NEW Land Rover Discovery Sport review - better than ever? | What Car?

#NewCar #LandRover #DiscoverySport
In this new Land Rover Discovery Sport review, we see if some fresh tweaks make this SUV better than ever.
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[@simonhughes7141]

Charging a premium price for an SUV and removing the most used physical controls is taking the piss, and looks cheap and botched. Time car designers listened to their customers and move back to physical controls. At least diesel still offered though a straight six would suit size and weight better.

[@trustmub1]

Absence of physical climate controls is a deal breaker for me. I will hold on to what I have a little longer.

[@unclenolly3207]

Why, when nearly every car review I watch, bemoans the lack of physical climate control buttons, are car manufacturers constantly ‘updating’ their cars to remove them? Are they all trying to be Tesla? I suppose the reason will be costs.

[@HugoParedes]

Let’s safe costs, but make it more difficult to use things we change often. That will make it safer

[@Adam.Piper62]

Cost saving and appearance. They run a business, so at the end of the day they're always going to prioritise money-saving and if they can implement that into a more modern design that appeals to buyers that's what they're going to do. The other thing to mention is car reviewers often don't represent the average buyer. Once on the move I barely ever touch my climate control, as it's on automatic to a temperature I like. Therefore, I'd much rather they be implemented into a touch screen saving space below, when I could do 100 journeys and not touch it while on the move.

[@Robin-ve7ck]

They likely designed and put them in production years ago...they can’t just revert it overnight - it’ll take time to get a new design to the forecourt. Plus they’ve spent the money on this design now; they’ll leave it until the next update/design refresh to get the money back from this design

[@Truthbomb918]

Cheaper

[@Deepthought-42]

Unsafe and uneconomic regardless of cost. Tryusing with wet hands or gloves. I wont be buying one.

[@brianallan9035]

Honest review. Thanks for mentioning how unreliable JLR vehicles actually are. Consistently ranked at the bottom.

[@Mlippy]

People talking about bad reliability are stuck more than 5 years ago. It's not like that anymore.., even my 2019 Sport Supercharged has no problems 110k km in and warranty having run out

[@iandocwra1169]

My 22 plate PHEV DS has been dire.

[@warren6815]

Indeed. My mother has a Disco Sport, had it since 2019 and it's been faultless. Before the Disco she had a 'reliable' Nissan Qashqai that had endless issues.

[@PSUC3]

The temperature can be changed by dragging the side temp up or down you don’t need to tap and tap. Makes it that much faster. Although still not better than physical controls

[@sevensixtysteve8662]

Great review, such a shame that JLR don't sort out their reliability issues. It's probably the single biggest thing that holds the brand back and as the years roll by, it never gets fixed. Criminal waste of an iconic brand in my opinion.

[@a.p.textileindustriesindus8832]

How can you say it’s unreliable , kindly upload the videos of unreliability reports with proof before speaking about it…I have been the owner of this car for 3 yrs now and clocked 80000 kms but apart of regular servicing ,haven’t faced any issues …bloody corrupted automotive journalists

[@BushmanOutdoors]

I have Jaguar Xe, aircon pipes corroded through in 3.5 years, wheels are totally peeling, underside is very rusty and exhaust hangers are about to corrode through. Start stop has never worked because of the battery charge issue. 2l ingenium suffer from timing chain issues, quoted 2.5k from dealer to replace strangely rather than tighten. JLR OEM brakes and disks somehow get pitted really quickly compared with other brands. There’s probably more but I’ll leave it there.

[@daviddodds935]

They are on the take !

[@cabottaxi]

What is the difference tapping on that touchscreen to fiddling with a mobile phone ? Both are distracting the drivers attention.

