Land Rover Discovery Sport vs BMW X3 and Hyundai Santa Fe

Land Rover Discovery Sport vs rivals

On the road, the Discovery Sport rides well.

While the nine-speed auto 'box changes gear frequently, it's so smooth that passengers will hardly notice.

Inside, Disco Sport is pure Land Rover. Climate controls, dash and switchgear are all taken from the Evoque, managing to feel like a premium product with a robust edge. 

There's plenty of space with a wide bench for three, while stadium-style seating gives passengers a good view of the road ahead.

Land Rover Discovery Sport vs rivals

A powered tailgate is standard on the Discovery Sport, while Land Rover claims a 981-litre boot capacity to the roof.

Land Rover Discovery Sport

Land Rover Discovery Sport

Central display is a big step forward for Land Rover, and makes negotiating cabin functions a breeze.

Land Rover Discovery Sport

Land Rover Discovery Sport

Land Rover Discovery Sport

Distinctive LED daytime running lights look great, although the clamshell bonnet is a far more traditional Land Rover styling cue. 

The Discovery Sport isn't as sharp as the BMW X3 in corners, but the suspension deals well with big bumps. 

Land Rover Discovery Sport

"While it's noisy, the X3's 2.0-litre diesel engine is well ahead of its rivals for fuel efficiency, and at the same time it's a punchy performer." - James Disdale, road test editor

The X3 is well ahead of its rivals for running costs, with a CO2 figure of 138g/km equating to £130 per year. 

The cabin is just as low-key as the exterior, but what the X3 lacks in daring design it makes up for with a thoughtful layout and first-rate finish.

There's more rear headroom in the X3 than the Discovery Sport, but the intrusive transmission tunnel and lack of sliding seats makes it trickier to accommodate three adults.

Luggage capacity stands at 550 litres, accessed via a powered tailgate. There are plenty of handy touches, too - including shopping bag hooks, a 12V power supply and a hidden compartment beneath the boot floor.

BMW X3

The high-resolution screen is included as standard, giving access to various functions including sat nav.

BMW X3

If you want circular LED daytime running lights, you'll have to upgrade to the £610 xenon headlamps.

As you'd expect from a BMW, the X3 feels agile and involving in corners, with direct and well-weighted steering, plenty of grip and superb body control. All models come with BMW's Drive Performance Control, too. 

X3 M Sport models get a stiff sports suspension set-up, so we'd recommend adding £650 adaptive dampers for the best ride possible.

"Hyundai has come a long way in the past decade, and for the Santa Fe to be even viewed as an alternative to a Land Rover or BMW demonstrates that the company has made great strides in terms of user-friendliness and quality." - James D

Like the land Rover, the top-spec Santa Fe gets 19-inch wheels, but the suspension delivers a very different ride. At low speeds it smooths out surfaces well, but go faster and and it thumps into bumps sending shudders through the cabi

Inside, the Santa Fe has the trappings of an upmarket model, with plenty of leather trim, touchscreen sat-nav and silver accents on the dash. Quality is slightly trailing that of its rivals here, though.

Legroom in the rear is similar to the Land Rover, although the middle seat is narrow. Only the left-hand seat in the middle row tilts to allow access to the rearmost seats, too. 

The third row of seats is really only suitable for occasional use, plus the small rear windows make for a claustrophobic atmosphere in the back. However, it's marginally more comfortable than the BMW and Land Rover thanks to slightly m

The Santa Fe has a 516-litre boot which grows to 1,615 litres with the seats folded. This still trails the overall capacities of its two rivals in this test, though.

Hyundai Santa Fe

LED running lights at the front are a stylish touch, while the bold chrome grille helps the Hyundai to stand out. 

Undulating roads will see the Santa Fe pitching and wallowing like a boat, and the soft suspension results in lots of body roll in corners. It's not helped by the steering which is heavy and rather vague.

The Santa Fe features Hyundai's Flex Steer system which allows the driver to vary the assistance, although in normal driving, the differences between the three settings are barely perceptible. 

Land Rover Discovery Sport vs rivals