Take a look inside the interior of the new Land Rover Discovery Sport

By Andrew Hard Published August 20, 2014

The Land Rover Discovery Sport is due for a full online reveal on September 2^nd, but that’s not stopping the British manufacturer from giving us a sneak peak a bit early.

We already know the new Discovery will take styling cues from the sleek and symmetrical Discovery Vision Concept, and Land Rover has just released a video previewing the compact SUV’s interior.

Recommended Videos

In the film, you can see the Discovery’s 5+2 seat layout in action over the soundtrack of what sounds like a shuttle launch. The view from inside might make you feel like an astronaut, though, as the full-size panoramic roof gracefully invites the stars to join you on your journey.

Land Rover Discovery Vision — Image used with permission by copyright holder

“Versatility is a fundamental element of the Discovery family and with 5+2 seating, generous load space and configurable seating the new Discovery Sport truly deserves to wear the Discovery badge,” said Gerry McGovern, Design Director at Land Rover.

Outside, the Discovery Sport looks to have smaller headlights, windows, and grill accents than its LR2 older brother. The changes modernize the SUVs character, moving from a wide-eyed boxy stance to a sharper, scalpel-like design.

Related: The 2015 Range Rover Sport SVR is the most powerful Land Rover ever

The Discovery Sport will fill out the brand’s ‘premium compact SUV’ segment, which is currently occupied by the outgoing LR2 and the Range Rover Evoque. It’s easy to see why Jaguar Land Rover is striving for repeat success with the Discovery Sport, because the Evoque is one of the company’s best sellers. It’s sold a record 255,600 units since its debut in 2011.

The first generation Discovery Sport may get a carryover engine from the LR2 and Evoque, a 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder that makes anywhere from 240 to 285 horsepower. Expect later models to house something from the upcoming Ingenium engine line, though. Ingenium’s firstborn, a 2.0-liter diesel, will start production late next year.

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Andrew first started writing in middle school and hasn't put the pen down since. Whether it's technology, music, sports, or…

Cars

Mini’s infotainment system is very charming, but still needs work

Main screen of the Mini infotainment system

When you think Mini, you probably don’t think of infotainment. Personally, I think of the British flag taillights, the distinct exterior, and the surprising room on the inside. But after driving the Mini John Cooper Works Countryman over the past week, infotainment might well be something I think of more often when it comes to Mini. It’s charming.

It also, however, suffers from all the traps that other legacy automakers fall into when it comes to software design. Mini has something on its hands here — but it still needs some work.
Bringing the charm
The first thing that stood out to me about the system when I got in the car was how fun it was. That all starts with the display. It’s round! No, it’s not curved — the screen is a big, round display sits in at 9.4 inches, and I found it plenty large enough for day-to-day use.

Cars

Plug-in hybrids are becoming more popular. Why? And will it continue?

Kia Niro EV Charging Port

There's a lot of talk about the idea that the growth in electric car sales has kind of slowed a little. It's not all that surprising -- EVs are still expensive, early adopters all have one by now, and they're still new enough to where there aren't too many ultra-affordable used EVs available. But plenty of people still want a greener vehicle, and that has given rise to an explosion in hybrid vehicle sales.

That's especially true of plug-in hybrid vehicles, which can be charged like an EV and driven in all-electric mode for short distances, and have a gas engine as a backup for longer distances or to be used in combination with electric mode for more efficient driving.

Cars

EV drivers are not going back to gas cars, global survey says

ev drivers are not going back to gas cars global survey says screenshot

Nearly all current owners of electric vehicles (EVs) are either satisfied or very satisfied with the experience, and 92% of them plan to buy another EV, according to a survey by the Global EV Drivers Alliance.

The survey of 23,000 EV drivers worldwide found that only 1% would return to a petrol or diesel car, while 4% would opt for a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) if they had to replace their car.