Off-road vigor, on-road poise
The 2016 Discovery Sport, which goes on sale in spring, marks a new direction for Land Rover.
It’s part of what will become the Discovery subbrand that is aimed at versatility while Range Rover models focus on refinement. Both will share Land Rover’s traditional go-anywhere capability.
The replacement for the outgoing LR2, the Discovery Sport shares its engine and basic structure with the Range Rover Evoque.
Still, compared with that very stylized vehicle, the Discovery Sport is more conservatively sculpted and 10 inches longer. It also offers a small third-row seat for “5+2” seating.
To handle the icy, snowy roads on our trip in Iceland, Land Rover outfitted the Discovery Sport with studded winter tires.
Those tires teamed up with Land Rover’s terrain response system to help the Discovery Sport handle everything from snowcovered volcanic rock to the paved roads of Reykjavik. For most of the two-day test run, we drove with the terrain response system in the grass-gravel-snow set- ting, which slows the throt- tle response, changes the shift points and heightens the electronic stability control, all-wheel drive and anti-lock braking systems to move power to the wheels with traction. Depending on the amount of traction, it may start the vehicle in second gear as well.
The terrain response system did its job, getting us underway with ease and maintaining traction on Iceland’s slippery surfaces.
But the Discovery Sport needed more than just traction. Steep approach and departure angles helped it clear snowdrifts and other obstacles; 23.6 inches of water-fording capability was more than enough to keep the vehicle sealed in a shallow river crossing, and hill-descent control helped keep it steady while crawling down steep slopes.
In short, the Discovery Sport handled water and snow conditions that would make most vehicles find an alternate path.
Once we found paved roads, the Discovery Sport balanced off-road prowess with on-road comfort. It offers nimble moves and a stable, planted ride. It changes direction willingly and leans very little in turns. The steering is fairly quick and nicely weighted, and the brakes are strong but sometimes a bit grabby. The suspension does well in soaking up most bumps.
The 240-horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged fourcylinder is a peppy, willing engine that offers good power off the line and has plenty in reserve for passing on two-lane roads.
Land Rover says 0 to 60 mph arrives in 7.8 seconds, but it feels even quicker.
With pricing that starts just under $38,000, the Discovery Sport strikes us as a value buy in an otherwise luxury portfolio.
It doesn’t offer the V-8 power, luxury cachet or billy goat off-road prowess of the brand’s larger SUVs, but it’s still quite capable off the road, and it is a far better value than those vehicles.
Base: $37,995 MPG: 21 mpg city/ 28 mpg highway Engine: 240-horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged fourcylinder Transmission: 9-speed
automatic Parting shot: The best value in the Land Rover lineup, the 2016 Discovery Sport is a fine choice for small families who like to trek off the beaten path.