First Look: Land Rover Discovery Sport

The all-new Land Rover Discovery Sport hasn’t officially hit the showrooms yet; however, it has generated quite a buzz in the premium mid-size SUV segment. So much so that Land Rover has already received over 200 pre-orders for this new model before its official launch on September 2, 2015.

Originally previewed as the Discovery Vision concept, the Discovery Sport is the first member of the all-new Discovery family. It features the 5+2 seating in a rather compact footprint and promises to be quite a practical buy in its segment. Design wise, the vehicle echoes the Range Rover Evoque with its twin-slat grille, chunky front bumper, LED fog lamps and a stylish pair of headlights and taillights.

Inside, the cabin features high-quality materials and a vertical centre console layout to reflect the design of the exterior, while the core Discovery value of versatility is evident everywhere. Thanks to a new multi-link rear axle, Land Rover has managed to not only improve the driving dynamics but also create more space behind the second row.

Being a Land Rover, one can expect the Discovery Sport to make its way out of the toughest of terrain. And on paper, the car doesn’t disappoint either. There’s the Land Rover’s capable Terrain Response technology, four-wheel-drive and 211mm of ground clearance, making the Discovery Sport apt for off-road driving.

While the global Discovery Sport features a range of four-cylinder turbocharged petrol and diesel engines, the India-bound models will come with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel engine in two different state of tunes - 147bhp and 178bhp. The gearbox, meanwhile, will come in the form of the 9-speed automatic unit from the Evoque that’s already on sale in India.

The new Discovery Sport will be locally assembled at Land Rover's Pune facility. When launched, it will go head on with the BMW X3 and the Audi Q5 and while it will be a tough battle to win against the popular German models, the Discovery Sport’s 5+2 seating arrangement and the luxurious cabin is sure to attract a huge chunk of potential buyers.