Land Rover Discovery Sport review - pictures

The Land Rover Discovery Sport has been introduced to fill the place of the old Freelander.

The interior of the Discovery Sport takes cues from the rest of the latest Land Rover range.

The Discovery Sport benefits from Land Rover’s impressive Terrain Response system.

There's little to distinguish the e-Capability model over the rest of the Disco Sport range.

The Discovery Sport is more upmarket and expensive than the Freelander.

The Discovery Sport feels quite large on road, but body movement is well controlled and there's plenty of grip.

On road, the Discovery Sport feels composed at high speeds.

Land Rover has done a great job at reducing engine and road noise in the cabin. 

It's powered by a 2.0-litre diesel engine, but Land Rover has replaced the fantastic auto gearbox with a six-speed manual and removed the two rear seats.

The Discovery Sport TD4 e-Capability is aimed at fleet buyers looking to bring costs down. 

The Discovery Sport also boasts a wading depth of 600mm. 

The Discovery Sport is still fairly new, but now Land Rover has dropped its new 2.0-litre Ingenium diesel engine - also found in the Jaguar XE - into the car to boost its appeal. 

The engine can be had in two states of tune - 148bhp and 178bhp. Here we test the higher-powered version in top-spec HSE Luxury trim. 

As you would expect, the Disco Sport is incredibly capable in the rough stuff. 

Nine-speed auto in the Disco is sluggish when pushed, but on the road it doesn't feel as large and unwieldy as the Kia. 

The Disco Sport with this new Ingenium engine will return up to 57.7mpg and emits 129g/km of CO2 in the lower-powered model, meaning it's now more appealing to fleet buyers. 

Prices now start from £30,695, which is £1,670 lower than before. Entry-level models sacrifice the third row of seats, though. 

In terms of exterior design and style the Land Rover Discovery Sport is a lot sleeker and stylish than the Freelander.

There's plenty of design cues from the Range Rover Evoque, with a slightly more utilitarian look in a nod to the Freelander it replaced. 

LED daytime running lights contribute to the Discovery Sport's upmarket look. 

There's a firm edge to the suspension at low speed, but the new multi-link rear axle comes into its own the faster you go. 

While the Disco Sport is all-new on the outside, the platform is the same as the Evoque's and shares plenty of parts. 

The Discovery Sport takes cues from Land Rover's latest design language. 

The stylish, luxurious and versatile package is now complemented by the engine the car deserved from the beginning. 

Individual alloy wheels are one of very few giveaways as to the Disco Sport's eco Pricspec.

The rest of the interior is business as usual so that means solid materials, but slightly dated infotainment graphics.

The infotainment system is a touch screen display with user-friendly interface.

Climate control comes as standard in all variants of the Discovery Sport.

Underneath the bonnet, the Discovery Sport is fitted with JLR's latest Ingenium diesel engines. 

A six-speed manual is standard, but the £1,800 automatic gearbox is well worth the extra outlay if you can afford it. 

There's plenty of space in the rear, but this is a strict five-seater instead of the standard seven.

The interiors is full of touches to give a premium feel. 

A panoramic sunroof helps the Discovery Sport feel airy and spacious inside. 

The Discovery Sport is a family-friendly car with plenty of space for passengers, plus a range of storage.

<span>The most obvious upgrade in the Discovery Sport over the old Freelander is the inclusion of what Land Rover calls a 5+2 seating layout.&nbsp;<span>The two individual chairs can be pulled out of the floor&nbsp;<span>in one movemen

The Land Rover Discovery Sport is a 5+2 layout with rear seats that can be pulled out from the boot floor.

A powered tailgate is standard and opens to reveal a 981-litre capacity to the roof when the rear seats are stowed.&nbsp;

With the rearmost seats stowed, the boot boasts a healthy 981 litres, although this is measured to the roof and not the load cover. With the 5 rear seats folded flat, total load capacity tops out at 1,698 litres.&nbsp;

With all seats folded, space increases to 1,698 litres.&nbsp;