2025 Land Rover Discovery Sport

Some of the best luxury SUVs available are in the compact class, putting the Land Rover Discovery Sport up against world-class competition. The Discovery Sport’s standard all-wheel drive (AWD) and off-road features help make it one of the most capable off-roaders in the class. It can be a practical on-road option, too, with an available third row and serene driving dynamics.

The Discovery Sport is more than a decade old now, however, and that age is beginning to show in some respects, including fuel economy. It also has below-average resale value.

We’ve spent hundreds of hours driving the current collection of luxury compact SUVs, including this Land Rover Discovery Sport.

The 2025 Discovery Sport soldiers on largely unchanged. A new Curated Option package for dogs is offered, with a quilted cargo liner, spill-resistant water bowl, portable rinse system, and foldable pet carrier. Previously standalone options, including configurable cabin lighting, 2-zone climate control with second-row vents, and cabin air purification, are now only available as part of the Comfort Package.

The 2025 Discovery Sport is priced near the middle of its competitive set, starting around $50,000, with the top-spec Dynamic SE model starting in the mid-$50,000s. The 2025 Audi Q5 starts a bit below that in the mid-$40,000s but climbs up into the upper $60,000s. The BMW X3 and Mercedes-Benz GLC are priced to start right around the $50,000 mark but offer variants that start around $60,000, as well.

The 2025 Land Rover Discovery Sport is comfortable and luxurious but not exactly peppy. The “Sport” in its name alludes to its off-road abilities, not on-road performance. It’s certainly up to the task of everyday driving, freeway merges, and the like, but it won’t be your chosen tool for corner carving or stoplight vendettas.

Off-road, however, the Discovery Sport is more capable than many in its class, despite every one of them also coming with standard all-wheel drive. Terrain Response 2 is an electronic traction management system with modes for different types of terrain, including sand, snow, mud and ruts, and rocks — and it automatically chooses the correct mode for you. All Terrain Progress control is also standard, offering cruise control-like off-road speed control to allow you to focus on choosing the best line around trail obstacles.

Fuel Economy

The 2025 Land Rover Discovery Sport gets poor gas mileage for its segment at 20 mpg combined (19 city/23 highway). By comparison, the equivalent 2025 Audi Q5 and Mercedes-Benz GLC get 26 mpg combined, while the BMW X3 gets 29 mpg combined.

The Discovery Sport, like its larger and more expensive siblings, is fitted throughout with high-quality materials. The first two rows are roomy, though the optional third row is rather snug with just 25.7 inches of legroom, more than a foot less than you’ll find in the second row. The 38.1 inches of second-row legroom compares favorably to the 38 inches in the Audi Q5 or 37.4 inches in the Mercedes-Benz GLC.

As for cargo space, the Discovery Sport is among the roomiest in the luxury compact SUV segment at 32.2 cubic feet behind the second row. The Audi Q5, for example, has 25.6 cubic feet, and the Mercedes GLC has 21.9 cubic feet. With the rear seats folded, the Discovery Sport has 60 cubic feet, the Q5 has 54, and the GLC has 56.3 cubic feet.

Despite being more than a decade old at this point, the Discovery Sport still looks fairly fresh thanks to recent appearance tweaks and updates. Although it’s on the smaller end of the Land Rover spectrum, the Discovery Sport still manages a careful balance between rugged and elegant. Opting for the Dynamic SE variant adds more street-oriented style, with 19-inch wheels, Shadow Aluminum trim, a black contrast roof, and other subtle details.

Standard AWD
This capable, confident all-wheel-drive system underlies the Discovery Sport’s electronic traction aids and smart off-road features, making it one of the best options in the class in treacherous conditions or light off-roading.

Terrain Response 2
As the name implies, this system gives a range of drive mode selections optimized for different terrains. Sand, snow, mud, rocks, and more are all within the Discovery Sport’s bandwidth.

All Terrain Progress Control
This is like cruise control for off-road driving. It automatically maintains a steady speed in off-road conditions.

Optional 3-row seating
The Discovery Sport’s available third-row seat is unusual in the segment, offering seating for up to 7 occupants.

Pivi Pro infotainment system
The standard Pivi Pro infotainment system has a user-friendly 11.4-inch touchscreen with SiriusXM and wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. A Meridian premium audio system also comes standard.

Adaptive Dynamics
This adaptive suspension system continuously monitors the road, driver inputs, and conditions and adjusts the suspension for optimal performance. It also adds a Dynamic mode with sportier, more controlled suspension characteristics.

A single powertrain drives the whole Land Rover Discovery Sport range. Dubbed P250, it’s a combination of a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder and a 9-speed automatic transmission driving all four wheels. The engine has 246 horsepower and 269 lb-ft of torque.

The Discovery Sport’s power output is typical for a base engine in the class, although many competitors offer upgrade engines with more power.

4-Year/50,000-Mile Warranty

The Land Rover Discovery Sport has a 4-year/50,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty, which is typical for most luxury SUV manufacturers. Some rivals also offer a period of free maintenance.

Safety

The Discovery Sport hasn’t been crash-tested by either the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). It is well-equipped with standard safety tech, including emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, parking sensors, and traffic sign recognition.