Land Rover

Discovery Sport

Land Rover proudly describes its Discovery Sport as the world’s most versatile and capable compact SUV – a title that it easily lives up to. It boasts dynamic styling, mild and plug-in hybrid EV engines, class-leading technology and all the 4×4 capabilities you could wish for.

The good

Handling, capabilities and styling

The bad

Optional extras crank up the price

Tech Specs

Price from

£31,575

Combined Fuel up to

40.9mpg (175mpg PHEV)

0-62 from

6.6 seconds

max speed up to

140mph

co2 from

144g/km (38g/km PHEV)

Test Drive

Discovery Sport P300e PHEV – First Drive (2021)

Land Rover’s Discovery Sport is a go-anywhere vehicle that is big on style, comfort and performance. And now it boasts plug-in hybrid technology too.

That’s because Land Rover has developed a new Premium Transverse Architecture platform especially for its plug-in and mild hybrid vehicles, so the Evoque and Discovery Sport, with their financial tax savings, are suddenly a lot more appealing to the fleet market.

The Discovery Sport P300e (the 300 refers to the combined horsepower) features a turbocharged 1.5-litre, three-cylinder Ingenium petrol engine and an 80kW electric motor powered by a 15kWh lithium-ion battery.

With a total power output of 309hp and 540Nm of torque, the car can sprint from 0-62mph in a very respectable 6.6 seconds and tops out at 130mph. It can reach speeds of up to 84mph using electric power alone.

In addition, the engine is matched to an all-new eight-speed transmission that is 5kg lighter than the nine-speed gearbox fitted in standard Disco Sport models.

The Discovery Sport PHEV is only available in high-end R-Design trim level, but customers can select from S, SE or HSE grades. We opted for SE priced at £48,430 (£57,205 with options fitted). Although the price is quite steep compared to some rivals, the running costs are impressive with a combined 143.3-175.5mpg and carbon emissions of 44g/km.

Clearly that mpg would only be achievable if the car was regularly charged and driven for a high proportion of the time in EV mode. But it’s that low emissions figure that will grab the attention of fleet drivers with great savings to be gained and an 11 per cent Benefit in Kind company car tax rating.

The Discovery Sport PHEV looks imposing from any angle thanks to its upright stance, tapered roofline and chunky 20-inch wheels. Design cues include R-Dynamic styled front and rear bumpers, premium LED headlights with signature daytime running lights, a titanium mesh trim finish, a shadow atlas grille with gloss black surround, black gearshift paddles, powered heated seats, ebony headlining and ambient lighting.

Our test car also featured a fixed panoramic roof (£1,120 extra), privacy glass (£420), black contrast roof (£610) and a few other optional extras.

The interior is generously equipped with all the latest tech, including full smartphone connectivity via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, Bluetooth, a connected navigation system, a pitch perfect sound system, wireless charging, climate control and lots more besides.

When it comes to performance, the Discovery Sport P300e PHEV impresses as it pulls away in complete silence and the petrol engine joins in seamlessly in the background. Despite being a three-pot powertrain, it delivers ample oomph with lively acceleration through the gearbox. The driver can use paddles to change gears manually and there are various modes that alter the responses and behaviour of the car.

As well as all the off-road settings such as Comfort, Sand, Grass-Gravel-Snow, Mud & Ruts, the PHEV model also has some hybrid-specific modes. Hybrid is the default setting and delivers the best combination of engine and electric motor combined. Save mode stores the EV-only range which is handy if you are planning on travelling through congestion charge zones. And finally, EV mode, is for pure electric driving with a range of 34 miles between charges.

Out on the sweeping country lanes, the road-holding is assured meaning bends can be attacked with confidence, but you can expect a little body lean into tighter corners if driving too enthusiastically. This is purely down to the high-sided design of the vehicle.

The steering is nicely weighted and offers plenty of driver feedback, and all the controls, dials and readouts are perfectly positioned for use on the fly. The all-round visibility is good too and there is a clever ClearSight Rear View Mirror system that helps you see what’s happening behind the car if the usual rearview mirror view is blocked by back seat passengers. This is thanks to a rear-facing camera positioned above the back window which displays HD video on the mirror instead.

