mil-spec” as before, it got better with technology. Purists, of course, will disagree. On the other side, you have the Range Rover; itself a symbol of capability and luxury you can bring on any kind of terrain you dare to venture out in. Like the Defender, it too has changed with the times, but the luxury part has never been better.

The Discovery has always been in the middle. It’s not necessarily a case of the best of both worlds, but a different application of the Land Rover formula. Yes, it’s capable, comfortable, and premium, but instead of driving it towards either Defender or Range Rover, they built it to be a family vehicle.

So where does the Discovery Sport come in then? And why has it been one of the best-selling Land Rovers around?

The answer is simple: this is the Land Rover you won’t hesitate to go out and drive every day here.

For one, it won’t have a problem with tight roads when the Waze algorithm looks like it has a hangover and wants to take you on a weird detour. This comes in at just a smidge under 4.6 meters, while the larger Disco is almost at 5. It’s narrower too, making it more maneuverable and easier to park, especially in our rather width-constricted parking slots. And speaking of parking, the 1.727-meter height means you should (keyword: should) be able to fit in Ali Mall’s parking lot for vertically-challenged cars at 1.75 meters max.

Of course given that the vehicle is smaller means it loses out on the third row, or at least the bonafide third row that its bigger brother has. There is an option for a “+2” but that may not be the best way to go; if you want a 7-seater, get the larger Disco.

While the size and seating are different, the thing that hasn’t changed is the fact that you’ll be rolling in style with the Disco Sport given the modern yet classy styling the Land Rover is known for. The version we’re looking at is already the facelifted one, and it has had to be delayed given the supply issues in recent years.

Now we can enjoy the clean new look with the revised front end with new details like the slimmer side vents and the slimmer lights. The back has changed a bit too; while the taillights are the only obvious changes, it makes a big impression now that it no longer has the round-peg-in-a-square-hole look. The 2023 Discovery Sport just appears sleeker, especially in this Fuji White color.

Peering through the windows, the cabin of the Discovery Sport (variant: S D165 Premium) seems inviting. Maybe it’s the ribbing on the leather seats, the color choices for the headliner, or the nice way that the sunlight comes through the panoramic roof and makes the satin silver shimmer just a little bit, but it just appears to welcome you in, and have a seat.

When you actually open the doors and step inside, you’re greeted by a dash that seems to have an attention for symmetry; at least if you discount the fact that there’s a steering wheel on the left side. This isn’t like many cars that try to be driver-oriented by canting everything towards the driver. I find that unusual especially since the larger Discovery has been known as the asymmetrical one given the design of the tailgate which they didn’t retain or reinterpret for the smaller Disco. As a throwback, they have the power window switches high up on the door cards.

I have to say that I like JLR’s approach to digitizing (or is it digitalizing?) the driving experience. The digital climate control takes a little getting used to, as do the many controls on the steering, but these are easy once you get the hang of them.  I like the Pivi Pro screen; it’s intuitive and easy to use. A few years ago I experienced a problem with the Pivi system in a Jaguar, but not this time. And it has Android Auto which is great since I don’t use Apple much.

There are still many who adhere to the idea that a Land Rover should be a classic and that it should reject many of the modernities and just be that. That’s a matter of preference though, as an automaker should always evolve to meet the times, lest they be left behind while others adapt. That’s why the Discovery (and many other Land Rovers) come with many powered things like the tailgate and seats, electronic doodads like cameras front and back with guide-lines depending on steering angle, and advanced features like adaptive cruise and lane keep, among many others. These aren’t novelties; these are expectations in a class where customers expect more and better.

The rear seat is a nice place to be as well if you’re not going to be the one driving. For kids, there’s plenty of space. For toddlers, well you can easily mount child seats on the anchors there for safety. There’s not really much to talk about here apart from the A/C vents and the charging port given that most of the toys are up front… except for maybe the floor which has that somewhat prominent hump in the middle. That’s for the drive shaft and exhaust. This is a Land Rover after all.

Pop the hood (er, bonnet) and you’ll find a 2.0L diesel with a variable geometry turbo (VGT). The state of tune of the engine results in an output of 163 PS at a fairly low 3750 rpm, as well as a peak torque of 380 Newton-meters that is maintained from 1500 to 2500 rpm. LR says it can sprint to 100 km/h in a rather respectable 10.2 seconds (for a diesel) and on to a top speed of 195 km/h. Nothing really unusual there, and it’s mated to a 9-speed automatic that can drive all wheels depending on the situation.

Perhaps the most important thing to spot when you look at the engine is the orientation: it’s mounted like a front-wheel drive vehicle. The reason is that this uses a car-style platform, meaning it’s a crossover. Actually, the odd thing is that for a facelift, Land Rover decided to upgrade to a newer style of platform. The reason for that is simple: they had to modify the Disco Sport’s platform (which is shared with the Evoque) to be able to accommodate electrification upgrades like having a location for batteries without compromising luggage space. Basically, they were future-proofing the platform.

Of course, the Disco Sport we’re driving doesn’t have that (yet) but that doesn’t detract from the experience. While it doesn’t have the height of its bigger brother, it feels just right on the road. Comfort is there; the suspension works hard to absorb the many bad characteristics of our urban roads. So even on my daily route that had the asphalt overlay scraped off (governments love to do that from time to time) the Disco managed it very well, and the sound suppression means you don’t have to listen to tire droning and the decibels from loud motorcycles are kept to a decent level.

The Discovery Sport S D165 Premium (that’s a fairly long name) isn’t fast, but that’s not important. This is something I see as an urban cruiser; a crossover that you won’t think twice whether to take it to work or to church or to the mall. Fuel economy is good too; in the city, it was averaging 10.5 km/h (20 km/h average) if you’re not too gung ho with the go pedal. On the highway, all you have to do is maintain a decent 85 km/h average speed and you’ll be enjoying upwards of 15.9 km/l. Mind you I was driving solo, so your mileage may vary.

Full disclosure: I didn’t go off-road with it. The reason is that I didn’t see the need to. I have taken several examples of the Discovery Sport (with different engines) off-road before, and the abilities are not going to be in the same league as its more dedicated brethren like the Discovery, Range Rover, and Defender. Yes, it has the ground clearance (212mm) and some good water wading (600mm, which is good for a crossover), and the traction (the terrain modes) to get through but the key phrase here is if need be.

If you take it to a place where there’s some off-road ability required like getting through a mild but slippery trail to a campsite, then this can do it (depending on the actual trail). If your friends in Defenders or other modified 4x4 pick-ups or SUVs start having trouble on the trail (depending on skill and experience levels, of course), then it may behoove you to exercise your judgment. Land Rover gives you the tools, but it’s up to you whether to maximize it or not.

Where this Discovery Sport shines is in everyday driving; the mundane stuff that we take for granted. It has a lot going for it like the right size for the city, the right comfort for any road, the right balance of performance and fuel economy, and a great feature package for the price. While many will certainly gravitate towards a Defender, a vehicle like that isn’t for everyone. This is going to be a great choice for someone in the market for a luxury compact SUV but wants something that can actually venture out when you want to.