The Land Rover Discovery Sport is a medium-sized SUV that is available with either five or seven seats. It replaced the previous Land Rover Freelander model in early 2015, although it’s a larger and more expensive vehicle. Production takes place here in the UK at Land Rover’s Halewood plant near Liverpool.
The Discovery Sport has received very mixed reviews from the UK motoring media since its launch, with scores rating from very poor to outstanding. It has received high praise for its practicality, flexibility and off-road ability. However, it has received considerable criticism for very poor reliability and the model has regularly appeared at or near the bottom of new car reliability lists from the likes of Which? and What Car? magazines.
Which? also lists the car as a “DON’T BUY” vehicle. In August 2020, the magazine publicly called for the Land Rover Discovery Sport and Range Rover Velar to be recalled due to ongoing software problems.
There are entire forums devoted to the problems with the Discovery Sport’s diesel particulate filter system (along with various other Land Rover models fitted with the Ingenium diesel engine, like the first-generation Range Rover Evoque). We also have a busy thread of unhappy customers here on The Car Expert forum.
The Land Rover Discovery Sport was comprehensively updated in summer 2019, which aimed to address these reliability issues as well as upgrading the car’s interior and powertrains. The facelifted model has received improved results in recent media reviews, but we will continue tracking scores to see how this changes over time.
Body style: Medium SUV/crossover
Engines: petrol, diesel, plug-in hybrid
Price: From £30,160 on-road
Launched: Winter 2014/15
Last updated: Spring 2020
Replacement due: TBA
MEDIA REVIEWS
Reviews, road tests and comparisons from across the UK automotive media

