Overview
Few rivals offer the kind of go-anywhere abilities as the 2022 Discovery Sport, which lives up to the Land Rover name with standard all-wheel drive, water-fording capability, and plentiful off-road tech features. Those types of things aren’t offered on other compact luxury SUVs such as the BMW X3, the Porsche Macan, or the Mercedes-Benz GLC-class. Those road-oriented crossovers deliver more engaging handling than the Discovery Sport, though, and their cabins are more premium. But the Land Rover’s ruggedness and its spacious cabin with an optional third row of seats has a certain appeal, even if the overall package doesn’t quite meet segment standards.
What’s New for 2022?
The Discovery Sport receives a few new standard features for 2022, including heated front seats, a power-operated rear liftgate, and a wireless smartphone charging pad. The optional Third Row pack, which adds the Disco Sport’s optional third row of seats, now includes cooling vents and USB ports for those passengers. Two new colors have been added to the options sheet: Ostuni Pearl White and Lantau Bronze.
Pricing and Which One to Buy
The SE model is the perfect place to start as it has several desirable features that the S model doesn’t, such as premium LED headlamps with daytime running lights, a digital gauge display, and blind-spot monitoring. We’d splurge on the optional 14-speaker Meridian Surround Sound stereo and 14-way power-adjustable front seats. A pop-up third row is available for those who need it. Land Rover offers several ways to personalize the Discovery Sport’s styling, including a black roof, a host of wheel designs, and premium metallic paint finishes. We’d suggest you pick something other than the all-black interior. We experienced that in our test vehicle, and it comes across a bit gloomy.
Engine, Transmission, and Performance
Every Discovery Sport has a turbocharged four-cylinder powertrain that makes 246 horsepower. Of course, standard all-wheel drive—along with a host of optional trail-rated equipment—helps the Sport glide over bumpy terrain and weather any storm. The Disco Sport can even wade into as much as 23.6 inches of water (for those who dare) and tow up to 4409 pounds. We tested a 2020 model with the 246-hp engine and found it to be rather sluggish; throttle response is lazy, and the Disco Sport requires 7.5 seconds to reach 60 mph. Handling isn’t particularly crisp, so don’t expect to wring thrills from curvy back roads. On the plus side, the Discovery Sport delivers a comfortable ride for cruising.
Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG
The Discovery Sport’s EPA fuel-economy estimates are 19 mpg city, 23 mpg highway, and 20 mpg combined. Compared with other luxury compact SUVs, the Land Rover is thirsty. It was particularly greedy for fuel during our 75-mph highway fuel-economy test, where it delivered a lackluster 21 mpg. Even the six-cylinder BMW X3 M40i managed 29 mpg in our testing, and other all-wheel-drive rivals such as the Acura RDX and Mercedes-Benz GLC300 managed 25 mpg. For more information about the Discovery Sport’s fuel economy, visit the EPA’s website.
Interior, Comfort, and Cargo
With a dashboard design that mimics what’s in flashier and pricier Land Rovers, the Discovery Sport maintains the brand’s upscale image. The cabin now offers sustainable materials and more seat configurations for better versatility. The seats in our test vehicle were comfortable enough for several long-haul trips lasting four hours or so. Base models come fairly well-equipped with such luxuries as ambient interior lighting, heated front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, and push-button start. Leather upholstery, 12-way power-adjustable front seats, and a pair of third-row jump seats are all optional. The Discovery Sport holds 28 cubic-feet of cargo behind its second row. That’s three cubes better than what the Audi Q5 can boast but falls short of the 30-cubic-foot space in the tail of the Cadillac XT5.
Infotainment and Connectivity
All Discovery Sport models come with a 10.0-inch infotainment touchscreen featuring Land Rover’s latest Pivi Pro interface. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both standard, and other infotainment features such as a 4G LTE mobile hotspot, a head-up display, and in-dash navigation are optional. The standard sound system is a 180-watt six-speaker setup, but Land Rover offers two Meridian stereos as options: The first is a 380-watt 10-speaker arrangement, and the second has 14 speakers and 825 watts of power.
Safety and Driver-Assistance Features
Land Rover offers plenty of safety features including everything from advanced camera systems to the usual array of contemporary driver and safety assists. The latter includes adaptive cruise control, automated emergency braking with forward-collision detection, lane-keeping assist, and more. For more information about the Discovery Sport’s crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites. Key safety features include:
- Standard automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection
- Standard lane-departure warning with lane-keeping assist
- Available adaptive cruise control
Warranty and Maintenance Coverage
Land Rover’s standard warranty holds up to rivals’ but offers no frills. The X3 and even corporate siblings from Jaguar offer a period of free scheduled maintenance, but buyers of the Discovery Sport will be left paying those bills out of pocket.
- Limited warranty covers four years or 50,000 miles
- Powertrain warranty covers four years or 50,000 miles
- No complimentary scheduled maintenance