The Land Rover Discovery is one of the most iconic names in the world of off-roaders and SUVs, so it’s not surprising that Land Rover moved to capitalize on its brand equity by making another vehicle wearing the name. The Discovery Sport replaced the late, unlamented, Freelander in 2014 and entered its second generation in 2019. It rides the same platform as the Discovery, but the Sport is 14 inches shorter and five inches lower overall than its big brother.

The Discovery Sport is a looker and its low profile (for a Land Rover) and hunched stance suggest speed. In actuality, the “sport” part of the equation is a mostly off-road component.  Land Rover

The compact luxury SUV is aimed at similarly-sized premium machines like the Audi Q5, Lexus NX and Mercedes-Benz GLB-class. Though quite sporty to look at, the Land Rover defines “sport” in an entirely different way than its competitors. It tries, with decent success, to replicate the rugged-meets-royal magic of its larger namesake. Other SUVs, particularly the GLB, may perform better on the road but the Disco Sport is a seriously capable off-roader.

While suitable premium-feeling when compared with a vehicle like the Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk, some corners had to be cut to meet the Disco Sport’s roughly $43,000 starting price. That’s why there’s a single underpowered four-cylinder engine on offer and a slightly plainer-looking interior than that of the Discovery. 

Land Rover’s trim and model structuring can be confusing. The Discovery Sport is sold in two main configurations: Base and R-Dynamic. Those two models are split further into a pair of trims each, S and SE. The SUV’s $42,950 starting price buys the base Discovery Sport S with automatic LED headlights, leather upholstery, heated power front seats, 18-inch wheels, wading sensors, ambient lighting and dual-zone climate controls.

Front passengers will find a comfy and well-appointed cabin that, while not quite as posh as the more expensive Land Rovers, does a good job of feeling premium and uses a fair number of sustainable materials.  Land Rover

Moving up to the R-Dynamic model pushes the price to $44,650. Standard features include a monochrome painted trim package, grained leather upholstery with red stitching, special R-Dynamic badging, a perforated leather-wrapped steering wheel and exclusive 18-inch wheels. 

In both cases, SE models add an interactive driver display, a powered rear tailgate, power seats with memory functions, upgraded 20-inch wheels and blind spot monitoring for an additional $3,350.

All Discovery Sports now use the same turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 246 horsepower and 269 pound-feet of torque. Power is sent to all four wheels through a nine-speed automatic transmission. A previously optional 286-horsepower version of the engine was dropped for 2021. Though not underpowered on paper, moving a vehicle with a two-ton-plus curb weight is tough work, and the four-banger shows its rough edges when pushed. A mash of the throttle elicits a relaxed response and not much in the way of thrust. 

The Discovery Sport’s rear seat is fairly capacious, but surprisingly Land Rover has built in a third row to this tiny SUV. As you’d expect from the smallest three-row SUV on the market, the way back is meant for little kids only.  Land Rover

While the Sport’s ride quality remains mostly comfortable over a variety of rough surfaces, its handling and body control leaves much to be desired. On the pavement, there’s much less “Sport” than the name suggests, with plenty of body roll and steering that’s best characterized as numb and disconnected. But the Disco Sport gets better off-road.

It is not as capable as the Defender or a Jeep Wrangler, but for a small-ish crossover, the Disco Sport handles itself well off road. There are 8.3 inches of ground clearance and the vehicle can ford up to 23.6 inches of water. There are no terrain modes, but Land Rover’s Terrain Response 2 control system helps keep power flowing to the wheels where it’s needed. It can handle deep mud and ruts with aplomb. 

It is more capable than alternatives like the Q3, Cadillac CT4 or GLB in the rough stuff, though some mainstream SUVs might offer even more talent without the Sport’s pretty style. Concealed tow hooks are fitted if you get into trouble. Speaking of towing, the Discovery Sport can also lug up to 4.409 pounds, which is decent for the class but nowhere near as good as the larger Discovery’s 8,200-pound max, a standout among midsize SUVs.

With the third-row seats stowed, the Discovery Sport offers 26.6 cubic feet of space in back and up to 63.3 in total, almost exactly even with the Mercedes-Benz GLB, the only other three-row premium small crossover.  Land Rover

Optimizing for towing, as with off-roading, often means a sacrifice in fuel economy and the Discovery Sport is no exception. It returns just 19 mpg city, 23 mpg highway and 20 mpg combined. That’s way below the class average and far short of the Mercedes-Benz GLB, the only other three-row choice of roughly similar size. The GLB is much more fun on the pavement, too.

The Discovery Sport does its best to carry the Land Rover luxury torch and mostly succeeds. The cabin is packed with leather and upscale materials, some of which are sustainably sourced and produced. Front-seat passengers enjoy comfortable thrones with plenty of padding and support, and even the second-row bench offers decent support for all but the tallest adults on longer drives. Headroom and legroom are generous for both rows of seating as well, with 39.5 inches of headroom up front and 38.7 inches in back. Legroom comes in at 39.1 inches up front and 38.1 inches in back. 

A third-row bench seat is optional that pushes the number of seats to seven, though it’s best reserved for children or adults on short trips and easily the smallest third row on the market. Cargo space with the optional third row folded flat comes in at 26.6 cubic feet, but expands to 63.3 cubic feet with the second row folded flat. Those are competitive numbers in its class, but when the third-row seats are in use the space drops to a measly 5.5 cubic feet.

The Discovery Sport isn’t quite as skilled as its Defender and Discovery siblings, but by the standards of typically mall-crawling small premium crossovers, it’s a very capable off-roader, and can even wade into nearly two feet of water.  Land Rover

Land Rover updated the Disco Sport’s infotainment system for 2021 with its latest Pivi Pro software, which debuted in the new Defender. The system brings standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with a six-speaker stereo, Bluetooth and more. Several upgrades can be tacked on, including two Meridian audio systems, wireless smartphone charging and a head-up display. 

The Discovery Sport hasn’t been tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), but it does earn a five-star rating from the European New Car Assessment Program (Euro-NCAP), an E.U. agency that performs similar tests to IIHS and NHTSA. 

Beyond its robust crash structure, Land Rover equips the Discovery Sport with a healthy helping of active-safety features. Automatic emergency braking, lane keep assist, traffic sign recognition, a driver monitoring system and a 3D surround-view camera system are standard. Blind spot assistance and rear-cross traffic alerts are added on SE models but can also be added, along with adaptive cruise control, as part of a $1,950 option on the S. Adaptive cruise is a $1,200 stand-alone option on the SE.