While the powertrain is the Discovery Sport’s biggest shortcoming, the chassis it’s bolted to is this crossover’s greatest asset. It starts with a rock-solid unibody structure that’s heavy on steel, although the hood, fenders, roof, and tailgate are aluminum stampings. As we scrambled over packed ice and rutted trails in Iceland, the Discovery Sport’s body never chattered or quivered. On paved roads, the cabin is seriously quiet, especially impressive considering that our test car rolled on studded winter tires.
Ride quality both on- and off-road is excellent, with none of the contrived “sporty” harshness that afflicts the Evoque. The suspension tuning is a masterful balance of compliant damping and firm body control. A new multilink rear suspension that is shorter and more compact than the Evoque’s strut arrangement creates the extra width between the wheels that allows for the optional third row of seats. Land Rover calls the Discovery Sport a 5+ 2-seater, which you should interpret as space for five adults plus a pair of two-year-olds. As an occasional-use seat, though, the best part about the third row is its expert packaging. With the last row folded, the Sport’s load floor is just as low as in the five-passenger version. ( The seven-seater does, however, lack the five-seat model’s underfloor storage