[@saintetienne755]

Fiddling with your mobile while driving is illegal in a car for good reason - so should a touchscreen

[@vp272]

Should have mentioned the insurance costs/ issues with obtaining insurance through regular companies

[@dragonoidman]

I've had no problems getting insurance for my sport. I'm paying £150 a month as a 27 year old with 3 years no claims

[@vp272]

Fair enough! £1.8k a year for a £50kish car is still fairly high but land rovers are desirable

[@Billywoo12]

Screens are cheap and easy, and horrible to use. Thankfully most are going back to a combination of buttons, where buttons are better and screens, when screens are needed.

[@mikadavies660]

No JLR product should be heralded as a quality product. Until they can resolve their dreadful reliability issues. Top 5 most unreliable vehicles for the last 10+ years.

[@alanwayte432]

As a family we have a 2023 Range Rover and a 2020 Velar, previous Discovery Sport and RR Sport in about eight years and 120.000 miles almost total reliability, my Daughters 2016 blew its 2L BMW 1 series via its timing chain and our Audi Q5 was total disaster in terms of electrical problems

[@mikadavies660]

@alanwayte432 Well done Alan. Not only have you had reliable ones but you have kept them from being stolen and managed to insure them. Glad to here that you are part of the 45% of happy customers and not the 55% of breakdowns.

[@rosswhittleton6277]

Two of my colleagues have Discovery Sports with no issues whatsoever and previously one had two Freelanders again no issues and one other has an Evoque which is also very reliable.

[@andrewblakesley4202]

That is good news but remains statistically possible within the numbers sold. I know people with very troublesome JLR products.

[@muriloborges9481]

Just don’t buy it

[@pradeepmagan6951]

If only it would go from A to B without breaking down

[@SuperWolffie]

The best looking SUV in his class.....

[@timoliver8940]

Thought that Land Rover controls were all tested to be used when wearing gloves - doesn’t work with a touch screen. Hoping that JLR don’t remove the buttons and knobs from the next facelift of Defender, if they do I won’t be changing my 2023 90 for anything without proper buttons and rotary knobs to control functions

[@JP-446]

1:10 If you touch and hold the tempreture icon, then slide finger up and down, there's no need for the "poke and prod" method.

[@alanrutland4424]

Unbelievable, no one wants heating controls in “the screen” but lo, they are all doing it. Makes you wonder why when everyone, and car reviewers say why. At least Skoda have maintained some dedicated climate buttons but, once again the previous set up was perfect. Like the lack of rear screen wipers. What is that about.

[@gt777p]

I know my 2014 Land Rover was full of error lights on dashboard and often in Land rover franchise for numerous mechanical problems. I expect Nothing has changed

[@simondevereau426]

I have had LR for 25 years. I had one of the first Disco Sports (range topper). The reliability was appalling from day 1. The looks are great, the feeling of luxury and quality are very good. Engines, reliability and dealer support are 0/10. I’ve had Discos since and the story is the same. My next car will NOT be a LR.

[@Yorkman7]

First review I have seen that doesn’t ignore the appalling reliability record ( but no mention of insurance costs ). Why do people rave about them when many of the competitors are so much better.

[@davidf8749]

If I need to transport myself and luggage (150kg) but I need to use enough energy to also transport the means to do this to also move 2000kg+ then we are looking at a fundamental problem with heavy cars. No-one needs a lump like this on the roads - esp when the momentum can cause more problems when it's out of control.

[@markdawson4625]

Another backward step losing actual controls/switches/buttons. In its place another dangerous bloody TV screen. WHY. Penny pinching is why. Already the most unreliable brand now made even worse. Oh dear JLR.

[@arlofs]

Absolutely ridiculous. They remove all the proper controls, shove it into a tablet for the sake of cutting costs and sell it under the guise of "clean and modern".

[@NickPhillips-n5k]

Can`t comment on other peoples reliability issues , but I have had JLR cars solidly for the last 11 years, probably done 300,000 miles, NEVER had a breakdown.

[@ToOpen6seven]

Which ones?

[@RandomRon1]

Why on earth didn’t they give the PHEV a bigger battery? For company car drivers it would have made the BIK so much lower and much more attractive. The 3 cylinder engine is a bit of a joke too.

