Land Rover has finally unveiled the replacement for the eight-year-old Freelander 2 – the Land Rover Discovery Sport. The first in a new line of Discovery-badged SUVs, it will be offered with seven seats for the first time in a small Land Rover.
The Discovery Sport takes several cues from the recent Discovery Vision concept, including the head- and tail lamp shapes, bulging wheel arches, fender vents and upswept C-pillars blacked out at the top. “Discovery” badging replaces the traditional “Land Rover” script across the bonnet and tailgate.
The inside will be familiar to anyone who’s stepped inside a modern Land Rover, with a straight horizontal dashboard punctuated by a strong vertical centre console, although the design appears plainer than the car’s plusher Range Rover siblings. A new eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system takes centre stage, and buyers can specify up to four 12V power sockets and six USB ports across all three rows of seats.
Land Rover calls the new seating configuration “5+2”, which indicates that the rear-most seats – standard in some markets, optional on others – are only suitable for children or occasional adult use. The 60:40 second row seats can slide and recline individually, however.
The body is made from a blend of ultra-high-strength steel and aluminium, and a new multi-link rear suspension is said to improve both the driving dynamics as well as space behind the second row. Safety has been bolstered with a Volvo V40-aping pedestrian airbag as well as autonomous emergency braking.
As with any Land Rover, the Discovery Sport has been designed to hold its own off the beaten track, with 25-, 31- and 21-degree approach, departure and breakover angles respectively, a wading depth of up to 600 mm and the fitment of the company’s Terrain Response system.
At launch, the car will be offered with Jaguar Land Rover’s staple 240 PS 2.0 litre direct-injected turbo petrol and 190 PS 2.2 litre turbodiesel four-cylinder engines, both featuring stop-start technology, low-friction internal components and regenerative charging.
A “highly efficient” ED4 turbodiesel emitting 114 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometre will be offered later in 2015. A choice between a nine-speed automatic and a six-speed manual transmission, as well as two- and four-wheel drive, will be available.
The Land Rover Discovery Sport will be built at the company’s Halewood plant before going on sale in over 170 markets worldwide early next year.
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BMW doing a great job in reviving Land Rover
BMW reviving Land Rover???
Land Rover and Jaguar owned by TATA Group since 2008 la…
Yup Range Rover were so unreliable, and it was the BMW engines that saved Range Rover from tutup kedai in the L322 models
BMW hasn’t had anything to do with Land Rover since it sold the company to Ford in 2000.
Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Discovery Sport
Very handsome car. Looks like for someone who has had some kids, thus has outgrown the Evoque, which is pretty tight inside if you are tall. Does this mean the Freelander badge has been discontinued?
Indeed it has been.
Everything across the Land Rover range looks so Evoque right now. Great styling but it makes the original Evoque look less distinct and unique :/
Finally something slot below Evoque.Hopefully when this baby comes to Malaysia will be priced around RM320k ~ RM340kin order to fight BMW X3 and Audi Q5.
Prefect timing as Evoque will go upmarket against Macan and X4.
I’m not so sure if this will slot below the Evoque…its not the ‘cheap’ Freelander we all know and now it has been upgraded to the Discovery level with 7 seats, I think the price will be more than the old Freelander price.
I’ve just taken a look at the UK launch price…10% extra from the old Freelander for the basic 5 seater so when it arrives here expect to see at least 20% more haha…sad case.
impressive LR Disco Sport especially the wheen design
looking forward the new LR Disco sometimes launched late next year
Impressive baby LR but one flaw i noticed from the pictures was the lack of rear air-con vents. In Malaysia weather I would really prefer to have one rather than none.
Good observation. How does a 7 seater have no ac vents for middle and rear row passenger seats? Weird. Thought it might be from the roof (ala MPVs), but nope nothing there, but handle and lamp. Its not in the rear doors either. Could it be in the B pillar (which is slightly hidden in the pics)?
Did you all notice the fugly 3rd row headrests???
Perfect for fetching coneheads!
I can smell Ford…..
you mean Tata… no, not your grandfather… the Indian automotive company…
sorry…money on xc90.
Why you compare this compact suv with a large SUV.totally different class lah. Wake up
A very tempting proposition
Is it about the size of toyota fortuner?
vy nice design, but seems too small for a Land Rover.
trying to look like Evoque?
i prefer the current BIG sized Disco4.