The best things about the Land Rover Discovery Sport have to do with how well it upholds the adventurous brand’s ethos. It looks very much like the much pricier Discovery, Range Rover and Range Rover Sport but costs far less while offering the real off-road talent the company is famous for. This is despite the fact that it’s Land Rover’s oldest model, now in its tenth model year. The downside is that despite receiving a major refresh in 2019 it’s now also one of the oldest compact luxury crossovers around, and time does march on.

Still, the Discovery Sport has aged well and as Land Rover’s cheapest vehicle, it’s a good entry-level way to saddle up English-style. The 2023 Discovery Sport comes in four configurations: S, S R-Dynamic, SE and SE R-Dynamic. Every Discovery Sport comes with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine making 246 horsepower and 269 pound-feet of torque. Power hits all four wheels through a nine-speed automatic transmission. Acceleration feels sluggish, and the SUV isn’t the most agile handler around, but there’s decent power for off-roading and towing reaches 4,409 pounds. 

This little SUV vies with contenders like the Audi Q5 and BMW X3, but in terms of size and purpose, the BMW X1, Genesis GV70 and Mercedes-Benz GLB are a little closer. While the Land Rover offers great off-road capability that few of these others do and a decent starting price, others in its class bring more power and refinement for similar money. The Discovery Sport does have one trait that only the GLB offers, however, an optional third row. It’s teeny-tiny, but for $1,720, it can add a little bit of versatility.

The Land Rover Discovery Sport is pushing a decade old now, but you’d never know by looking. The stylish exterior and interior look every inch like this SUV’s bigger, pricier siblings and convey a genuine luxury image.  Land Rover

Inside, the Disco Sport mimics its more expensive Land Rover counterparts but isn’t quite as deluxe. There’s good space across both rows and nice materials throughout, but the Discovery Sport’s cabin is more zipped-up and not as easy on the eyes as other Land Rover models. Leather upholstery is available, though the automaker promises more sustainable materials throughout its interior. Standard features include heated front seats, ambient interior lighting, dual-zone climate controls, and more. 

Land Rover has focused on improving its infotainment in recent years, and the Discovery Sport gets its latest Pivi Pro system. Navigating through menus and finding the desired feature or control is much easier, and the system is more responsive to touch and other inputs. It runs flawlessly on the Disco Sport’s crisp 10-inch display and brings Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Buyers can add a head-up display and navigation, but the included smartphone interfaces’ maps will be just fine for most. 

Land Rover is a relatively low-volume manufacturer, so its vehicles don’t get crash tested very often. This doesn’t mean the Discovery Sport is unsafe, but the only recent test data (largely very positive) comes from the European New Car Assessment Program (EuroNCAP). Land Rover includes a bunch of active-safety gear, however, including newly-standard adaptive cruise control, a feature that costs extra from BMW or Mercedes. The Discovery Sport is rugged and good looking, but isn’t as refined as most of its rivals and gets generally worse gas mileage. It is, however, different from the crowd.

 While it isn’t as posh as the six-figure Range Rover, the Discovery Sport’s interior does feel a cut above some other small premium crossovers like the Mercedes-Benz GLB and Lexus NX.  Land Rover

Performance: 11/15

The Land Rover Discovery Sport’s 2.0-liter turbocharged four cranks out 246 horsepower and 269 pound-feet of torque. Those aren’t bad numbers, but the Sport is fairly heavy for its size at a hair over two tons, and this engine feels overmatched compared to the peppy motors in the GLB and X1.

Getting up to speed takes time, and feels frustratingly sluggish, while the lazy transmission doesn’t do much to improve the situation. Standard four-wheel drive (4WD) is a welcome addition that gives the Disco Sport a leg up on some rivals, but it might not be enough for people that would never dream of off-roading. 

For those who do like to off-road, the Discovery Sport offers meaningful advantages over some of the other junior-league crossovers, though mainstream models like the Subaru Forester Wilderness offer similar talent for less. The 4WD system comes with capable terrain modes and the relatively soft suspension doesn’t beat you up too much. It can also ford up to 23.6 inches of water, which we would definitely not try in a Mercedes GLB. That said, it isn’t a Defender. Think of it more as the Jeep Compass Trailhawk to the Defender’s Wrangler.

The power situation still nags though. The Audi Q5 is actually down on power, as its base engine makes just 201 horsepower, but the transmission and overall driving experience make it much more engaging to drive. Audi, Mercedes-Benz and Genesis also offer engine upgrades if you want them, which Land Rover does not. 

Fuel Economy: 6/15

One powertrain option means simple fuel economy ratings. The Discovery Sport returns an EPA-estimated 20 mpg combined (19 mpg city, 23 highway). Those numbers are way below average in this class, and they’re only marginally better than more powerful vehicles with larger engines like the V6-powered GV70. This just isn’t the Discovery Sport’s strong suit, and no hybrid or mild hybrid powertrain is offered.

Safety & Driver Assistance Tech: 11/15

Land Rover improved the Discover Sport’s list of standard safety features in 2021 and again this year. Standard tech includes traffic sign recognition, driver attention monitoring, automatic emergency braking, forward collision warnings and parking sensors and Adaptive cruise control (an option until this year). A head-up display and a camera-feed rearview mirror are part of a $1,450 Technology Pack, while some features like Blind Spot Monitoring come only on the higher trims.

Although the Discovery Sport hasn’t been tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), it was comprehensively tested in 2022 by EuroNCAP. This EU agency performs similar tests to IIHS and awarded the Discovery Sport a five-star overall rating and individual scores that are slightly ahead of the larger Range Rover Sport.

