Land Rover Discovery

FORECOURT LAND ROVER DISCOVERY SPORT P300e

The 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol and electric motor produces a combined 304bhp.

THE KNOWLEDGE

Discovery Sport P300e R-Dynamic SE

Price (as tested): £53,780

Engine: 1.5-litre

turbocharged petrolelectric motor

Power (combined):

304bhp

Torque (combined):

540Nm

Max speed:

130mph

O-60mph:

6.5 seconds

MPG (combined):

175.5

Jon Reay discovers if an electrified powertrain suits the nature of the Discovery Sport.

WHAT IS IT?

The Discovery Sport P300e is a PHEV version of Land Rover’s compact SUV. But does it make more sense than a standard petrol or diesel version?

WHAT’S NEW?

There’s not much to differentiate it from any other Discovery Sport, except of course an extra flap on the rear wing to hide its charge port. Slotting the battery under the boot floor means the P300e misses out on the Sport’s standard third-row seats too – making this a strict five-seater.

WHAT’S UNDER THE BONNET?

In typical PHEV fashion, you get a downsized engine paired with a small battery and electric motor. In the case of the Discovery Sport, it’s a 197bhp three-cylinder 1.5-litre petrol driving the front wheels, and a 107bhp electric motor driving the rears.

To power said electric motor, Land Rover has squeezed in a 15kWh battery, giving a range of (in theory) 34 miles on electricity alone. Curiously for a Land Rover, these two motors effectively work independently of one another. There are a few benefits to this kind of setup of course – not least efficiency – but it’s worth remembering that when the Sport is operating in electric mode, it’s effectively rear-wheel-drive only.

WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE?

If you’re wincing at the thought of a car as large and expensive as this being propelled by a three-cylinder engine, fear not – the turbocharged 1.5 actually fits the Discovery Sport rather well. Most of the time it goes about its business without too much aural intrusion, and even under load it sounds quite pleasing and throaty.

As with most PHEVs though, there are a few operational quirks. For example, on multiple occasions we set off with a full battery only to find the petrol engine running regardless and the dash display stating ‘EV Mode Unavailable’. The culprit, as far as we could work out, was having the climate control switched on.

Not the end of the world, but frustrating if you’re hoping to regularly use the Discovery Sport on electric-only mode for short journeys such as school runs and shopping trips.

Emissions:

36g/km CO2

Appearance

The new headlight design gives the front a more aggressive look.

TARGET BUYERS:

Compact SUV for buyers who want to economise on fuel but not space.

THE RIVALS:

Volvo XC60 Recharge BMW X3 xDrive30e Kia Sorento PHEV

The cabin

There are hard-wearing materials to keep things practical but it still retains a premium feel.

trim and you’ll get a racy(ish) bodykit with body-coloured plastic, and there are plenty of option packs to make various styling tweaks, too.

WHAT’S IT LIKE INSIDE?

There’s a definite whiff of premium in the cabin – but with just enough hard-wearing materials to keep things practical. As standard (in the P300e at least) you get leather seats and steering wheel, or the option of either of them in a suede-effect cloth instead.

Everything feels sturdy and well screwed together, with reassuringly chunky door cards and extremely well padded (perhaps too much so) seats.

There’s also acres of room inside the Discovery Sport. Rear seat passengers get tremendous amounts of leg room – at least in our car with its optional sliding seats – and the boot is cavernous no matter how you arrange things.

WHAT’S THE SPEC LIKE?

You’ll find all the usual Jaguar Land Rover infotainment systems here – including the new 10-inch Pivi Pro screen in the centre of the dash, standard on all P300e models – and the option of digital dials. Thankfully, this all works rather well, too.

Of course, there’s also plenty of scope for options – two different choices of upgraded Meridian speaker systems, a camera-based rear-view mirror, adjustable ambient cabin lighting and so on. Surprisingly, quite a lot is bundled in as standard – including a ‘3D’effect surround camera, heated front seats and of course Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

WHAT DO THE PRESS THINK?

Autocar said: ‘In all, the P300e is an impressive and efficient car whose technology never intrudes into its easy day-to-day use. Those who buy it for tax reasons will soon discover they’ve chosen a good car into the bargain.’

WHAT DO WE THINK?

If you’re after a plug-in-hybrid SUV, the Discovery Sport makes a pretty decent case for itself. It’s pleasant to drive, surprisingly quick, and there’s no faulting the amount of space inside.

Much like most PHEVs, it can sometimes feel like an awkward bridge between the worlds of internal combustion engines and electricity – not as simple around town as a full EV, and not as efficient on a long journey as a conventional diesel.

However, if you’ve decided that a PHEV is the right fit for your mileage and lifestyle, the Discovery Sport is definitely worth a look. Niggles aside, it’s one of the better-thought-out plug-in-hybrids on sale, and we’d have no issues recommending one over a diesel model – despite the apparent price premium.

KEY SELLING POINTS:

1. Generous electric range. 2.Spacious and posh interior. 3.Quicker to charge than other PHEVs.

DEAL CLINCHER:

An easy-to-live-with PHEV with true off-road capability.

It’s pleasant to drive, surprisingly quick, and there’s no faulting the amount of space inside.