THE 2018 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY SPORT VS. THE COMPETITION

June 15 2018, Land Rover Vancouver

Discovery Sport combines refined manners with real off-road adventure

The 2018 Land Rover Discovery Sport is one of the most appealing SUVs in its compact luxury class, capable of hauling a family of seven around town, across the country, or for that matter up the side of a mountain in absolute comfort.

Its unmistakable Land Rover styling and rugged good looks endow it with immediate respect, but you don’t have to tell anyone that it’s also one of the most affordable SUVs in its class. Its also one of the most comfortable thanks to standard partial leather seating and one of the more spacious cabins in the class, not to mention it’s the only compact luxury SUV with available three-row, seven-passenger seating.

Strong performance combines with excellent fuel economy

Superb interior quality and an impressive array of standard and optional features combine with a sporty standard turbocharged four-cylinder engine that delivers strong performance and great fuel economy, the latter thanks in part to a nine-speed automatic transmission (for the most forward gears in its class), plus a standard Eco mode and auto start/stop that shuts the engine off when it would otherwise be idling, while performance improves via standard paddle shifters and Dynamic sport mode.

The Discovery Sport also gets standard Snow and Off-Road modes, the latter denoting its ability off-road. True to Land Rover’s heritage, it’s the only true 4x4-capable SUV in its class, making it the ideal family adventure vehicle. Whether setting off on a summer wilderness camping trip or merely hitting the slopes mid-winter, you can be confident a sudden deluge or snowstorm won’t leave you stuck in the mud or deep snow. It’s even more capable for towing a trailer than most of its rivals.

To help you figure out how the 2018 Land Rover Discovery Sport stacks up next to its premium-branded competitors, we’ve put together a simple, straightforward, point-form list of key standard features and specifications (plus options) from the base trim levels of its closest challengers, including the Acura RDX, Lexus NX, Audi Q5, Mercedes-Benz GLC, Volvo XC60, and BMW X3, so go ahead and make your own decision about which compact luxury SUV best suits your family’s needs.

