The Discovery Sport has been missed by many luxury SUV buyers.
When Land Rover Malaysia launched this all new 7-seat SUV in August 2015, they did not put a lot of emphasis on marketing this premium SUV as it was fully imported, yet it was still priced a little lower over its immediate 7-seat rivals like the BMW X5 (F15) which was available as a 3.0L diesel or a 3.5L petrol and priced from RM539k.
The Discovery Sport launch selling price was just RM399k and at the time the Volvo XC90 had not yet arrived. With little marketing emphasis the take up rate was low and only a handful of reconditioned units arrived via private importers over the next few years.
When the Volvo XC90 arrived (with 7 seats) it was priced closer to the X5 at RM453,888 and it became a segment best seller almost immediately and still maintains that lofty position.
Meanwhile, this capable 4×4 Land Rover gets very little attention in the used car market today because it carries a ‘Land Rover’ badge and NOT a ‘Range Rover badge.
The 2015 model Discovery Sport delivers a highly refined combination of performance, safety and efficiency thanks to a body shell of high-strength steel and lightweight aluminum, a 240hp turbocharged 2.0-liter petrol engine working with a 9-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive.
As with every Land Rover at the time and even today, safety has been a key priority in the, resulting in a first-in-class pedestrian airbag, autonomous emergency braking, and a state-of-the-art body-shell featuring both ultra-high-strength steel and lightweight aluminium.
This represents a fraction of the advanced equipment available in Discovery Sport, which also includes Head-Up Display, an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system and tilt-and-slide row-two seating for maximum interior configurability.
Equipped with a comprehensive occupant safety package that includes a total of seven airbags, driver and passenger, knee, and side curtain and thorax airbags.
Other safety features include Hill Descent Control (HDC®), Gradient Release Control (GRC®), Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Traction Control (ETC), Electronic Power Assisted Steering (EPAS), Hill Start Assist, Roll Stability Control (RSC), and Dynamic Stability Control (DSC).
Being a Land Rover, the Discovery Sport offers unrivalled all-terrain performance optimized approach, departure and break-over angles and Terrain Response® System.
Fact, it drives and feels like a grown up Range Rover Evoque and with a lower asking price, this should be the first choice for buyers, however the lack of the mighty ‘Range Rover’ badge on it prevents high demand and less snob appeal.
When bought new, this Discovery Sport had a 5-years Warranty and 5-years Servicing package included which means the first owners looked after it and probably never even drove it on red earth or into a durian dusun.
If you were to check with aftermarket Land Rover mechanics they will share the many issues that come with this model, from leaking fuel lines, to faulty brakes and electronic issues.
Good news is that there were more than a dozen recalls done in the first 4 years (from 2015 to 2019) which meant the first owner would have done all the necessary (you will need to check this) and your ownership will be just to follow up on some of the issues yearly.
So, as a used buy premium 4×4, it has depreciated 60 to 65 percent which makes it good value today. Prices range from a surprising RM145,000 to an affordable RM170,000.
Find a single owner unit and you will get full service and maintenance history for a piece of mind ownership.
There are quite a few units on sale in our local online classifieds so take your time to pick the unit that has complete service history and even better if it is still being maintained at Jaguar Land Rover Malaysia.
Specifications Land Rover Discovery SPORT Si4 Petrol
Engine: 4-cylinder Turbo Petrol
Displacement: 1,999cc
Max power: 240ps @ 5,800rpm
Max torque: 340Nm @ 1,750rpm
0-100km/h: 7.6secs
Top Speed: 217km/h
Transmission: 9-Speed Drive Select/Sport Mode
