Look for the 2024 Land Rover Discovery Sport to sport a significant redesign to address the premium compact SUV’s principal shortcoming: an aging interior that’s not as opulent as it should be.
The new interior brings the vehicle more in line with its pricier siblings in the JLR line-up, starting with a revised transmission gear selector accented by dark anodized aluminum trim in a simplified center console. There’s also an updated three-spoke multi-function steering wheel with buttons that access the Pivi Pro infotainment system or activate the vehicle’s virtual voice assistant. It’s now fitted with standard steering wheel-mounted gearshift paddles.
The revised interior can be trimmed in leather or suede cloth paired with the luxuriously soft, non-leather Luxtec, a manmade material manufactured from recycled polyester microfiber.
A meaningful tech upgrade
Most notably, the Discovery Sport receives a new 11.4-inch curved glass Pivi Pro touchscreen that now features shortcuts controls for media, volume, climate and navigation, among other functions, that JLR states provides access to 90% of its functions with a mere two taps.
Pivi Pro also integrates Android Auto, Amazon Alexa voice AI and wireless Apple CarPlay. Wireless device charging is now standard as well. The Discovery Sport can also be fitted with two USB-C chargers in each row, and 12-volt power point for the second row and cargo hold.
“Discovery Sport now offers an extraordinary suite of technology features for the whole family thanks to the introduction of the latest Pivi Pro,” said James Sanderson, Lifecycle chief engineer for JLR. “The reductive new center console complements the refreshed exterior and liberates even more generous storage areas. Meanwhile, its range of power options, all-terrain capability technologies, and impressive flexibility with up to seven seats mean it is truly capable.”
The new Discovery Sport also comes with cabin filtration, and a suite of cameras to keep track of the world around you.
Other updates
But the exterior receives a touch up as well. Up front, you’ll be greeted by a gloss-black grille, color-matching rocker panels, and silver skid plates as well as revised 19- and 21-inch wheels. Dynamic models are more aggressive, with lower body sills, and lower bumpers in a gloss black finish, as well as three-strake design elements on the front air intakes.
That air feeds the P250 Ingenium gasoline engine, a 246-horsepower turbocharged 4-cylinder engine matched with a 9-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. Land Rover says it will propel its seven-seat entry-level SUV from 0-60 mph in 7.5 seconds.
The Discovery Sport can be ordered, with prices starting at $48,900 before destination charge, options and taxes.
The changes bring the entry-level vehicle more into line with the rest of the Land Rover portfolio, and should help juice the sales of the Discovery Sport, which has seen demand slide during the past couple years.