Land Rover Discovery Sport review - Reliability and safety

A five-star Euro NCAP rating tends to be a given these days with bigger cars, and sure enough the Discovery Sport scored five stars when it was tested in 2014 and retained its score when re-tested in 2022 as well. What’s interesting (and reassuring) is that in the occupant and pedestrian safety sections of the test the Discovery Sport scored higher than the first-generation Range Rover Evoque.

Standard safety kit includes nine airbags, electronic stability programme, two Isofix points in the middle row, automatic collision prevention braking and anti-lock brakes. What’s more, the standard all weather tyres combined with four-wheel drive mean handling is more assured in all conditions compared to many family cars – and the Discovery Sport is especially confidence-inspiring in inclement weather, thanks to the various settings of the Terrain Response system.

While the Discovery Sport was all-new when it was launched, under the skin it has plenty of parts from other models, so reliability shouldn’t be a big issue. The platform is the same as the Evoque’s, as is much of the switchgear. The 2.0-litre Ingenium engines were relatively new when introduced, but are now used in a variety of Jaguar and Land Rover models.

Other than that, the only real question mark is over the stability of the infotainment system – although from past experience, Land Rover keeps dealers informed of software updates to ensure everything works properly.

The Discovery Sport finished 41st out of 75 best cars to own in the 2022 Driver Power owner satisfaction survey, while Land Rover as a brand has actually improved in recent years and its 14th place in the best 29 manufacturers rankings was a solid mid-table finish. That’s not to say there aren’t problems with either the car or the marque as a whole; owners love the way the Discovery Sport drives and its versatility, but it did very poorly indeed on value, MPG and running costs, and most worryingly of all, on reliability and build quality. More than half the owners who responded had experienced some kind of problem – the worst in the 2022 survey.

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Warranty

The Discovery Sport comes with a three-year manufacturer warranty and roadside assistance package as standard, regardless of mileage. Thereafter the company offers an extended warranty, although the corrosion warranty lasts six years.

Servicing

A pre-paid servicing deal for five years or 50,000 miles (whichever comes first) on the Discovery Sport costs around £500, and will help keep costs in check. It’s transferable to other owners, too. Service intervals are 12 months or 16,000 miles. Land Rover’s UK manufacturing base means parts supply is steady and fast, while its extensive dealer and servicing centre network means you shouldn’t need to travel far. Land Rover also currently offers zero per cent finance on servicing, maintenance and accessories.