Noise levels from the engine and road surface are barely noticeable, and this car is as happy pottering through busy town centres as it is eating up the motorway miles. Comfort levels are excellent, but it’s worth noting that the PHEV technology is not available in the seven-seat Disco Sport models, just the five-seat version.

There are a number of ways to charge the Discovery Sport P300e PHEV. Using a Mode 2 cable will take 6 hours, 40 minutes from a plug socket which is ideal for overnight charging when energy tariffs are often cheaper. Faster Mode 3 charging is possible via a 7kW domestic wallbox and takes 1 hour 24 minutes to boost the battery from zero to 80 per cent. The quickest method is via a 32kW fast charger where 0-80 per cent can be achieved in just 30 minutes.

With family holidays in mind, this Discovery Sport can tow a trailer or caravan weighing up to 1.6 tonnes. And there is a really practical Advanced Tow Assist feature that costs £355 extra and helps to make towing easier and safer. The driver simple steers the trailer via a dial instead of counter-steering the vehicle itself.

The boot has a 1,179-litre capacity that increases to 1,794 litres with the split-folding rear seats dropped flat and there is additional room for 48 litres of goods in various storage compartments throughout the car.

The Discovery Sport is packed with class-leading safety kit and it’s always worth remembering that this is a Land Rover after all, so it is more than capable if faced with challenging off-road driving or adverse weather conditions. It may have a softer side, but if necessary it can clamber over boulders, climb slippery tracks and even wade through streams up to a depth of 600mm.

Test Drive

Land Rover Discovery Sport – First Drive (2019)

When Land Rover launched its all-new Discovery Sport in 2015 as a replacement for the popular Freelander model it was met with high praise the world over.

Now, four years down the line and with 120,000 UK sales under its belt there is an upgraded model – and it’s better than ever.

The 2019 Discovery Sport boasts a fresh look, has extra on-board technology, additional space, a wealth of innovative safety kit, plus all-new electrified powertrains that introduce cleaner and more efficient driving.

It costs from £31,575 to £49,675 and customers can choose from trim levels called Standard, S, SE, HSE, R-Dynamic, R-Dynamic S, R-Dynamic SE and R-Dynamic HSE. The entry-level model is front wheel drive and has five seats, but all other variants have seven-seat practicality plus all-wheel drive.

The engine line-up is all-new and introduces 48-volt mild hybrid technology across all three petrol and four diesel Ingenium engines. Only the base model misses out on this new system which improves fuel efficiency by up to seven per cent and sees CO2 emissions drop by up to 10g/km. And there’s more good news because early in the new year, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle will be added to the mix.

New Discovery Sport certainly looks the business from any approach with its dynamic stance and lots of fresh design cues. These include new signature LED headlamps at the front and rear, plus an updated grille and bumpers. Of course, the trademark clamshell bonnet, tapered roof and rising belt-line remain untouched.

The R-Design models also gain Shadow Atlas script on the bonnet and tailgate, unique bumpers, along with body-coloured side sills and wheel arches.

Move inside and you will notice that Land Rover has upgraded the interior with more comfortable seats designed in the finest leather, plus a wealth of technology to explore. The Touch Pro infotainment system is standard across the line-up and introduces a new 10.25-inch touchscreen with swipe and zoom functions. A lower interface remains hidden until brought into life and this is where the controls for the heating, ventilation and climate system are found along with Terrain Response 2 settings and the Advanced Tow Assist function.

Creature comforts are plentiful and include a pitch perfect Meridian sound system, full smartphone connectivity via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, Bluetooth, a navigation system, powered and heated seats plus plenty more besides. There is even smart Artificial Intelligence technology which is a self-learning system that recognises the driver from their key fob or phone and will set up their seat and steering column preferences. After a few journeys, this clever system starts remembering the driver’s preferred temperature settings, media preferences, commonly dialled numbers and even massaging seat settings. It’s certainly Big Brother territory, but not in a bad way.

