Land Rover has fully detailed the 2015 Discovery Sport, a compact seven-seater SUV designed to replace the aging LR2. The Discovery Sport will greet the public for the first time at the Paris Motor Show that will open its doors to the public in less than a month.
The Discovery Sport is bigger in all directions than the outgoing LR2. The SUV’s front end falls in line with the automaker’s latest design language thanks to styling cues such as sharp, elongated halogen headlights and a thin radiator grille, while daytime running lights designed to look like a compass hint at the Sport’s off-road capacity. Out back, the Discovery Sport features an upright hatch and tail lamps that are loosely inspired by the ones found on the smaller Evoque.
Buyers will be able to choose from nine exterior colors and five alloy wheel designs offered with either silver or gloss black finishes. A two-tone paint job will be available at an extra cost, and an optional Black Pack will bring gloss black trim on the grille, the door mirrors and the front fender vents as well as blacked-out emblems.
Life Aboard
The Discovery Sport offers seating for up to seven passengers in a 2 + 3 + 2 configuration, a setup made possible by the more generous dimensions, but the third row is designed primarily for small children. Both the third and the second row of seats can fold flat into the floor when extra cargo space is needed.
The dashboard features a simple, functional design and the bulk of the switches are neatly arranged on the center console. The analog instrument cluster packs a five-inch thin-film transistor (TFT) screen that can be configured by the driver to provide a wide array of information about the vehicle and its surroundings.
An eight-inch color touch screen on the dashboard runs the next generation of Land Rover’s infotainment system. Select Discovery Sport models can be fitted with Jaguar – Land Rover’s InControl Apps technology, a smartphone integration software designed to work seamlessly with both Apple and Android devices. Passengers can access the bulk of their phone’s features on the touch screen and use additional purpose-designed apps to book a hotel room, get parking information, check traffic and make conference calls.
Well-equipped models offer LED headlights, a panoramic sunroof, heated front seats, power-adjustable second-row seats and voice commands in addition to four 12-volt outlets and six USB ports.
Under the Hood
At launch, the Discovery Sport will be exclusively offered with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that generates 240 horsepower at 5,500 rpms and 250 lb-ft. of torque from 1,750 rpms. The four-banger traces its roots to Ford’s EcoBoost engine, making it one of the last vestige from the era when Land Rover was bundled together with Jaguar, Volvo and Aston Martin under the Premium Automotive Group umbrella.
The 2.0-liter will send power to all four wheels via a nine-speed automatic transmission developed by ZF and a Haldex all-wheel drive system. Performance data and fuel economy figures will be published closer to the Sport’s on-sale date.
Buyers in Europe will have access to a 2.2-liter four-cylinder turbodiesel engine fitted with start/stop technology, but the oil-burner is not likely to make its way on this side of the pond. Similarly, the Sport’s six-speed manual transmission will remain on the Old Continent.
Land Rover promises the Sport is fairly capable off-road thanks in part to 8.3 inches of ground clearance. The SUV boasts approach, departure and breakover angles of 25, 31 and 21 degrees, respectively, and the lower trim on the bumper can be removed to increase the approach angle if needed. The Sport is designed to tackle 45-degree gradients and drive through 23 inches of water.
The latest generation of Land Rover’s Terrain Response technology increases the Sport’s off-road chops. Terrain Response has four modes: General, Grass/Gravel/Snow, Mud and Ruts and Sand. Terrain Response also includes a host of driving aids such as hill descent control, dynamic stability control, electronic traction control, roll stability control and gradient release control. A lane departure warning system, autonomous emergency braking, park assist and traffic sign recognition are available at an extra cost to help the Sport navigate the urban jungle.
Following its debut in the French capital, the 2015 Land Rover Discovery Sport will go on sale in early 2015.