The Discovery Sport may be small, but its back seat is pretty large by class standards and there’s even a tiny optional third row. Only the Mercedes-Benz GLB offers anything similar in this class.  Land Rover

Comfort & Room: 12/15

The Discovery Sport seats five by default, but buyers can upgrade with an optional third-row seat that pushes capacity to seven. The front seats offer an elevated position and plenty of space, giving the driver and front passenger excellent outward visibility. Even so, the front buckets aren’t as well-padded or supportive as many in the SUV’s class. 

Second-row passengers enjoy spacious, comfortable seats with 38.1 inches of legroom, a big amount for an SUV this size and notably more than the BMW X1 or X3. Tall people won’t feel confined back there. The optional third row, however, is among the tiniest on the market and perhaps marginally smaller than even the ones in the GLB and Mitsubishi Outlander. It’s best reserved for little kids, and only on shorter trips at that.

The Discovery Sport’s third row does add some versatility if you occasionally need to haul a very young child or two, but they’ll very likely outgrow it by age 10 or 11. If you need real family room that you’ll use every day, mainstream midsize models like the Kia Telluride beckon.

Infotainment: 14/15

A 10-inch touchscreen comes standard and runs Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Land Rover equips a slew of other standard features, including wireless phone charging, Bluetooth, six speakers, and USB inputs. Higher trims bring a Wi-Fi hotspot and a pair of optional Meridian stereo systems. Land Rover’s Pivi Pro system is more intuitive and streamlined than before and is easy to interact with while driving. 

Other automakers’ infotainment systems are more feature-rich and even easier to use than the Discovery Sport’s. Jeep gives the Cherokee the excellent Uconnect system, which is colorful and responsive. However, others, such as the recently redesigned Mercedes-Benz GLC, are usable but more complicated.  

If you don’t opt for the third row, the little Discovery Sport has a big cargo hold behind its second row (32.7 cubic-feet). Fit the third row and use it, however, and you’ll be left with Mazda Miata-like cargo room.  Land Rover

Cargo Space & Storage: 13/15

The Discovery Sport offers 32.7 cubic-feet of space with the second-row seats upright and 55.6 them folded flat. When equipped with third-row seats, the capacity drops to just 5.5 cubic-feet with all seats in place, so you really pay for that third row if you use it. The standard power liftgate and wide cargo floor make loading and unloading easy, and the Discovery Sport’s above-average space makes it more practical than many rivals. 

Thanks to the generous area behind the second row, the Discovery Sport offers nearly midsize cargo room when you’re traveling with passengers, so it’s very useful in daily operation. The GLB, Audi Q5, Genesis GV70 and BMW X1 all have a little less space with the seats in place. But the Land Rover also has a little less overall than the GLB, GV70 or X1 with all the seats folded. With the optional third row, the GLB offers a little more space behind the wayback seat than the Discovery Sport, but neither are much to write home about.

Style & Design: 9/10

While the basic shape is old, the Land Rover Discovery Sport has aged very well since it debuted in late 2013. The company has done a good job of bringing styling and design elements from more expensive models into subsequent updates, and it looks much like its bigger and pricier brothers. Since part of the appeal of a luxury crossover is brand kudos, it helps that the Disco Sport doesn’t skimp in that area.

Inside, it’s not as posh as the Range Rover models but its interior upholstery patterns and design effectively convey its position as a premium SUV. It could be more adventurous, but then, the GV70 wasn’t around to compare it to when this interior was designed. While it may be aging, the Discovery Sport’s look is still graceful and contemporary, even when compared to more recently refreshed rivals like the Lexus NX. 

Like its larger siblings and unlike most other premium compact crossovers, the Discovery Sport is a capable off-roader. It really can take you pretty far off the beaten path.  Land Rover

Is the 2023 Land Rover Discovery Sport worth it? Which Discovery Sport is the Best Value? 

The Discovery Sport may be the cheapest Land Rover, but it isn’t necessarily cheap. the base model S starts at $44,475 (including an $1,175 destination fee) and offers good off-road capability and generous standard features, but that’s at a higher price than the X1, GLB or GV70 and some features are still held back for the higher trims.

Since the lower trim levels (the S and the $46,275 S R-Dynamic) get the same powertrain and performance features that more expensive models do, we’d probably stick with them and save a little money for optional extras like the $1,450 Technology Pack and some cosmetic upgrades like a vivid paint color. The biggest question mark among the options is the $1,720 third row. It does add flexibility if you sometimes travel with very young children, but it also annihilates cargo space if you use it. Nobody over the age of 12 will want to sit in it, but it is something you can’t get on most other SUVs this size.

The higher-trim SE versions do come with some nice extras like blind spot monitoring, but they quickly crest $50,000, which is a bit too wide a gap over the GLB or four-cylinder Genesis GV70. The Discovery Sport offers ruggedness you can’t get elsewhere, but as the price rises the value ebbs unless you really want these specific traits.

How Much Does it Cost to Insure the Land Rover Discovery Sport?

The Discovery Sport costs more to insure than most of its peers. According to our data, a typical 30-year-old female driver with a clean record can expect an average annual premium of $2,411, $2,281, though this averages all 50 states. That compares to $2,144 for the Lincoln Corsair, $1,929 for the Acura RDX and $2,281 for the Mercedes-Benz GLB 250. To get a more accurate picture of your potential insurance expenses, visit our car insurance calculator.