We had the opportunity to test out the 2.0-litre 180hp Turbocharged diesel model with 430Nm of torque and a new nine-speed automatic transmission. This model could sprint from 0-60mph in 9.4 seconds, maxed out at 125mph, delivered combined fuel economy of 37.2mpg (WLTP) with carbon emissions of 150g/km (NEDC). The car, in high-end HSE spec, cost £46,025, although a number of optional extras saw the final asking price creep up to £48,870.

Out on the road, the Disco Sport cruised effortlessly at top motorway speeds and the grip is confident and assured on quieter country lanes as it fires through the automatic gearbox. A Dynamic mode sharpens up the reactions even further and the vehicle is also nicely agile in busier villages.

But the Discovery family is synonymous with off-roading so we were invited to put the car (without any adjustments to tyres or bodywork etc) through its paces on a demanding course at a Land Rover Experience centre.

The highly-acclaimed Terrain Response 2 system offers four modes – Comfort, Sand, Grass-Gravel-Snow or Mud & Ruts. These can be selected manually or you can choose Auto and let the car decide what mode it should be in – which is probably the safest option.

Steep inclines, sharp drops, flooded ditches, rocks and muddy bogs did their very best to deter the Discovery Sport, but to no avail. The Hill Descent system was magnificent and the grip didn’t falter once as the car scrambled its way around the course. There are some clever cameras on the bumper and mirrors that let you see what’s directly in front or next to the wheels and this was much appreciated on narrower sections of the track with drops either side.

The Discovery Sport has approach, departure and break-over angles of 25, 30 and 20 degrees respectively and ground clearance of 212mm. It will climb gradients of up to 45 degrees and lean at nerve-jangling angles. And should a water obstacle suddenly appear, the Discovery Sport can wade at depths of up to 600mm.

With practicality in mind, the new model has a boot capacity ranging from 1,179 to 1,794 litres with the 40:20:40 split-folding second row seats dropped flat. There is an additional 48 litres worth of storage compartments – an increase of 25 per cent over the outgoing vehicle – and connectivity for smart devices is covered via eight USB and three 12-volt charge points throughout the cabin. There are also optional Click & Go tablet holders, which hold and charge smart devices for passengers travelling in the second row, costing an extra £215 each.

Towing is simplified by the Advanced Tow Assist system that allows the driver to focus on steering the trailer via a dial instead of the difficult counter-steering of the vehicle, and the Discovery Sport has a towing limit of 2.5 tonnes.

The car secured a maximum five-star Euro NCAP safety rating and is packed with kit such as Autonomous Emergency Braking and Lane Keep Assist, Cruise Control and Speed Limiter, a Driver Condition Monitor, front and rear parking aids, a rear camera, a full suite of airbags and three Isofix fixtures.

There is the option of adding a Driver Assist pack and this introduces a wealth of extra safety features, including Land Rover’s Adaptive Cruise Control with Steer Assist and 360-degree camera, Park Assist, a 360-degree parking aid, Rear Traffic Monitor, Wade Sensing, Blind Spot Assist, High Speed Emergency Braking and Clear Exit Monitor.

All in all, the new Discovery Sport seems to be the complete package and the latest model is likely to see demand grow at a rapid-fire pace. It looks dynamic, drives beautifully, boasts punchy yet economical engines, it is packed with the latest technology and it will literally go anywhere.

Test Drive

Land Rover Discover Sport SD4 HSE Luxury

With all the elegant appeal of a Range Rover and the awesome off-road capabilities of a Discovery, buyers are treated to the best of both worlds if they sign on the dotted line and drive away from a Land Rover showroom in the Discovery Sport.

Launched in 2015 as a replacement for the Freelander, the five or seven-seat Discovery Sport is available in two or four-wheel-drive with a choice of engines, transmissions and trim levels so customers have a wealth of models to choose from.

