Land Rovers are to off-roading what Asimov is to science fiction. They have evolved from being a national icon of dependability and resilience to an international standard of modern-day luxury. So, to call the new Land Rover Discovery Sport the cheapest Land Rover is like calling Ringo the least famous Beatle – it’s still a Land Rover. The Disco Sport is one of the most recent additions to the Land Rover family, and the easiest way to enter the Land Rover club, much easier than, say, entering the Range Rover club, which this car essentially paves your way to. So what makes it worthy of your attention?

It’s the youngest of the lot, but it’s no lightweight

The Discovery Sport directly competes against the likes of the Mercedes-Benz ML-Class, the Audi Q5 and the BMW X3. It’s essentially a replacement for the Freelander 2, a remarkably well-rounded car in it’s own right. It’s the baby of the pack, purely because it’s the most affordable of the lot. Although it’s based on an extended Evoque platform, it’s a tad more practical off-road thanks to a brand new rear suspension setup and an extended wheelbase which allows it to fit five adults and two children at the back.

It’s quite a looker

In terms of design, the Discovery Sport is quite a departure from the Freelander and the standard Discovery. The more boxy features of the two cars have been replaced by a sleeker, more futuristic design – more ergonomic in terms of visibility and pedestrian safety and rather refreshing to behold. Land Rover also say that the design makes the car more aerodynamic which in turn makes it more efficient. It’s completely in line with the modern-day Land Rover design philosophy, which is a byword for sublimity and visual harmony.

It does pretty well on Indian roads

You already know how the baby Disco fared the last time we drove it across Iceland. What remains to be seen is how the India assembled vehicle performs on Indian terrain. As gentrified as it may look, the Disco is no wallflower. Equipped with Land Rover’s patented Terrain Response System, it is fairly adept at climbing uneven surfaces with its entry and departure angles making it a tad more suited to off-roading than the Evoque. It must be noted that even the outgoing Freelander 2 possessed the trademark Land Rover smoothness, even though it was in dire need of an upgrade. Now that it’s got one, it’s good to know that a more augmented form of that smoothness has made its way into the Disco Sport. The car simply wafts over the tarmac steadily thanks to its all-independent suspension and remains perfectly composed. The 2.2 litre diesel engine is the same as the one found in the Freelander 2 and the Evoque in two states of tune (138bhp/188bhp) along with the new 9-speed automatic gearbox by ZF. What it lacks in urgency, it makes up with refinement and poise, and feels quite suited for city and highway driving.

Utility

It’s a 5+2 seater, so it can’t quite fit seven adults in absolute comfort. With the Terrain Response System enabling the vehicle to move over grass, mud-ruts, snow and gravel, it seems adequately equipped to take on even the worst roads, which happen to contain a mix of at least three of the four ingredients. The entry level ‘S’ variant is devoid of several features including a panoramic roof roof, adjustable dampers, cruise control etc. But the basic off-roading apparatus, including ‘Hill-descent’ comes as standard across all variants, as does the safety package which includes driver, passenger, side and curtain airbags.

Verdict

There’s no denying that the Disco Sport is proving to be a popular option. It’s not surprising since Land Rover has priced the car at a perfectly reasonable Rs 46.10 lakh. It certainly looks fresher than anything the competition has to offer – in fact it looks like an offering from a higher segment. In that sense the car is a very complete rendition of a mid-sized premium SUV – it’s comfortable, stylish, practical and attractively priced.