2024 Land Rover Discovery Sport

The compact luxury SUV class is full of appealing options, and one of the most rugged is the Land Rover Discovery Sport. It’s a capable SUV you can comfortably drive as your daily commuter, but it doesn’t forget its roots. Standard all-wheel drive (AWD) and many off-road features make this Land Rover ready for adventure. Still, the compliant driving dynamics and luxurious interior with optional 3-row seating make it a nice SUV to drive even if you never take it off the pavement. But as one of the segment’s oldest entries, with a history of below-average resale value, the Discovery Sport falls toward the bottom of our compact luxury SUV rankings, trailing key competitors like the BMW X3, Audi Q5, and Mercedes-Benz GLC.

The Discovery Sport gets more standard features for 2024, including a fixed panoramic roof, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, an 11.4-inch touchscreen, a Meridian audio system, and more safety tech, including adaptive cruise control and a 3D surround camera. Also, the trims have been renamed.

Before buying a Discovery Sport, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should really pay. Land Rover Discovery Sport resale value is below average for the segment.

The Land Rover Discovery Sport is powered by a 246-horsepower turbocharged 4-cylinder engine matched with a 9-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive (AWD).

This Land Rover meets luxury SUV standards regarding on-road comfort in everyday driving situations. Still, it doesn’t accelerate or hug corners as the “Sport” moniker in its name might imply.

What it lacks in on-road enthusiasm, the Discovery Sport makes up for in off-road capability. Every SUV in this class offers AWD, but it comes standard with the Discovery Sport, along with several other off-road goodies.

The Terrain Response 2 system opens up drive modes suited for different off-roading scenarios, and it can automatically pick the right one based on the terrain. In our testing, it always felt natural when switching drive modes. It also comes standard with All Terrain Progress Control, which is like low-speed cruise control for off-road driving.

We’ve spent hundreds of hours driving and evaluating the current collection of compact luxury SUVs, including this Land Rover Discovery Sport.

Fuel Economy

The Land Rover Discovery Sport gets a combined fuel economy rating of 20 mpg and requires premium gas. That’s pretty inefficient compared to rivals like the Audi Q5, which also has standard AWD and gets 25 mpg.

The interior of the Land Rover Discovery Sport is luxurious and high-tech. The materials are high-quality, and the seats are roomy and comfortable in the first two rows. The optional third row is a small one, with only 25.7 inches of legroom compared to 38.1 inches in the second row. But those two extra seats can be nice to have in a pinch, giving this SUV the ability to carry seven people.

Behind the second row, the Discovery Sport offers one of the roomiest cargo holds in its class, with 34.6 cubic feet of space. That compares to a segment average of closer to 24 cubic feet. Folding down the rear seatbacks opens up a whopping 60 cubic feet of open space. With the optional third-row seats occupied, available cargo space drops to 6.8 cubic feet.

In classic Land Rover fashion, the look of the Discovery Sport is a nice blend of rugged and premium. The look of this SUV changes a bit if you opt for the R-Dynamic model adding a sport front bumper, unique wheels, body-color rocker panels, and more.

Standard AWD
A capable all-wheel-drive system comes standard on every Land Rover Discovery Sport. This is the key to this SUV’s excellent off-road capabilities, making it suitable for snowy roads.

Terrain Response 2
This standard system can automatically change drive modes based on the terrain for optimal off-road performance.

All Terrain Progress Control
This is like cruise control for off-road driving. It automatically maintains a steady speed in off-road conditions.

Optional 3-row seating
This is a compact luxury SUV with an available third row of seats with seating for up to seven, which is rare in this segment.

Pivi Pro infotainment system
The standard Pivi Pro infotainment system has a user-friendly 11.4-inch touchscreen with SiriusXM and wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. A Meridian premium audio system also comes standard.

Adaptive Dynamics
The optional Adaptive Dynamics system adds an adaptive suspension that constantly monitors road conditions and adjusts accordingly. It adds a Dynamic drive mode delivering tighter body control and sharper handling.

Every Land Rover Discovery Sport uses the same P250 powertrain. It’s a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine rated at 246 horsepower and 269 lb-ft of torque. Output is sent to all four wheels via a 9-speed automatic transmission. These performance numbers are about average for a base engine in this class, but many of its competitors have more energetic engines available at an extra cost.

The combined fuel economy rating of the Discovery Sport is only 20 mpg, and premium fuel is required. More Discovery Sport fuel economy information is available at the EPA’s website.

4-Year/50,000-Mile Warranty

The Land Rover Discovery Sport is backed by a 4-year/50,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty. That’s typical for a European luxury SUV, but some rivals, like the BMW X3, also offer a period of complimentary maintenance.

Safety

The Discovery Sport is well-equipped with standard safety tech features. Standard features include emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, and traffic sign recognition.