The Car Expert
Model reviewed: 2.0-litre diesel automatic D180 SE
Score: 8.2 / 10
“More than a refresh of the Land Rover Discovery Sport, this is a comprehensive update, combining excellent refinement on the road with supreme ability off it.”
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Auto Express
Model reviewed: Range review
Score: 8 / 10
“Land Rover’s Discovery Sport becomes more refined and gets new mild-hybrid tech to help it compete in the luxury SUV segment.”
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Model reviewed: Range review
Score: 8 / 10
“The Land Rover Discovery Sport has been extensively updated for 2019, borrowing tech from the latest Evoque.”
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Model reviewed: (range review)
Score: 8 / 10
“The Land Rover Discovery Sport combines seven-seat practicality, go-anywhere performance and premium style.”
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Autocar
Model reviewed: 1.5-litre petrol/electric plug-in hybrid P300e R-Dynamic
Score: 8 / 10
“Long-heralded plug-in Disco Sport is proving a business bargain hunter’s hit – but it’s a fine driver’s car as well.”
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Model reviewed: P200
Score: 7 / 10
“It’s a highly accomplished all-rounder, playing refined long-distance cruiser, load carrier, tow-car, off-roader par excellence and school bus with ease.”
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Model reviewed: D180 AWD SE
Score: 8 / 10
“Well-mannered, spacious, practical, well-finished and now slightly more economical, but D180’s high weight dulls performance and economy.”
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Model reviewed: Sport R-Dynamic S D240 AWD
Score: 8 / 10
“Make no mistake: there’s a lot more that’s new about this updated Land Rover Discovery Sport than immediately meets the eye.”
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Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The Discovery Sport is another convincing Land Rover with lots of handling finesse, style and capability.”
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Car
Model reviewed: Range review
Score: 6 / 10
“The Disco makes its case through remarkable comfort and impressive off-road skills, though demerits need to be applied for the voracious appetite it has for fuel.”
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Model reviewed: Range review
Score: 6 / 10
“Land Rover may be one of the few premium manufacturers that’s actually building genuinely comfortable cars without needing to resort to air suspension.”
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Model reviewed: TD4 2.0-litre diesel manual SE
Score: 6 / 10
“The SE-spec Land Rover Discovery Sport plays the comfortable, practical, value-for-money card with aplomb and shows that you needn’t shy away from the bottom end of the range. If you plan to do a lot of towing or frequently find yourself sitting in traffic jams, however, a punchier auto diesel would make more sense.”
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Carbuyer
Model reviewed: (range review)
Score: 8 / 10
“The Land Rover Discovery Sport is a hugely capable and surprisingly good value for money, family-friendly SUV.”
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Carwow
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“The Land Rover Discovery Sport is practical, easy to drive, comfortable on the motorway and very capable off-road. However, alternatives have better infotainment and are cheaper to run.”
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Daily Mail
Model reviewed: 2.0-litre petrol automatic
“On the road, the new Discovery Sport has plenty of oomph and good handling. Across some tough terrain, I had fun climbing steep tracks and making precarious descents, and crawling over a narrow bridge made of tree trunks.”
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Model reviewed: SD4 2.2-litre diesel HSE Luxury
“The fantastic flexibility of features makes this car great for families.”
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Evo
Model reviewed: D180 SE
Score: 7 / 10
“Far more refined than before, one of the few to offer so many seats at the price/size/posh-point.”
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Model reviewed: (range review)
Score: 6 / 10
“Subtly brilliant, the Land Rover Discovery Sport takes fight to the Germans.”
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Green Car Guide
Model reviewed: 2.0-litre diesel automatic SE
Score: 8 / 10
“The new Land Rover Discovery Sport is very refined on the road, extremely capable off the road, it offers a family-friendly seven-seat layout, mild hybrid technology is featured now, and a plug-in hybrid model is on the way.”
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Honest John
Model reviewed: (range review)
Score: 6 / 10
“The Land Rover Discovery Sport is the stylish and luxurious replacement for the Freelander. However, forget like-for-like comparisons, because the Discovery Sport is miles ahead of its predecessor in on every level.”
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Model reviewed: Si4 petrol automatic
“The Land Rover Discovery Sport Si4 is an accomplished petrol SUV. It’s superbly refined and wonderfully upmarket. It also has van-like practicality. It’s just a pity that it cannot escape the fact that it feels like an expensive stopgap, until Land Rover develops a petrol hybrid technology.”
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Model reviewed: 2.0-litre diesel
“Interior build quality issues aside, the Land Rover Discovery Sport is still one of the best compact SUVs on the market and the Ingenium diesel is a superb feat of engineering, almost matching the typical running costs and refinement of a much larger petrol powertrain.”
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Parkers
Model reviewed: Range review
Score: 8 / 10
“Stylish premium off-roader updated with new drivetrains, updated interior”
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The Sun
Model reviewed: SD4 2.2-litre diesel automatic HSE Luxury
“School run or ski run, this is the most capable family SUV. Another star from JLR.”
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The Sunday Times
Model reviewed: SD4 2.2-litre diesel automatic HSE Luxury
Score: 6 / 10
“t’s a strange car, this: billed as a replacement for the solid, no-nonsense Freelander, it is badged as a Discovery and sits on the same running gear as a Range Rover Evoque.” (Jeremy Clarkson)
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The Telegraph
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 10 / 10
“Suggesting the Land Rover Discovery Sport is a jack of all trades is unfair, because it implies it’s a master of none. Granted, it’s expensive, and its fuel economy lets it down. But it shouldn’t be too costly to own in the round, thanks to strong resale values. And now that this facelift has made it even slicker than before, it’s brilliant almost everywhere else.”
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Top Gear
Model reviewed: Range review
“At five years old, the Discovery Sport still looks youthful. In another four years, they’ll need only change the skin and call it – huzzah – ‘new’ once again.”
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Model reviewed: (range review)
Score: 9 / 10
“Land Rover Discovery Sport review: Close to perfection, and the new TD4 ‘Ingenium’ engine may just have delivered it.”
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What Car?
Model reviewed: (range review)
Score: 8 / 10
“The Land Rover Discovery Sport is a cleverly packaged SUV that’s practical, comfortable and good to drive.”
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Which?
Model reviewed: (range review)
Score: 3.9 / 10
“The Land Rover Discovery Sport is one of only five cars to get a terrible one star out of five for 0-3-year reliability. It’s one of the least reliable cars on our roads. (Incidentally, four out of the five cars to get such a low rating are also Land Rovers.)” Rated DON’T BUY.
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SAFETY RATING
Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP

Overall rating: 5 stars
Date tested: December 2014
Eco rating
Independent emissions and efficiency ratings from Green NCAP
The Land Rover Discovery Sport has not yet been tested by Green NCAP. Check back soon.
Security Rating
Independent vehicle theft and security ratings from Thatcham Research

Rating: Superior | Good | Basic | Poor | Unacceptable
Relay Attack: Pass
Date: March 2020
Model tested: D150
Awards
Trophies, prizes and awards that the Land Rover Discovery Sport has received
2017
- What Car? Awards – Best Large SUV Over £30,000
2016
- What Car? Awards – Best Large SUV
- Honest John Awards – Most Popular SUV
- Tow Car Awards – 1700-1899kg caravan weight category
2015
- Scottish Car of the Year Awards – Best Diesel
- Auto Express Awards – Compact SUV of the Year
- What Car? Awards – Safety Award
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