• Poor fuel economy overall
• Servicing costs are competitive
• Diesel models have large fuel tank

What are the running costs?

Land Rover claims the mild-hybrid technology (available on all engines bar the entry-level D165) increases fuel economy by up to 7%. This is mostly down to how the stop-start system activates when the vehicle slows down below 10mph. Despite this, running costs for the Land Rover Discovery Sport aren’t anything to get excited about.

The most economical model on paper is the plug-in hybrid. The official WLTP rating suggests it can do up to 143.1mpg. As you’d expect from a PHEV, that kind of figure is only achievable if you charge and make full use of the battery on each journey. Its EV-only range is good compared with other PHEV rivals at 34 miles, a figure which Land Rover says will cover most people’s daily commute.

During our time of testing, we managed mpg figures in the low 40s, achieved by driving in Hybrid mode. However, once the battery depleted and the P300e solely ran on the petrol engine, this figure dropped to the mid-20s on the motorway, as it charged the battery up at the same time.

As a result, our average figure was only 34mpg after a week of driving mostly on the motorway, highlighting the best use for a PHEV being on shorter journeys.

The P200 petrol fared as badly on our testing, with an indicated 23.6mpg – disappointing, on a 68-mile route that consisted mostly of country lanes with an average speed of 30mph.

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The diesels provide more palatable running costs even if they’re still not fantastic – expect around 40mpg. This is slightly disappointing as the Skoda Kodiaq diesel can easily achieve mid-40s and beyond.

Servicing and warranty

The Discovery Sport benefits from a three-year/unlimited mileage warranty. The mileage part is generous, but the time not so much. The Hyundai Santa Fe has a five-year warranty and the Kia Sorento has a seven-year one.

Land Rover offers a number of service plans for new cars and approved-used models up to 10 years old. Interestingly, the remaining balance of a service plan can be transferred to a new model should you choose to upgrade.

Reliability

• Earlier Discovery Sports were not reliable
• Latest engine tech may fix diesel emissions issues
• Land Rover doesn’t have the greatest reputation

Early Discovery Sports notched up a fairly unenviable reputation for poor reliability. This was mostly down to the diesel emissions systems of the 2.0-litre diesel engine – they failed, contaminating the engine oil and potentially damaging the engine.

Land Rover offered a goodwill gesture to affected owners, but sadly that’s not been the last of the Discovery Sport’s issues. Disappointingly, many owners have reported creaks and rattles from brand new cars, and other issues such as balancer shaft bearing and diesel particulate filter (DPF) failure. Even during one of our short testing periods, a piece of fusebox trim simply fell off.

You ought to bear in mind if considering a used Land Rover Discovery Sport – and if buying new, be sure to service the car within the terms of the warranty so that you have some cover should things go wrong.

You can read our owner’s reviews to see how some have fared, with a broad range of ratings given.