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
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