[@pauld4115]

I would definitely insist on the 90,000 mile kit. That is , two engines, two transmissions, two windscreens (front pillar leaks), two inlet manifolds, two coolant systems. You could take a risk on the air suspension… might be alright. Make sure you get all of it on a pallet up front, as getting parts is a complete disaster. You should also train as a mechanic before the warranty expires as it’s getting more difficult to find anyone who wants to work on JLR products. Good news is the interiors hold up well and may convert well into a garden patio set if the rest gives up at 90K.

[@SimpleCarGuy]

This guy has gotten really good at presenting! Good job. Any tips!?

[@BN1960]

How many times did it break down?

[@xmuninu]

I love my 2016 Discovery Sport. It's spacious, practical and in my case very reliable. The only thing I have had to change since 2017 was the battery! It is super smooth and quiet to drive thanks to my choice of 18 inch wheels. I really can't understand why people go for the larger 19, 20 or 21 inch wheels and then complain about the bumpy ride. I actually think Land Rovers look strange with big wheels and thin tires. A Land Rover isn't a sports car after all.

[@ViewBothSides]

So true - the marketing hype that big wheels with skinny tyres are 'premium' is so lame, and even worse on most cars you're forced into the skinny tyres if you want the other premium features.

[@PoisonOak2009]

It is better to read the manual and learn the shortcut before a presentation

[@Goodman-4525]

Good old British penny pinching on the interior there ... I'll come back in another 5 years

[@mijr9075]

Nothing british about JLR anymore

[@ViewBothSides]

holy shit! An actual spare wheel!

[@saintetienne755]

Considering how dynamic their other cars are this one seems like a reluctant effort, especially the clunky styling and poor infotainment - yesterday's car.

[@makob3279]

Like the comment that it’s is not the most reliable car …actually at the bottom of reliability ranking. So basically buy it but do not drive it too often?

[@lungaswazi9194]

I'd still pick a GLC

[@MrPeterthepilot]

Whist there is no doubt that LR have reliability issues, it’s interesting to take a look at the What Car Reliability Survey in a slightly wider context, for example, ‘Diesel cars up to five years old’. The Discovery Sport ranks 22nd out of 36 models with a reliability factor a fraction short of 90% and ahead of models such as the X3 and the E class. Be interesting to see if reliability is noted in the next What Car reviews about either of these. The moral of the story is that, like everything else, they become less reliable with age although my wife’s 13 year old Freelander never missed a beat.

[@theycallmebernd]

I get it- LR can do good looking luxury suv. But how about a rugged, simple and affordable (i am not a footballers wife) 4x4 ? Only one, please...

[@topher.m]

Buy it on a lease only and get rid of the thing at least 6 months before the manufacturer warranty lapses. Don't touch a JLR car outside of warranty.

[@costamesa22]

I like this especially considering you don’t see too many on the road. It’s a great car to lease for 3 years and return. Not own.

[@johntrinick712]

I wouldn't buy any car that relied on touch screens. It's a huge backwards step. I'm sure there's going to be a market for good quality refurbished cars that retain, better interiors with controls that are easier to use while driving, and larger capacity, less stressed, more reliable engines.

[@iandocwra1169]

Just driven one of these (73 plate) as a courtesy car as mine (22 plate PHEV) was in for repair -AGAIN. Awful touch screen is downright dangerous if trying to adjust anything while driving. They should be banned and physical buttons brought back.

[@markdean3217]

Why you would buy a JLR product is beyond me, style of substance. Looking to buy a car that lasts at least 10 years and a SUV . Who would buy one expecting 10 years of reliable use ❓🤷🏻‍♂️

[@JohnGuidetti751]

Keeping a car for 10 years is beyond me. Would get bored.

[@JJ-to6qu]

More screens is rarely the answer.

[@LCOF]

This review seemed weirdly gushing considering it’s an old design in its third facelift.