With its go-anywhere styling it looks imposing from any angle thanks to chunky 20-inch wheels, distinctive fender vents and grille with black surround, a clamshell bonnet, a black tailgate finisher, privacy glass and a strong, muscular profile.

Move inside and the cabin oozes quality with a clean, clutter-free design that is packed with premium features and quality finishes such as perforated Windsor Leather seats, soft-touch surfaces, full smartphone connectivity, heated seats (front and back), ambient lighting, a rear-view camera and an Entertainment Pack option costing £2,245 that added a 16-speaker Meridian surround sound system, a 10-inch touchscreen, Wi-Fi hotspots, an advanced sat nav system and plenty more besides.

The test car was priced at £47,894 (£51,595 with options) and was powered by a 240PS 2.0-litre SD4 diesel engine. It could sprint to 62mph from a standing start in 7.5 seconds, maxing out at 127mph and, according to official figures, it delivers combined fuel economy of 44.1mpg with carbon emissions of 169g/km.

In the past I have been fortunate enough to drive the Discovery Sport off-road and although I had no plans to venture from the Tarmac on this occasion, it’s most reassuring to know just how accomplished the vehicle’s Terrain Response system is. It adjusts the car’s mechanics to deal with grass, gravel, snow, mud and ruts and that means the vehicle can wade through water up to 600mm deep and climb over obstacles 211mm high. In fact, at launch Land Rover claimed the Discovery Sport was “the most versatile and premium compact SUV ever” – and that is a title it will not give up without a fight.

With versatility and practicality in mind, the Discovery Sport can quickly and simply be converted from a five-seat family car into a seven-seat vehicle thanks to a pair of rear seats that fold flat to the boot floor when not in use. Storage options are also impressive with a boot capacity that ranges from 194 litres to 1,698 litres with the seats dropped flat. In addition, there is a good-sized glovebox, cup holders, central bin and practical door pockets to safely store away bits and pieces.

The vehicle offers excellent levels of comfort for all occupants and the legroom in the back is very generous with ample space for a trio of adults of the taller variety to stretch out. This means lengthy journeys can be enjoyed no matter where you are sitting and the comfortable driving position is also worthy of a mention too. In fact, I completed a 250-mile trip without any breaks and felt great when I arrived at my destination.

That’s partly down to the comfort but also because the Discovery Sport is a delight to drive. The driver’s seat and steering wheel can be adjusted to find the perfect position and excellent all-round visibility is another bonus. In addition, all the dials, controls and read-outs are perfectly positioned for ease of use.

And there’s no need to be scared of the vehicle’s larger dimensions either as it proved deceptively agile when negotiating some narrow lanes through St Ives in Cornwall where it confidently tackled tight twists and turns.

Then out on the open road, the acceleration was smooth and rapid through the nine-speed automatic gearbox. The road-holding was ultra-grippy which meant the car could be driven enthusiastically into long sweeping bends for fun and the 4×4 system keeps the car firmly planted with next-to-no body sway.

When it comes to refinement, the cabin is well insulated so very little wind, engine or road surface sound filters through and the firm suspension helps to iron out any undulating road surfaces or unexpected potholes.

The car is also packed with a whole raft of safety features and driver aids, although I did find the Auto High Beam Assist was a little slow to react in the fog and resulted in a few oncoming vehicles flashing their headlights at me.

But that aside, the Disco Sport was a dream to drive and I’m just sorry my prayers for a snow storm were ignored during my two-week driving experience.

Test Drive

Discovery Sport 2.0 TD4 HSE Luxury automatic

Having been quite a loyal fan of the Land Rover Freelander I was a tad concerned when the company announced it was being discontinued and a replacement would be found.

But those fears were most definitely unwarranted as Land Rover introduced its all-new Discovery Sport model which it billed as the most versatile and premium compact SUV ever – and it’s a worthy title.

In fact, it exceeds all expectations because it utilises all the finest qualities of the Freelander and combines them with the go-anywhere capabilities of the Discovery and stunning styling of the Range Rover – the result is a highly refined SUV that looks amazing, is dressed to thrill and offers exceptional off-roading options along the way.

