Land Rover Discovery vs. Land Rover Discovery Sport comparison: which is better?
Land Rover Discovery vs Discovery Sport: How do these popular SUVs stack up? We compare specs, pricing, off-road performance and more
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Struggling to pick between the Land Rover Discovery vs. Discovery Sport? These are two models with similar names, and while they’re both as impressive as each other, you’ll want to pay attention to their differences to help you make the right decision.
If you’re looking for a capable, robust seven-seater SUV, then these two Land Rover models offer everything you’re likely to need.
Land Rover Discovery Sport vs. Land Rover Discovery: which has more style?
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With both of these models belonging to the Discovery division of Land Rover, it should come as no surprise that they look fairly similar. The largest difference is in their size.
The Land Rover Discovery is the larger of the two, and it has a more imposing presence compared with the Discovery Sport, which is a more compact family SUV that’s akin to other common SUVs on the road.
They both have similar design languages and have a more rugged, off-road-y look to them compared with other high-riding models. The typical, boxy design has been modernised with rounded edges, but these are still very much conventional SUVs.
They also both have a distinctive C-pillar design, which is meant to give the car the illusion of having a disconnected or floating roof. It also masks the size of these cars – they’re both fairly long for their respective classes.
What is it like to drive a Land Rover Discovery Sport vs. Discovery?
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Being the smaller of the two, the Land Rover Discovery Sport comes with smaller engine options – most are 2.0-litre petrol and diesel units. Some have mild hybrid technology to reduce emissions, and there’s even a 1.5-litre petrol plug-in hybrid.
Compared to the Discovery, it’s generally easier to drive around town because it has a shorter wheelbase and can perform tighter manoeuvres, but compared to most other hatchbacks and smaller crossovers, you’ll notice it’s still a big car.
The Land Rover Discovery is designed to be more comfortable, so it has a softer suspension setup, which is sometimes upgraded to air suspension. You can also get more powerful engine options, like the popular 3.0-litre diesels, which offer a smoother and more effortless ride.
Only the most basic models are available with manual gearboxes, and most come with an automatic.
Though few SUV drivers ever venture off-road, you may be buying a Land Rover for its serious credentials. Both of these cars come fitted with powerful drive selectors that can handle terrains like mud, sand, snow and rocks, and all but the most basic Discovery Sport are equipped with an excellent four-wheel-drive system.
Unless you’re going where few other cars have ever ventured, even the smaller Discovery Sport will live up to your expectations, but if you need to tow heavy trailers, the more grown-up Discovery might be more appropriate – it can tow 3,000-3,500kg compared with the Discovery Sport’s lower 2,000-2,500kg capacity (or 1,600kg for the PHEV).
What is the technology in the Land Rover Discovery and Discovery Sport?
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When these cars launched, they were slightly more premium than mainstream rivals but they weren’t as luxurious as other expensive SUVs, so the car tech was pretty average.
You shouldn’t have to look far to find a model with a powered boot lid, parking sensors, a reversing camera, keyless entry and dual-zone climate control, but the infotainment systems that were available in the earlier days were pretty standard.
An update to the Discovery Sport in 2019 and one to the Discovery in 2021 added a considerably better touchscreen infotainment system. It’s a new system, rather than a minor update, and you can connect your phone via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as well as control many of the car’s functions through the screen.
Land Rover Discovery vs. Discovery Sport dimensions and boot space
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Although they look very similar, the Discovery is nearly 36cm longer, nearly 5cm wider and more than 16cm taller than the Discovery Sport, and you can spot the difference instantly.
The Discovery Sport measures 4,597mm long, 2,173mm wide including mirrors, and 1,727mm tall, whereas the Discovery is 4,956mm long, 2,220mm wide and 1,888mm tall.
Other measurementsinclude their approach and departure angles, if you like off-roading. They’re up to 25/30.2 degrees for the Discovery Sport and up to 34/30 degrees for the Discovery. They can also wade through up to 50cm and 90cm of water, respectively.
Boot size varies depending on whether you go for a seven-seater model or a lower-spec car with just five seats. The seven-seater Discovery Sport has a 157-litre boot, which opens up to 754 litres with the rearmost seats folded, and 1,651 litres with the middle row folded too. Five-seat-only cars have an 897/1,794-litre space.
The same is true of the Discovery but on a much bigger scale. It has a 258/1,137/2,391-litre space unless you go for a five-seat-only model with its 1,231/2,485-litre boot. If you regularly carry lots of passengers, clearly the full-sized Discovery is the one to go for.
Discovery vs. Discovery Sport: which is more reliable?
Land Rover has had its fair share of reliability concerns over the years, but these more modern SUVs are a considerable improvement over previous-generation offerings.
The latest models, including the Discovery and Discovery Sport, benefit from more robust engineering, improved build quality and better overall quality control measures.
Used Land Rover Discovery Sport vs used Land Rover Discovery: which should I buy?
On the surface, these are very similar cars – they have the same looks and they can both fit up to seven passengers. You can take either model off-road, and they’re just as good at towing.
When making your decision, consider what’s important to you – they both have excellent statistics for off-road abilities, space for passengers and space for luggage, compared with other models in their classes, but compared with each other, the Discovery turns the dial up to another level.
However, that’s not to say the Discovery is the better car, because if you need something smaller and more economical, the Discovery Sport is a versatile SUV that makes a lot of sense.