Test drive Land Rover Discovery Sport
Where does the diesel engine have such a modest appetite, what makes the German automatic machine good, what is wrong with the interior of Land Rover and what have the toys to do with - AvtoTachki editors about the updated Land Rover Discovery Sport
A week with Discovery Sport, I was convinced that this is one of the most underrated Land Rovers. Perhaps even one of the most underrated crossovers ever. It is clear that in our country it is not in great demand due to the high exchange rate of the pound to the ruble, and, as a result, the not very competitive price. However, all over the world Discovery Sport did not repeat the success of its predecessor Freelander.
It is clear that it is still the most popular in the Land Rover model range and has already sold over 470 copies, but for a universal car like a Swiss knife, this is, frankly, not the best indicator. And it is rather difficult to find an explanation for this.
Discovery Sport is one of the largest vehicles in its class. All the mid-size SUVs of the German troika and second-tier models like the Infiniti QX50 and Volvo XC60 can envy the spaciousness in the cabin and the volume of the cargo compartment. In terms of these indicators, only the Cadillac XT5 and Lexus RX can be compared with it, which themselves have already stepped into the higher class with one foot.
At the same time, unlike the American and Japanese, Discovery Sport has a very wide selection of engines. Two petrol turbo engines of the Ingenium family with a return of 200 and 249 hp. are good. And the elder even carries a weighty crossover with a twinkle. But the ideal, in my opinion, solution for Land Rover is diesel. The two-liter unit is offered in three levels of boost: 150, 180 and 240 horsepower. And even the top variant, as we have on the test, has a very modest appetite. Passport 6,2 liters per "hundred" in the combined cycle does not seem fantastic, since in the city I kept within 7,9 liters and was quite close to the city 7,3 from the official booklet.
Well, the main feature of Discovery Sport is its off-road capabilities. The Terrain Response system is, of course, slightly trimmed here, since the spring suspensions do not allow you to adjust the ride height. But he is rather big here - 220 mm. So this is one of the few crossovers on which it is not scary not only to move off the asphalt onto a country lane, but also to go fishing or hunting in the forest. The off-road arsenal here is such that Disco can give odds even to some frame machines.
I didn't have a chance to drive a Discovery Sport before the update, but it seems that the difference in feel should not be so fundamental. Although, this is only formally the model index (L550) has not changed, since outwardly it differs little from a pre-styling car. At the same time, the equipment inside was pretty shaken up. Surprisingly, this and the pre-styling machine have different platforms.
Discovery Sport now has a redesigned PTA architecture with integrated subframes and hybrid powertrain options. The same a couple of years ago appeared in the updated Range Rover Evoque. So now all modifications of "disco sport", with the exception of the missing front-wheel drive 150-horsepower diesel version with a manual gearbox, received the MHEV appendage in the form of a belt starter-generator and a 48-volt battery. Of course, marketers trumpet that such a superstructure adds agility to the car, but still everyone understands. It primarily helps engines save fuel and reduce emissions in order to meet stringent European emission standards.
On the other hand, the clever 9-speed automatic from ZF on Discovery Sport is tuned in such a way that even with this far from easy mild hybrid system, the car has not lost in dynamics and rides well. Although here I must say thanks not only to the filigree German machine gun, but also to the impressive thrust of the older 240-horsepower diesel engine.
But what I really can't come to terms with in the updated Disco Sport is the interior. Formally, I have no complaints about it, because there are cool seats, excellent visibility, comfortable fit and intuitive control of all the main organs. In general, with ergonomics - complete order. And even the buttons of the elevators in the "wrong place" on the windowsill are not annoying. But when in such an expensive car the interior looks as gray and mundane as in a "comfort plus" taxi, it becomes sad. Even the new climate sensor unit that organically fits here, which at the touch of a button turns into a control panel for the terrain response system, does not change the overall impression.
It sounds naive, but I do not exclude that just such a simple and completely unpretentious interior design scares off a huge number of potential customers. It is likely that this is the reason why they go to dealerships for Mercedes, Volvo and even Lexus.
Least of all I want to talk about the technical stuffing of Discovery Sport, because, like any modern Land Rover, it is packed with the most advanced off-road arsenal and cool modern options. There are so many of them that you begin to treat many of them not only as an important function or a pleasant trifle, but also as a frankly superfluous toy. I am sure that the owners of Discovery Sport not only do not turn on half of the off-road assistants, but do not even know how to do it and where to press.
Maybe this is the reason why I rarely see this car on the roads ...
I remember how some time ago David returned to the editorial office from a test drive of the new Evoque and excitedly told that the new car can drive along a ford 70 cm deep. Cool, of course, but why is this skill for an urban crossover?
Exactly the same situation with Discovery Sport. This car does too much for a mid-size crossover. It is clear that half of the optional equipment can be abandoned, and in Europe, the junior Land Rover can even be ordered in a front-wheel drive version. But we, alas, do not have such a version.
And the car with the Terrain Response system, although good, is still oversaturated with off-road functionality. The same Mercedes offers chips like different off-road driving modes on the GLC crossover only optionally in the off road package, and BMW, with xDrive on all X3 versions, does not flirt with the buyer with such solutions at all.
It is clear that Land Rover has its own philosophy, and it is the off-road qualities that distinguish it from competitors. But it seems to me that Discovery Sport is just the Land Rover that can deviate a little from tradition. Because as a family car for every day, it is almost perfect, and off-road disarmament can be good for it. After all, once Jaguar sacrificed its principles and issued the F-Pace crossover instead of the next sports sedan, which, it seems, is still the most popular in the lineup. Maybe it's time for Land Rover to get more urban?