The seven-seat Discovery Sport looks athletic and muscular from any angle thanks to chunky 20-inch alloy wheels, a clamshell bonnet, distinctive grille, a panoramic sunroof, pronounced wheel arches, xenon headlamps with LED signature and front fog lamps. The test model also featured a Santorini Black contrast roof costing an additional £500 that blended beautifully with the striking Phoenix Orange body work.

Step inside and the interior oozes premium class and is very Range Rover-esque in its luxurious styling and first class techno treats. Features include the finest Windsor leather upholstery, a tablet-like touchscreen with swipe, scroll and drag functions, an 11-speaker sound system, sat nav, a heated leather steering wheel, cooled and heated front seats with power adjustments, configurable ambient lighting, automatic wipers and lights, dual-zone climate control and plenty more besides.

In addition, it’s worth remembering that the Discovery Sport is a very established operator away from the Tarmac too thanks to its Terrain Response system that can be set to deal with varying conditions with settings for normal roads, grass, gravel, snow, mud and ruts. But for this particular test drive I was sticking strictly to the road as I clocked up just over 700 miles during my two-week loan.

The vehicle’s in-house designed and built Ingenium 2.0-litre diesel engine certainly impressed with a constant supply of power on tap at all times, and despite its large dimensions the Discovery Sport proved both agile and deceptively fast. It can sprint to 60mph from a standing start in 8.7 seconds and tops out at 117mph. According to official figures it can achieve combined fuel efficiency of 53.3mpg with carbon emissions of 139g/km.

But it’s the manner in which the Discovery Sport handles that cannot fail to impress. In busy town centres the vehicle was simple to manoeuvre and the high-seated driving position was an added bonus with cars and pedestrians darting out from all angles.

Then out on faster motorways and open roads the car was an absolute pleasure to drive. It cruised effortlessly through the automatic 9-speed transmission with steering wheel-mounted paddles available if you want to take a little extra control.

The road-holding from this four-wheel-drive model was completely assured and the steering nice and precise. Another impressive factor was how quiet the cabin remained – even at higher speeds it was well-insulated against road surface, engine or any wind noise.

Comfort levels are also very high and the extra two seats folded flat to the boot floor mean the vehicle can quickly be transformed into a very practical seven-seater. The boot is accessed via a powered tailgate and storage options are comprehensive with a capacity of 194 litres which can be increased to 1,698 litres with seat rows two and three lowered. Elsewhere there are plenty of handy storage compartments including a good-sized glovebox, cup holders, deep central bin and practical door pockets.

And, of course, the car boasts a comprehensive list of innovative safety features to help protect both occupants and pedestrians.

All in all, the Discovery Sport, priced at £43,000 (£47,975 with options) is a fantastic all-rounder packed to bursting with technology – it looks stunning, is loaded with creature comforts and even delivers outstanding off-road options when needed.

Test Drive

Land Rover Discovery Sport MY16 – first drive

When Land Rover launched its replacement for the Freelander earlier this year it was greeted with nothing but positive feedback, but there was just one element missing – an engine worthy of such a prominent vehicle.

That’s because at launch the Discovery Sport was powered by a somewhat dated and not particularly efficient 2.2-litre diesel powertrain.

But that has changed now thanks to the introduction of JLR’s in-house designed and built 4-cylinder 2.0-litre Ingenium diesel engine that is efficient, powerful and complies with all the Euro6 stringent cleanliness standards.

The Ingenium engine is available with two power outputs 150bhp or 180bhp. According to Land Rover, it is 24kg lighter than the outgoing SD4 engine and up to 16 per cent more efficient.

The 150PS version can deliver a very creditable 57.9mpg with carbon emissions of just 129g/km. However, the only downside is that this particular engine is only available with a six-speed manual gearbox and on models fitted with five seats as opposed to seven to save weight.

I had the opportunity to test out two models fitted with the more powerful 180bhp option on lengthy road routes that incorporated busy town centres, motorways and lots of twisting country lanes.

