Test drive Land Rover Discovery Sport
AvtoTachki's great friend Matt Donnelly spent several days with Land Rover Discovery Sport. At first I was disappointed in its dynamics, but then I was delighted with the interior
Discovery Sport is largely a smaller, more affordable and slower version of the Range Rover Vogue. In general, very good for those who at least once in their life wanted to buy a Land Rover.
The company has poured a bunch of its latest technological advances into Discovery Sport. It's an odd combination of Land Rover's new tech bells and whistles, old tweaks still in use by the factory, and other components that give Jaguar that silky smoothness.
The lack of speed is noticeable, but it's not necessarily a bad thing - the fact that it's a Discovery Sport is enough. And the fact that the journey takes a little longer is rather a pleasant bonus, presented by additional time spent in comfort. The reason for the lack of agility lies in the engine.
It is a 2,0L four-cylinder diesel engine designed for sale to British farmers and the army. In general, two groups that are not very interested in high speeds, but want to easily transport heavy loads over rough terrain, do not contact the service, and, of course, rarely refuel.
The second technical point that sets Discovery apart from others is its smart system - it determines where to send power. Most of the time, the Disco works like a rear-wheel-drive tall station wagon, and all the driver has to do is step on the pedal. If the road is slippery or has obstacles, the computer will figure out by itself where and how much moment to direct to prevent slipping. It's very smart, but what's even smarter is the suspension.
The bottom of the Discovery Sport is a Range Rover Evoque frame but with a Jaguar sedan suspension. This combination is the third and final technical experiment in this small SUV. The ride quality on flat roads, rough terrain and bumps is just great, just like on Vogue.
You, of course, will never go too fast, but even at the maximum feasible speed, Disco Sport eats bumps. Despite the need to make the minimum number of decisions (mainly choosing the direction), the Discovery Sport driver will always feel relaxed, but still remain in control of the situation - a kind of yoga on wheels.
Appearance? I have not decided whether I like him or not. There is a feeling that the designers took the day off and entrusted the development of the concept to a child with a bad imagination, who, moreover, had difficulties with drawing straight lines. Whoever he is actually drawn, this person is clearly familiar with his older brother - Vogue. Because all he did was come up with a big box for people and a small box for the engine, drew a wheel from each corner and added a couple of Vogue details to it all.
Thus, from the older brother, the car got a felled front with a radiator grill, front and rear headlights with edging at the eyebrows and air intakes on the front fenders. Unfortunately for potential owners, the "draw a Range Rover from memory" trick is roughly what Ford did when developing the Ford Explorer. This means that anyone not too fussy about cars might decide that your new Disco Sport is a big station wagon, not a full-fledged SUV.
Be that as it may, despite the fact that the car is far from elegant, it is charming in its visual simplicity. Discovery looks larger than it actually is. The long, flat interior with large windows looks spacious, which is not the case for the Evoque - I have not seen one that did not look like something heavy had been dropped on it.
The childlike simplicity of the design extends to the interior as well. With the engine off, there is nothing to see or play with in the cabin. Mechanical controllers are kept to a minimum, but what we have is a pleasure to touch. The steering wheel is large and heavy, and reminds us perfectly that Land Rovers are, first and foremost, unstoppable SUVs packed with minimalist luxury.
The chairs are like big soft leather hugs - they are very comfortable and with advanced adjustment options. I don't know how they do it, but everyone sits high enough to see everything around them. Considering how long a trip to Disco Sport usually takes, I think it's a good thing when passengers feel comfortable and have something to keep their eyes on.
The rear row is surprisingly wide, and in my experience of riding small SUVs, I would prefer to be the third adult passenger on a long trip there. I would, of course, be happy to sit in the front passenger, but if I had to be in the back in the middle, my choice would definitely fall on the Disco.
Another important detail is the interior trim. Disco Sport shares many of the design cues of Jaguar's F-Pace. There is a strange shelf on top of the doors, an ingenious Jaguar touchscreen (although it seems to me that the Disco Sport needs a bigger screen) and windows in an unusual place.
The materials aren't as cool as on the Jaguar, but they fit perfectly and aren't as fussy. The Disco Sport exudes minimalism, which I loved because it confirmed my theory that this Land Rover would make a great yoga studio. The shape of the car as one large box means that the sound is great here - what the Jaguar failed to do with its two-leaf diesel sedan was successfully implemented by Land Rover in Disco Sport.
Personally, I liked the car. I'm not sure to the point to buy it. If I were going to buy a small British SUV right now, I'd rather prefer a Jaguar F-Pace with a bigger, sportier engine and the challenge of getting into the back seat. But once I get past the midlife crisis with its drive for speed and become more contemplative, I think the Disco will be a great car to relax in.