	Land Rover Discovery Sport SE	Acura RDX	Lexus NX 300	Audi Q5 2.0 TFSI quattro Komfort	Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 4Matic	Volvo XC60 T5 AWD Momentum	BMW X3 xDrive28i
MSRP	$43,500	$42,390	$44,050	$44,950	$45,900	$45,900	$48,000
Headlamps	Halogen (opt HID w/ LED signatures)	LED	Full LED (opt tri-beam LED)	Projector HID (opt full LED)	Projector halogen (opt full LED)	Full LED (new)	Full LED (new)
Auto high beams	Opt	No	Yes	Opt	Opt	Opt	Opt
Dynamic cornering headlamps	Opt	No	No	No	Opt	Opt	Opt
Pushbutton start	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Opt	Yes
Electric parking brake	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Individual driving modes	Sport, Eco, Snow & 4x4 modes	Sport mode only	Sport and Eco modes	Comfort, Auto & Sport modes	Sport and Eco modes	Opt Comfort, Eco, Sport & 4x4 modes	Opt Comfort & Sport modes
Auto-dimming side mirrors	Opt	Opt	Opt	Opt	Driver’s side	Opt	Yes
Power-folding side mirrors	Yes	No	No	Opt	Yes	Opt	Yes
Rain-sensing wipers	Yes	Opt	Opt	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Heated steering wheel	Opt	No	Opt	Opt	Opt	Opt	Yes
Backup camera	Yes	Yes (multi-angle)	Yes	Opt	Yes	Yes (new as standard)	Yes
Front and rear parking sensors	Rear only (opt front)	Opt	Opt	Opt	Opt	Opt	Opt
Garage door opener	Opt	Yes	Opt	Opt	Opt	Opt	Opt
Leather upholstery	Yes (partial)	Opt	Opt	Yes	Opt	Yes (new as standard)	Opt
Power driver’s seat	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Driver-side memory	Opt	Yes	Opt	Opt	Opt	Yes	Yes
Power front passenger seat	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Infotainment display	8.0-inch	5.0-inch	7.0-inch	7.0-inch	7.0-inch	9.0-inch	6.5-inch
Voice activation	Opt	Opt	Opt	Opt	Opt	Yes	Opt
4G LTE Wi-Fi	Opt	No	No	Opt	Opt	Opt	Opt
Navigation	Opt	Opt	Opt (Std Scout GPS)	Opt	Opt	Opt	Opt
Audio speakers (total)	10	7	8	10	6	10 (2 more standard)	12
USB charge ports	3	1	1	2	2	2 (1 more standard)	2
Powered moonroof	Opt (panoramic)	Yes	Opt	Opt panoramic	Opt panoramic	Yes (new & panoramic)	Opt panoramic
Power (hp)	237	279	235	252	241	250	248
Torque (lb-ft)	251	252	258	273	273	258	258
All-wheel drive (AWD)	Yes (4x4 capable)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes (new as standard)	Yes
Transmission	9-speed auto	6-speed auto	6-speed auto	7-speed dual-clutch	9-speed auto	8-speed auto	8-speed auto
Steering wheel paddle shifters	Yes	Yes	Yes	Opt	Yes	Opt	Opt
Auto start/stop	Yes	No	Opt (w/ Hybrid)	Yes (new)	Yes	Yes	Yes
Fuel Economy (city/hwy/comb.)	11.4 / 9.3 / 10.5	12.4 / 8.7 / 10.7	10.6 / 8.5 / 9.7	10.4 / 8.6 / 9.6	11.1 / 8.6 / 10.0	10.7 / 8.5 / 9.8	10.8 / 8.0 / 9.5
Adaptive cruise control	Opt	Yes	Yes	Opt	Opt	Opt	Opt
Autonomous braking	Opt	Yes	Yes	Opt	Opt	Yes	Opt
Blind spot monitoring	Opt	Opt	Opt	Opt	Yes	Opt	Opt
Lane keeping assist	Opt	Yes	Yes	Opt	Opt	Yes (new)	Opt
Driver condition monitoring	Opt	No	No	No	No	No	No
Traffic sign recognition	Opt	No	No	Opt	Opt	Opt	No
Special airbags	Driver’s knee	No	Driver’s knee	Opt rear side thorax	Driver’s knee	Driver’s knee (new)	No
Maximum passengers	5 (opt. 7)	5	5	5	5	5	5
Front legroom	1,067	1,068	1,088	1,039	1,036	1,054 (+8)	1,023 (+10)
2nd row legroom	947	973	918	960	947	965 (+41)	924 (-3)
Cargo behind 2nd / 1st row	981 / 1,698	739 / 2,178	500 / 1,545	550 / 1,710	550 / 1,600	731 / 1,792	550 / 1,600
Tow rating (kg)	750 (max. 2,000)	680	907	2,000	1,588	1,580	2,000

Land Rover goes the extra mile when it comes to advanced driver safety

Thanks to more available advanced driver assistance systems than any competitor, Discovery Sport owners can enjoy the ease of automatically dimming high beams and dynamic cruise control when on the highway, or the peace of mind that comes from autonomous emergency braking and blindspot warning with lane departure assist, but its traffic sign recognition will also point out when the speed limit has been reduced (amongst other warnings), which improves safety and could even save you money, while the Discovery Sport also has an available driver condition monitor that notices if you’re getting drowsy and then prompts you to pull over to take a rest.

What’s more, the Discovery Sport’s standard infotainment touchscreen is one of the largest in its class at 8.0 inches, which means you’ll benefit from an expansive rear view through its backup camera, while it’s also the only vehicle in this group with standard rear parking sensors, improving safety further, plus the side mirrors automatically fold inward when parked, making it easier to get past in a narrow parking spot.

Loads of standard features combine for great value

As mentioned earlier, value for money makes the Discovery Sport one of the more appealing compact luxury SUVs in its class. Despite having such a reasonable starting price of just $43,500, standard features not yet mentioned include pushbutton ignition, an electromechanical parking brake, rain-sensing wipers, powered front seats, 10 premium audio speakers, three USB charging ports, and much more.

There’s a lot more to the 2018 Land Rover Discovery Sport than we can show you here, so make sure to arrange a test drive by contacting Land Rover Vancouver at (604) 738-5577 or come visit the showroom at 1730 Burrard Street, Vancouver.