We also put the Discovery Sport through its paces on some of Eastnor Castle’s punishing off-roading tracks.

For the road driving I initially drove an entry level SE model priced at £34,200 (£46,150 with options).

This model can sprint to 60mph from a standing start in 8.4 seconds and has a top speed of 117mph. It can achieve combined fuel efficiency of 53.3mpg with carbon emissions of 139g/km.

The first thing that impressed me was how smooth and quiet the start-up is compared to outgoing models. There is far less vibration and juddering motions when pulling away and the cabin remains beautifully quiet even when the car is pushed hard.

The nine-speed automatic transmission works brilliantly with the new engine – it’s both responsive and flowing as it eases through the gears. And you can take extra control via the steering wheel-mounted paddles if you wish.

The road-holding and all other aspects are still just as impressive as when the car was initially launched. It’s a vehicle that offers great driving dynamics, excellent comfort levels and all the versatility one could wish for in a 5+2 seat vehicle. There are techno treats and creature comforts galore to be explored. It has all simply got better thanks to the new powertrain.

The second vehicle for the road route was the range-topping HSE Luxury grade priced at £43,000 – increased to £47,475 with options.

This model had identical performance stats to the first vehicle, but boasted some additional on-board luxury. Basically it has all the bells and whistles!

Once again, the Discovery Sport was sharp, responsive and an absolute delight to drive. The high seated position is of great benefit when driving along winding country lanes as it offers a view above the hedgerows to see what’s ahead, which is invaluable when tractors are creeping out at all angles.

But once again, the engine was the star of the show delivering a punchy performance and despite being slightly less powerful than the outgoing 190bhp engine, there was a constant supply of power on tap which makes light work of rapid manoeuvres such as overtaking.

And finally to the off-road part of the test. Eastnor Castle spreads across 5,000 acres with 80 miles of tracks offering some of the toughest terrain in the UK. It has been a proving ground for Land Rover for decades and is the ideal place to test a vehicle’s capabilities to the limit.

We spent almost two hours tackling steep inclines, traversing muddy banks and wading through deep water with hidden rocks and dips beneath the surface. And the Discovery Sport was up to every challenge put in its path. The Terrain Response system was set to mud and ruts and it offered all the traction you could wish for. In addition, the hill descent system made light work of long, slippery slopes.

It’s also worth noting that there were no additional features fitted to the vehicle that we drove off-road – it was the HSE Luxury model on standard wheels. It was simply a lot dirtier!

The Discovery Sport is a vehicle that can wade up to depths of 600mm, has an obstacle clearance of 212mm and boasts approach and departure angles of 25 and 31 degrees, so why would we expect anything but total success when faced with boulders to climb and rivers to cross?

All in all, the Discovery Sport is a fabulous piece of kit. It’s practical, competitively priced, offers all the versatility and comfort of a luxury 5+2 vehicle and can tackle anything Mother Nature throws in its path along the way. And now it finally has the perfect engine to complete the package.

Test Drive

Discovery Sport – first drive

When you describe your latest model as the world’s most versatile and premium compact SUV it has a lot to live up to – thankfully for Land Rover, the Discovery Sport does just that.

It takes its place in the prestigious company’s line-up replacing the outgoing Freelander model and initially will be powered by a 2.2-litre 4-cylinder diesel SD4 engine delivering 190PS with either a nine-speed automatic or six-speed manual transmission.

Buyers can select from four richly-equipped trim levels with entry prices starting from just a fiver shy of £32.4k and rising to £42,995 for the range-topping HSE Lux model.

The Discovery Sport will be able to sprint to 60mph from a standing start in 8.4 seconds and on to a top speed of 117mph. And according to official figures it can achieve combined fuel efficiency of 44.9mpg with carbon emissions of 166g/km.

But stats and performance figures aside, this is a vehicle that proudly carries the ‘DISCOVERY’ name on its bonnet and that means it has to be capable of any off-road challenge thrown in its path.

