What’s new?

The most recent entry to the luxury segment in the Rs 45 to 55 lakh category is the new Land Rover Discovery Sport and it comes as a breath of fresh air. Replacing the Freelander, this fresh and modern new SUV looks and feels like it is from a whole generation ahead. The competition is new too. BMW’s X3 has got a new 2.0-litre diesel engine and Volvo’s XC60 gets plenty of updates too. Despite each having a strong, distinctive character, all three have more than just a few similarities. All three luxury SUVs get reasonably spacious cabins you can comfortably be chauffeured around in, large big space, four-wheel drive and gearboxes with upwards of eight gears. Their size is also perfect for navigating through congested cities without breaking into a sweat. Nice to drive, they feel tough enough to easily last the better part of a decade and each pack in a good amount of kit too.  

What are they like to drive?

Land Rover’s Discovery Sport draws power from a 2,179cc and four-cylinder engine, producing 147.5bhp. This is a bit low for an SUV that weighs 1,817kg. We soon found, however, that on the road it is capable enough for everyday use to cleanly pull away from regular traffic, with the smooth-sounding engine making the experience even nicer. One may even mistake it to be a petrol unit when on the move. The gearbox upshifts smoothly and has the convenience of paddle shifters too.

What is also nice is that the Discovery Sport comes with a nine-speed gearbox, and so it is possible to cruise at 100kph doing only about 1,400rpm. In Sport mode, the gearbox allows the engine to go as high as 4,000rpm without shifting up which makes way for some amount of spirited driving. This thrill is short-lived though. You soon realise that the extra revs don’t make the car all that much faster and the power fades off sooner than you expect. The sharp steering and body control around corners is fairly decent as well. It isn’t sporty, as the name claims, especially around the tighter corners. However, stability at high speeds is particularly good and the steering is also very nicely judged; it has plenty of weight and loads of accuracy.

The engineers have ensured a comfortable ride quality. Broken bumps, sharp edges and rough road surfaces are easily absorbed, and this is by far the most genuine SUV in the segment. Its 4x4 system and terrain response give it plenty of real off-road skill.

The Volvo XC60 impresses instantly from behind the wheel. The 1,969cc, four-cylinder engine produces a strong 178.9bhp of power. This is higher than the Discovery Sport by a fair margin and is evident as it shoots forward quickly and gains momentum effortlessly. The engine is audible inside the cabin but is has more note when revved all the way to 5,000rpm in Sport mode.

The gearbox on the Volvo is decent, but isn’t up to the task when you are in a hurry. There are three different steering sensitivity settings to choose from. The softest mode works well in the city and the hard mode is good if you want to enjoy a few corners. The ride quality is a bit stiff, however, but the stiff set-up means a small portion of every bump does get transferred to the cabin. Thankfully, stability on the highway and on smooth surfaces is a class apart and truly impressive.

The BMW X3 feels driver-friendly from the very beginning. The cockpit wraps around you, helping you better connect with the car, and from the trio, the X3’s steering wheel provides the best feedback and is consistent, be it at any speed or road surface, you'll just love it.

At city speeds, the X3 feels smaller than it is, thanks to the taut chassis and four-wheel-drive system. These factors inspire confidence when negotiating corners at high speeds and the car will keep you entertained for very long if you drive yourself. There’s no struggle, no hesitation, no feeling of interrupted power, just a strong seamless power delivery, plenty of grip, confidence and agility. Only a bit of noise from the engine at speed spoils the overall great performance and paddle shifters are missed too. The X3 will surge forward with an almost immediate sense of urgency, in any drive mode, but switching over to Sport+ means the traction control system will be switched off.

Ride quality is a bit compromised here, the BMW feels lumpy and may toss you about at low speeds. It improves a lot at higher speeds though, but cross the 80kph mark and the X3 feels flat and sure-footed – more than its competition for sure. This is easily the nicest car to drive among the three.