Tested: Land Rover Discovery Sport R-Line

This sporting life

A Discovery for the new generation

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Land Rover’s Discovery started as a much-needed ‘bridge’ model between the prosaic pre-Defender ‘Landies’ and the ‘off road car’ we now know and love as the old-time classic Range Rover.

The original was a blend of both design and engineering briefs. Still a vehicle capable of running hard in the mud bogs and forest tracks, yet also bringing some ride refinement to the world of 4WDing.

Importantly, it used coil springs and Range Rover style suspension and drew on the drivetrain engineering of the ‘Rangie’ to create a vehicle owners could happily drive long distances in.

Through further versions the Discovery grew bigger, added a diesel version, and even a semi-sophisticated active suspension set-up. Then the range expanded to include the Sport, which stands alongside the Big Daddy as a ‘streetable’ slightly smaller version.

This is an urban and urbane 4WD, layered with technology and trimmed for luxury motoring. It is endowed with all-wheel drive grip, a clever electronic transmission management system and off-road tech features inherited from the more expensive models in the British brand’s line-up.

Land Rover describes the Sport as a ‘compact SUV’. For New Zealand drivers we’d say it’s actually a ‘right-sized’ SUV for road and dirt.

A chance to try the current Discovery Sport was always going to be accepted.

So how was it? A Land Rover isn’t a Land Rover without some legitimate

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1: Satin-gloss black 20” aluminium alloy wheels are wrapped in road-oriented Pirelli Scorpion tyres.

2: Sculpted vent panels on the front guards announce the name.

3: A ‘right-sized’ SUV for New Zealand use. 4: For the first time, we sat behind a three-nozzle windscreen washer. Nice in traffic, seriously good off road.

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off-road capability, and the Discovery Sport P250 R-Dynamic delivers. It’ll climb hills and ford rivers with greater confidence than high-priced rivals like BMW’s X3. At the upper end of the price spectrum we’d also suggest it would out-motor the Porsche Macan and Mercedes GLC. Not that we’ve driven the latter, but they are a tad ‘Remuera’ aren’t they?

Could a Discovery called Sport even have dared to abandon the brand’s legendary prowess off the tarmac? Not on your nelly.

We discovered tracks to challenge the Sport in south Auckland by visiting some of the big farms that are still growing food for Auckland and beyond. In the fertile volcanic clay soils of Pukekohe and Waiuku, grip is never guaranteed. June’s heavy rains turn the tracks and backroads into slimy reddish brown mudfests. The surface is most reminiscent of molygrease. Even sealed roads are treacherous, with tractors dragging slimy soils out onto the surface. Just the place to make the most of an intelligent all-wheel drive transmission.

Riding on double-five-spoke black 20-inch alloys and Pirelli Scorpion tyres, the Sport might have been excused for parking itself in the nearest drainage ditch on a surface like this. Truth time: the tyres did become ‘slicks’ pretty quickly, but the vehicle’s forward momentum barely faltered. Happy days for us and for the baby potatoes we motored past.

Under the bonnet, the Discovery Sport has a turbocharged four-cylinder engine that makes 184kW (246bhp) and 365Nm of torque. It feeds a nine-speed automatic transmission and that all-wheel drive. There is no low range, nor a transfer case, but there is a host of electronic trail-rated tech equipment that helps the Sport glide over bumpy terrain, slimy spud tracks and paddock-side plough-clumps.

It has a respectable 212mm of ground clearance and will wade through as much as 600mm (23.6 inches) of water.

Inside, the Sport models come with a 10.0-inch infotainment touchscreen featuring Land Rover’s advanced Pivi Pro3 interface. The four foundation pillars of driver assists are the ‘Clearsight’ video rear view mirror, which is similar to the one used by Nissan on the similarly priced Patrol; a very clear heads-up display, wireless device charging and in-dash navigation. There’s a six speaker 180W sound system and the whole package is Apple Car Play and Android Auto compatible.

As anyone buying an SUV priced at almost $100,000 would expect, the leather seats are superb, the driver’s is 12-way adjustable and the fronts are heated. Even in an Auckland winter – hardly a winter at all, just a wet season – the latter feature is appreciated.

Safety: as expected these days, the Discovery has a five-star ANCAP rating. It has dual front, side-chest and side head airbags and a driver’s knee airbag is standard. Electronic brake distribution (EBD), emergency brake assist (EBA) and a speed assist system are standard along with several other advanced safety features including autonomous emergency braking (AEB) – the latter is now essential if a 4WD is to get that five star safety rating. Advanced seat belt reminders are fitted to all seats.

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1: No pretend seven seater here - Land Rover sensibly opted for decent leg-room for four adults and load space behind

2: Leather, quality design and a solid ‘beam’ style centre console. Nothing out of place here.

3: Decent load space, side stowage bin and a robust floor mat all evoke previous versions of the Discovery. 4: The Sport’s mirror is swtchable between high definition video and a proper mirror.

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SPECIFICATIONS 2022 Land Rover Discovery Sport P250 R-Dynamic

Price: $95,900 Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol (transverse) Max power: 184kW at 5,500rpm Max torque: 365Nm at 1,300-4,400rpm Transmission: ZF nine speed automatic/all-wheel drive Economy: 8.4l/100km* Emissions: 189gm/km* Suspension: Independent McPherson strut/ multilink suspension Wheelbase: 2741mm Kerb weight: 1,907kg Turning circle: 11.8 Towing: 2000kg braked/750 unbraked Brakes: ventilated disc brakes front, solid discs rear Wheels/Tyres: Aluminium alloy 20”/Pirelli Scorpion, 235/50 R20 Safety: ANCAP five star

*Manufacturer figure

Cruiserfest out west

Devoted fans ignore the weather

Images by Hannah Wilmott and West Supply

It wasn’t the best weather, but passionate fans of the mighty Toyota Land Cruiser still turned out in their hundreds for the annual ‘Cruising West’ at Waimauku.

They came from all points of the compass to see – and chat about –Land Cruisers dating right back into the early 1970s, including the restored FJ40 featured in NZ4WD back in May. Equally, more modern 70-series and full SUV Land Cruisers were being closely examined.

Many of the tougher trucks were local, prompting a thought that the west may well be home to the largest population of Land Cruisers in the country.

Every Cruiser in the show paid a $5 donation to score a display spot with the money going toward the work of the Sustainable Coastlines charity.

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1. Diversity part one: 40s and shorties on show. 2. Diversity part two: original petrol-powered 1974 Cruiser.

3. More diversity: the Cruiser lane. 4. A huge crowd ignored some pretty ordinary weather to enjoy the show. 5. A ‘long 40’ Cruiser wagon in excellent condition.

6. Nice wee 70 that goes by the name of

‘WRKPIG’. How rude!

7 Custom stretched camper build owned by

Russell Carter of Glen Eden.

Long wheelbase, short wheelbase, camper conversions, utes, tough trucks ready for a run on the beach or in the forest, and even a handful of very original oldies – most Land Cruiser models and modes were on show among the 200-plus vehicle display that spread across three car parks in ‘downtown’ Waimauku.

The crowd eyeballing the assembled 4WDs were knowledgeable and passionate about everything Cruiser – walking past groups deep in conversation revealed almost all were Cruiser owners. Attendees were able to make ‘People’s Voice’ votes across six categories and all entries also went into a draw for a Dometic CFX-3 vehicle fridge.

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