If there was one word my friends could use to describe me it would probably be ‘competitive’ (even if I hope that wouldn’t be the first word that came to mind). The truth is, I am overly competitive, it’s exhausting really. I am not sure where it stems from, I always played team sports at school and am really good in a team…unless I am on the losing team that is…or if a team member is causing us to lose.
So when I arrived on the Land Rover Discovery Sport launch, I was in my element to say the least. In two days I managed to mountain bike, kayak (where I took the best time…thank you very much!), drive a 4X4 course, compete in a Segway race, do a quarter mile race, go trail running and came close to abseiling (I am terrified of heights and have done this once before so I could tick that off my bucket list…plus there was no competition involved so I had nothing to win). Let’s just say it took me the weekend to recover.
The whole point of this was to showcase the adventure side of the Discovery Sport and I don’t think that Land Rover could have done it any better. So many manufacturer’s claim their vehicles to be for the adventure seekers, but come on, most of these cars wouldn’t make it across a gravel road. It was so refreshing to be on a launch where what they were claiming we actually got to experience, in their product!
The Range Rover Evoque is a car many people desire and the Discovery Sport is it’s more practical (and cheaper) sibling. Land Rover deny that this is a replacement of the now extinct Freelander, nonetheless, it is a very capable off-roader and is the most affordable Landy on the market.
The Discovery Sport comes with Land Rover’s Terrain Response system standard across the range and it makes off-road driving a doddle. In fact, there are few places the Disco won’t be able to take you…it has that Landy blood running through it after all.
The ZF nine-speed automatic, which I first experienced on the Range Rover Evoque in Zambia, is slick and well programmed. This transmission is standard across the range. There are three engines to choose from, starting with the cheapest is a 2,2-litre turbodiesel which has been downtuned to produce 110 kW and 400 N.m of torque. The ‘untouched’ 2,2-litre turbodiesel produces 140 kW and 420 N.m. And then the 2,0-litre petrol engine produces 177 kW and 340 N.m of torque.
The interior is classy and comfy, it feels sophisticated…even if not as luxurious as the Evoque, it is still conducive to a good nap if you are a passenger…and take my word for it, if you are as active as Land Rover showed a Discovery owner to be, you will want a power nap when you get the chance.
The bottom line is, if you are an adventure seeker and you do in fact live an active lifestyle, the Discovery Sport will fit in to all avenues of your life…whether it be climbing up a mountain or taking to the open road for a leisurely weekend away. The options list extensive…and expensive, but from a practical point of view, the Disco won’t disappoint, just choose your extras carefully.
Pricing:
TD4 S: R545 901
SD4 S: R595 020
Si4 S: R598 200
SD4 SE: R640 320
Si4 SE: R643 500
SD4 HSE: R697 020
Si4 HSE: R700 200
SD4 HSE Lux: R736 120
Si4 HSE Lux: R739 300
Check out the gallery from the launch