[@landroverSV]

No thank's! My 2008 Discovery 3 SE V8 with air suspension and terrain response and a sunroof with two moon roofs will do just fine 🙂 Cheers 🍻 🇺🇸

[@MarthaMansbridge]

What on earth are JLR doing peddling this 10 year old model that itself is not too far removed from its predecessor - the Freelander 2.

[@menifo4334]

LR is implementing cost-effective updates that take their cars a step backwards. The centre console looks so cheap and Its interior is anything BUT impressive (you should enrich your vocabulary with new words that reflect the actual impressions). I also get a feeling that Doug is intentionally turning a blind eye to cars' flaws. Not a reviewer I would trust.

[@ROHITNB100]

Well done Tata 👏

[@wolvolad25]

Trouble is just ones screen all the models loos the same inside

[@michaelkilbride2927]

If you buy one you may as well.burn your money.on the middle of the road

[@andyfernandes5288]

By waste your money in 10 hrs it will have EGR problems.

[@jan-erikgauksheim3749]

Why cant landrover build a reliable engine like the did in the good old days...

[@Adam.Piper62]

I never understand the problem with having climate controls in a touch screen. Just set it to automatic and then you never have to touch them. I could do 100 journeys and never have to adjust the temperature because it's always set to my preference. It's not like we're stuck in the 1990s where heat varied from useless to face burning hot with a flick of a switch. I don't see why design should have to be compromised for people's stupidity if they really cannot resist adjusting the temperature. As for misting up... Again if it's on automatic it won't mist up or just crack a window open.

[@iandocwra1169]

Almost no-one wants exactly the same settings all the time. I want important controls to be available instinctively.

[@dhaninel7902]

It’s shameful that both LR and Jaguar have such terrible reputations for their unreliability. They have had years, and billions of dollars invested into their brands. Yet still, they can’t seem to build a car that can run without any problems.

[@urbanstrencan]

Still proper Landy ❤❤

[@kingofscots]

Yet still no fold down armrest

[@Wolfman57]

Who in there right mind wants to buy a Land Rover/Range Rover,they are always breaking down,and the customer service is appalling !!!

[@muriloborges9481]

If you had one…mine never broke

[@gidsinveenhuizenpuntnl]

Decent infotainment or lack there of shows that India is still not up there with the really developed countries.

[@Blythe1967able]

Ev thermal run away fires going all ev equals rip jlr

[@jan-erikgauksheim3749]

To bad landrover can not hire some serious engine builders. The old 2.2 diesel in the first gen discovery sport is the only reliable one. The newer ingenium 2 liter and the last 1.5, 3 cylinder hybrid both have serious problems. Why do the not learn.? It was the same with 2,7 liter diesel in discovery and rr sport, the the new 3.0, both suffering cranck shaft failiur. Why the hell cant landrover build a reliable engine?

[@summerjunk929]

Chocolate ingenium engines? FL2 was the last quality product especially with the 3.2 Volvo engine

[@robertwalker1742]

Nowhere near the quality of product as a Volvo Xc69/90 they both smash the JLR garbage into the weeds.

[@arlofs]

Volvos are equally unreliable, if not worse.

[@rafalmlynarczyk6279]

This car is nowhere near Audi or BMW is more like Skoda kodiaq 😊

[@angrynortherner3805]

Chocolate engines, should be 3ltr!!

[@SaK-w4c]

Shite expensive. Just cause it's expensive it don't make it premium. Over ,50k for mid spec with bigger engine and options you recommend

[@mumwifeteacher]

I’d like to see a review of a real suv. Chevy Tahoe or suburban. They are the benchmark of the American market and I think your viewers should see what a true suv is like across the pond.

[@modelrailwaynoob]

I am a LR fan but have never liked this model

[@phillippereira6468]

The removal of physical buttons is for one reason...cheap...maximise profits. But to be fair, Land Rover have always been a POS manufacturer. If you intended or rather, adamant on spending your cash on this brand, you kind of deserve what you get

[@GeeHanShin]

Don't ever buy landrover my door stop working and I had to pay 14450dollar to fix it

[@vinayhulikere1734]

No proper ambient lighting, retractable sunroof. Seems like a terrible compromise given it’s asking price!

