[olezay]

Here is the latest review from Consumer Reports:

Land Rover Discovery Sport Review - Consumer Reports

 

[rcbjr2]

Here is the latest review from Consumer Reports:

Land Rover Discovery Sport Review - Consumer Reports

I guess they didn't like it, eh? ;-). There are plenty of good reviews out there as well. All CR seems to be saying is that if it cost a bit less than $50k it might have been a good SUV, but because of the cost, it's not as good as the others. I still like mine. I think it looks more stylish than the others in the CR article. It may not be my best financial decision to pay so much for a small SUV, but it's not my worst financial decision. ;-)

 

[disco808]

I guess they didn't like it, eh? ;-). There are plenty of good reviews out there as well. All CR seems to be saying is that if it cost a bit less than $50k it might have been a good SUV, but because of the cost, it's not as good as the others. I still like mine. I think it looks more stylish than the others in the CR article. It may not be my best financial decision to pay so much for a small SUV, but it's not my worst financial decision. ;-)

yup. for a compact SUV, the competitors out there do not stand a chance in style/looks, roominess, and versatility (on and off road capabilities). I can go on and on about how stylish the DS is, but really it's how a car rides that matters. my DS is so comfortable to ride in (my wife agrees too and she's picky) even with 22s on.


I guess DS's aggressive look with black pack and its slight higher price tag isn't for everyone. and it's ok, because people have different tastes in style and what they're looking for. so for an average buyer looking for mainly practicality, yes, stick with the Kia, Volvo, X3, Jeep or whatever compact SUV they're comparing DS to...that's it.

 

[petcha]

Wow that's a harsh one. The pricing comments are ridiculous. The DS is priced a bit under BMW for sure and on par or lower than others in the class.

Another review about the poor acceleration. Sometimes I wonder if they are driving a different car? The DS I test drove was smooth and responsive. Like no other cars have turbo lag? Come on...

Also, US news ranks the DS at the bottom of its segment. I guess best in class cargo space and back seat leg room don't matter? I should fork over 65-70k for their number one and just buy a **** Macan

 

[Junior]

The Discovery Sport’s few advantages aren’t enough to lift it out of the cellar. There are many better compact luxury SUVs out there.

If that's the case, I I think that they should've talked more about what those other models and why.

 

[mamaDS]

This is a great forum! I've been running through all the pertinent posts as we are looking to buy a DS in Paris (we are long-time American expats).

But back to subject at hand in this thread...

We test-drove the DS while in the US this past summer and I have to admit that I had the exact reaction as the CR reviewer. Really laggy and soft on the acceleration until suddenly the turbo kicked in. And I'm not talking about highway driving where you want power. This was an around-town drive and it (ahem) drove me crazy... seriously, it felt almost dangerous in the lack of reactivity, at normal acceleration speeds.

So we decided to wait until coming back to Paris to test-drive the diesel version (France has multiple diesel options). I drove the entry level diesel (with automatic transmission) yesterday and seemed fine. There's still a wee bit of lag (normal) but nothing that makes one's stomach turn which was the case with the one I drove in the States. If most people are not experiencing this, could it be that there are some 'lemon' engines out there....? We'll probably go for TD4 (2.0L) 6-speed manual...the 9-speed automatic is very sexy but more expensive here and I'd rather save the cash for other options.

Just my two cents!!
mama of three kids who loves to drive


PS After the test drive in the US, I did some research and found I wasn't the only one... Car & Driver had a review similar to CR:

"The engine’s slight hesitations are exacerbated by a transmission that downshifts with uncomfortable, pregnant pauses between the accelerator input and the gear change. We’ve had the same complaint in other vehicles that use the same ZF-supplied transmission, including the Jeep Cherokee. Compared with the six-speed unit it replaces, the nine-speed gearbox feels like a step backward. Full-throttle shifts from eighth gear to fourth at highway velocities feel as if they can be measured in full seconds. And while shift quality is smoother than in the Cherokee, the upshift from first to second is still accompanied by the same unpleasant jerk.

"Between the engine’s lag and the transmission’s hesitations, it can be a challenge to drive the Discovery Sport smoothly. During part-throttle acceleration—to climb a hill, make a pass, or simply accelerate for a rising speed limit—the Sport takes its time responding before suddenly delivering too much oomph. The result is an unseemly surge that will make your passengers think you’re treating the gas pedal like an on-off switch. Jaguar Land Rover’s all-new Ingenium turbocharged 2.0-liter engine, set to go into production in late 2016, can’t get here soon enough."

Land Rover Discovery Sport Reviews - Land Rover Discovery Sport Price, Photos, and Specs - Car and Driver

 

[petcha]

Thanks for the post and perspective mamaDS.

Last winter, when I was reading the early reviews, I actually refused to even consider the DS due to the negative press regarding the acceleration, despite the otherwise positive accolates. Then, my friend and his wife went to test drive one and raved to me about it, so I went myself with a heavy bias against the car.

Needless to say that I had a really good test drive. I brought my wife back and we both drove it around, she gave me the thumbs up.

So I haven't really experienced an issue first hand (talking about the gas, not the diesel by the way). And it seems like most on this forum have noticed some minor issues with the turbo lag but agree that it doesn't detract from the car overall.

Hope that I feel the same way as I did on my test drives when mine comes in a couple of weeks!

 

[olezay]

Oh boy, I cannot believe this one from Australia:

Land Rover Discovery Sport 2015 Review - motoring.com.au

Its initial review was good, but the long term review just came out makes me sad... :crying:

 

[LRD]

Those long term reviews are super valuable, it's what I tend to wait for with a new vehicle as you never know what to expect of them until they are really tested.