Land Rover has confirmed it will launch the new Discovery Sport luxury SUV in India in August this year. The model for India will be offered with a 2.2-litre diesel engine in two states of tune – 187bhp and 147bhp. Both versions will come equipped with a nine-speed automatic gearbox.
Land Rover is also likely to launch the Indian version in high-spec HSE guise only. That means the car will get Land Rover’s new InControl touchscreen infotainment system, leather seats with electric adjustment for the front pair, a panoramic roof, xenon headlamps and dual-zone climate control, among other features as standard. The Discovery Sport also features Land Rover’s acclaimed Terrain Response four-wheel-drive system. However, what will distinguish the Sport from rivals such as the Audi Q5, BMW X3 and Volvo XC60 is its inclusion of a third row of seats. While Land Rover is being cautious to call it a ‘5+2’ seating arrangement on account of the limited space in the last row, the ability to seat seven is something that could be a deal maker for many Indian buyers.
Interestingly, Land Rover will assemble the Discovery Sport at its Pune plant right from the beginning, so pricing will be relatively competitive and comparable to locally assembled rivals such as the Q5 and X3. You can expect pricing in the Rs 42-50 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) bracket. In the run up to the Discovery Sport’s launch, Land Rover will also phase out the Freelander, with Indian sales expected to cease by April.
Given that the Freelander has been Land Rover’s strongest seller in India, the company has a lot riding on the success of the Discovery Sport. But if first impressions are anything to go by, the Discovery Sport takes the baton rather smoothly.
Read our Land Rover Discovery Sport review
Nikhil Bhatia
Dipan Sur
Viraaj Bhatnagar