[@Pinash1970]

And…. How about…… Reliability…….? 😂😂😂😂

[@markjwil]

They're other better SUV's in the class.

[@apreddyignite5811]

🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏😇😇😇😇😎😎

[@Andreas-zf2iz]

Worst car I’ve ever owned. Build quality is really bad, e.g. rattling heat radiation plates, which are only folded on and loosen over time. Finally it broke down, due to turbocharger damage that took the engine with it to its death. According to Landrover expected repair costs 34000 Euros! BTW, these greedy bastard charged me 1000 Euros for diagnostics (because they are so „premium“) I‘m extremely disappointed with Landrover: shitty quality, overly expensive and not even offraod worthy. They have become show ponies.

[@colinturner4158]

Tesla are boring please don’t copy Tesla

[@jea1034]

No HVAC buttons. They’re going backwards. Lost the sense of quality and usability. Give us comparison figures for the boot space. Get urself a tape measure.

[@kevinjones7732]

Jut a modern day Austin Maestro and just as crap.

[@BigBadJon101]

Another S.U.V. also known as a stupid ugly vehicle. And Land Rover is the least reliable manufacturer, according to What Car, for how many years?

[@tonepilot]

I really feel car safety standards need to evolve to mandate physical controls for some functions like turn signals, climate, windshield wipers and a few others.

[@HoxtonHotspur]

Don’t just don’t. It’s like having the chance of spending the night with an old flame knowing doing so will be a very bad decision. Just say “NO.”

[@biggabe3259]

Funny,always better than ever,but how I see is just worst and worst I real life.

[@matthewgraham9909]

Would it have sold as well if they didn't drop the Freelander name?

[@MarthaMansbridge]

They should bring the Freelander name back - makes far more sense than Discovery Sport - there’s nothing sporty about it and the full size Discovery has more or less lost any credibility that the iconic predecessors earned. The Freelander 2 was also JLR’s most reliable model.

[@grahamevans3635]

The argument regrading temp controls etc is now dull....realistically how many times when driving do you change the temperature? If you do need to, just press one button (voice ) and tell the car to change it. Most drivers have auto and sync set on vehicle temp, so its very very easy and not worth mentioning now.

[@ianwilson2968]

Agree 100%. I live in a hot climate country - 41 in the shade this week. I changed the temp on ACC on our Q8 for the first time this year by 1 degree the other day. If I change it on our Qashqai, that’s a dial - no more - or less - distracting than using the Audi screen. That said on the JLR products the multi function dial was a genius piece of design. Also I’d love to know who’s constantly changing music every five minutes, changing satnav all the time etc etc. Also don’t care about volume dials - anybody who’s got a car with a touchscreen probably has a car with volume buttons on the wheel - so why would you take your hand off the wheel to use the holy grail of a volume knob? What I don’t like is what Volvo have done with the Ex30 with no speed readout in line of sight and no HUD option. A future EX60 would be on my list of potential future cars, if they do the same with that, it’s excluded immediately.

[@valarorome]

No mention about snapping timing chains and blown turbos , blocked dpfs , all that can happen with first 40-50k. Please do the proper review of this car and mention to the future buyer that they need to have 10k left on the side just for the peace of mind 😅 as things will get ugly

[@kevinmoore7255]

Have they managed to fix the engine issues! Gearbox Timing chains Emissions Other known problems! My advice , don’t touch I got a 8K invoice !

[@Southerngod1]

Only ever buy German cars. Built to last, quality and tech is superb.

[@midlandgeordie]

BMW reliability is no better then JLR

[@Yorkman7]

If you want real reliability Japanese is the way to go but there seems to be many people happy to pay for perceived ‘ premium’ .