You can’t always start at the top, but it’s nice to know you
have a chance to get there.
The Discovery Sport is Land Rover’s new entry-level model,
and the first in its soon-to-grow Discovery line of street-smart crossovers. It
mixes country club style with just enough off-road cred to earn the Land Rover
logo.
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Inside, the compact SUV is as snazzy as a boutique hotel
bar, and the trimmings live up to its $38,065 starting price. It’s primarily a
five-seat vehicle, with a roomy, adjustable second row, but two-seat third row
is available for $1,750. They’re handy, but so small that Land Rover accurately
refers to them as +2. The cargo bay they fill may be better left empty, and
provides a nice big space when it is. Packing for a week-long trip for a family
of four or five should be no problem.
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Don’t let the name fool you. “Sport” in this case really
means “fun size,” and there will be a larger Discovery model arriving next
year. Nevertheless, its 240 hp turbocharged four-cylinder engine and nine-speed
automatic transmission combo provides enough punch to keep things lively, even
though it likes to hunt for fuel economy in the upper gears, where it finds 26
mpg on the highway. Floor it to pass or merge, for instance, and it can take a
good three or four count before anything particularly sporty happens, even in
Sport mode.
Whether you are or aren’t doing that, the Discover Sport is
supremely quiet inside, with a smooth and composed ride, even on twisty roads.
This is despite the fact that it has 8.3 inches of ground clearance and some
serious, stone-stepping wheel articulation to go with it.
It’ll also wade through nearly two feet of water, thanks to
hefty door seals and an air intake positioned out of the splash zone, high and
to the side of the engine bay. The standard all-wheel-drive system offers modes
for a variety of surfaces, including gravel, sand, snow and grass, the last
perfect for navigating outdoor music festival parking areas and creating
general mayhem on a Scottish Moor or your local golf course.
I refrained from doing that, but did take it into the
deepest darkest forests of New Jersey. (Hey, they have wild bears there. Take
that, Scotland.) On a particularly steep and rocky trail it proved that it has
more mettle than anything in its class, if not a Range Rover or Jeep Grand
Cherokee. I wouldn’t go looking for trouble in it, but you should be fine if
you make a wrong turn.
The optional lane departure warning system and blind spot
monitor can help you from doing that, while a road sign-reading camera displays
the posted speed limit on the instrument cluster. If you’re paying too much
attention to that, it also keeps an eye out for cars you’re about to run into
and brakes if you don’t.
One highlight that won’t make headlines, but is mightily
appreciated when you're laden with tech, is the use of high-output 5-volt USB
charging ports, and there are several, along with four 12-volt sockets
scattered throughout the cabin.
The single-pane, full glass roof is an eye-opener, but
doesn’t open. Still, it’s just another feature that helps the Discovery Sport
stand out in a crowded segment. Overall, it’s unique enough to make a
compelling alternative to competing luxury crossovers like the Audi Q5 and BMW
X3, and when the going gets rough, it has the goods to leave them in the dirt,
if not the dust.
http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2015/08/07/2015-land-rover-discovery-sport-test-drive/
by Gary Gastelu
http://www.boscheuropean.com
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