So when it came to launching the vehicle which Land Rover sees as a strong rival to the Volvo XC60 and BMW X3, the rugged and frozen volcanic landscape of Iceland was chosen to really put the car through its paces.

And with Mother Nature throwing everything she had at the destination that is just south of the Arctic Circle, the vehicle really had to pull out all the stops.

The Discovery Sport features 5+2 stadium style seating, plus a whole host of innovative systems including a state-of-the-art high strength steel and lightweight aluminium body shell, an all-new touchscreen infotainment system with seven USB connection points, advanced pedestrian airbag technology and a multi-link rear axle that has many benefits including increased agility.

It also boasts an athletic yet muscular appearance with stylish body lines that accentuate its all-round appeal.

Eye-catching features include a clamshell bonnet with distinctive two-bar grille, a rear skid plate, robust bumpers, slim wraparound and circular daytime running lights, pronounced wheel arches, plus a sloping roofline that gently tapers away. But as an example of its strength that roof can support more than 4.5 times the vehicle’s weight – no softy then!

And take your seat behind the multi-function steering wheel and its impossible not to be impressed with the premium build quality and high standard of technology that greets you.

That includes Land Rover’s all-new infotainment system which quickly and efficiently connects the driver in a way never seen before on a Land Rover. There are on-screen swipe, drag and scroll features similar to those found on a smartphone or tablet and you can connect two separate devices wirelessly. In addition all the graphics have been improved and there is enhanced voice recognition too.

And Land Rover is introducing a number of smartphone apps that will allow the owner to check to see if the vehicle is locked or check how much fuel is in the tank from the comfort of their favourite armchair. You will even be able to find the vehicle’s location in a crowded car park.

But despite all the flash technology, this is a working Land Rover that sits neatly between the dogged Defender models and more luxurious Range Rover line-up.

And so to Iceland where during the bleak winter months there are just a few hours of daylight and the Discovery Sport was certainly put to the test during a two-day 250-mile-plus route that skimmed volcanic crater rims, traversed steep inclines and crossed tracks that were deemed impassable.

The Terrain Response system which allows you to tackle normal roads, grass/gravel/snow, mud and ruts, plus sand proved invaluable as did the Hill Descent Control which now delivers a slower speed option.

In addition there’s a whole host of safety features to help protect occupants such as gradient release control, roll stability control, dynamic stability control, electronic traction control and engine drag torque control.

These are just a few of the factors that earned the vehicle a maximum five stars in the Euro NCAP safety ratings.

We tested the top-of-the-range HSE Lux model with nine-speed automatic gearbox and for an SUV, the steering is remarkably sharp. Engine and road noise is also surprisingly low even with studded tyres fitted for extra grip, although the acoustics do pick up slightly when the vehicle is pushed a little harder at motorway speeds.

The Discovery Sport gripped the icy gravel roads like glue and cornering was just as accomplished. In fact, after a short time behind the wheel it was very easy to forget the road surface comprised purely of compact snow and thick ice. Not once did we spot any Tarmac.

Where heavier snow drifts and blizzard-like conditions hampered our progress, the vehicle carved out a new path and even on steep declines the Discovery Sport remained totally composed as the hill descent control kept speeds to a minimum.

The high-seated driving position means all-round visibility is excellent and comfort levels are also good with the heated seats and highly efficient climate control protecting occupants from the bitter chill and minus 10 degrees temperature outside the car.

The sixth and seventh seats are folded neatly into the boot floor and when needed they can quickly be positioned and are ideal for children up to the age of about 12.

And when it comes to storage the Discovery Sport certainly has the upper hand over rivals with a 479-litre boot capacity that can be increased to a whopping 1,698 litres with the second and third rows of seats folded flat.

Sometime next year, the vehicle will be available powered by JLR’s new four-cylinder Ingenium engine, which will see an improvement in fuel efficiency and reduction in carbon emissions. That will coincide with the introduction of a 2WD version with an entry price just under £30k.

So is the fair to say the Discovery Sport is the world’s most versatile and premium compact SUV? All I can say is if it’s not – show me one that beats it.