2019 Land Rover Discovery Sport Engine, Performance & Handling
The MY19 Discovery Sport features JLR’s Ingenium family engine. This 2.0 litre diesel motor makes 177 hp and 430 Nm of torque. Power delivery is very linear and shifts from the 9 speed automatic gearbox are smooth when driven with a normal foot. The motor is also refined at regular driving speeds but can get noisier at the higher end of the rev band. There is also a prominent lag while doing a kickdown, the gearbox thinks for over a couple of seconds before downshifting, and that can get irritating when you want to get a move on with an overtake. Putting it into S mode improves throttle response and the shift times and you can also shift manually using the steering mounted paddles as well.
I took the Discovery Sport to the Mumbai Nasik Highway towards the Vaitarna Dam for a weekend drive. The once fantastic to drive NH-3 has been riddled with craters and potholes due to the monsoon, and the approach to the dam is your typical rural village road. While at low speeds, the ride felt on the firmer side, at high speeds the Discovery Sport just gobbled up everything that was thrown at it. While other cars slowed down at almost every pothole, this SUV just flew over everything with nothing filtering into the cabin. Body roll is also well controlled around corners thanks to the stiff suspension setup. The 235/60 R18 rubber provides a lot of grip and high speed stability is good too. The brakes could be better though and the spongy feel makes you step on them when required for quick slow down. And when you have a Land Rover, how can you not go off-road. I did a few patches of muddy inclines and grassy areas and the Terrain Response modes work seamlessly. After all what fun is a Landy if it doesn’t look dirty at the end of the day.
2019 Land Rover Discovery Sport Verdict
The Land Rover Discovery Sport still is quite a compelling proposition. It looks great and drives nice too. The Ingenium engines are great boost to this SUV, and while the cabin may not be outright luxurious or plush, it feels built to last. And the off-roading DNA of Land Rover is very much there. So if you are looking for a solid SUV that you can drive daily in the city and go on an off-road trail on weekends with creature comforts, there’s nothing that comes close to the Discovery Sport. The package feels tough to beat.
2019 Land Rover Discovery Sport photo gallery:
