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2020 Land Rover Discovery Sport revealed, on sale now

Land Rover has revealed the updated 2020 Discovery Sport, ahead of its arrival in local showrooms later this year.


UPDATE, 22/5/19: Land Rover Australia has indicated it's expecting the MY2020 Discovery Sport to arrive around October 2019. See bottom of article for more.

Headlining changes include a revised exterior design, more premium materials used in the cabin, enhanced driver assistance and infotainment technologies, and new 48V mild-hybrid petrol and diesel powertrains.

New LED light units at the front and rear feature revised signatures, giving the Discovery Sport a sharper look in line with the larger Discovery along with the new Range Rover Evoque.

There's also new bumpers, along with an updated front grille that appears slimmer than before.

While we don't have interior shots just yet, Land Rover says the new Discovery Sport gets the latest Touch Pro infotainment system, "more premium materials" throughout the cabin, and new seats across all three rows which are claimed to "provide improved comfort and versatility".

The second-row bench folds 40:20:40 and features sliding fore and aft to increase legroom for third-row passengers or cargo space. Land Rover adds that the new seat functionality increases the number of possible combinations to 24.

More storage cubbies have been added throughout the cabin, too, while the 20% larger fuel tank (now 65L) should give owners longer driving range between fills.

Additionally, Australian models will get the company's wearable Activity Key as standard, meaning you don't need to be carrying the key fob to lock or unlock your car.

Four trim levels will be offered globally – S, SE, HSE and R-Dynamic – with the latter (pictured in red) featuring exclusive elements like Shadow Atlas accents for the script on the bonnet and tailgate, along with branded tread plates.

Land Rover says it has made numerous revisions to the Discovery Sport's Premium Transverse Architecture (PTA), which is said to be 13% stiffer than the outgoing model.

The updated platform also allows for electrification, hence the introduction of 48V mild-hybrid (MHEV) powertrains first seen on the Range Rover Evoque.

As with the Evoque, the MHEV system cuts the engine out below 17km/h when the driver applies the brakes, and can then redeploy that store energy to assist the engine and reduce fuel consumption and emissions.

Land Rover is offering the 48V MHEV tech across the Discovery Sport's turbo-diesel engine range, while a plug-in hybrid version has been confirmed for an "early 2020" launch.

As for available technology, the updated Discovery Sport gains a range of new features previously not available, including a smart rear-view mirror that projects a live stream from behind the vehicle, and Ground View – which uses surround camera imagery to project a virtual 180-degree view beneath the vehicle through the infotainment system.

The 2020 Discovery Sport now offers wireless smartphone charging for the first time, while other available features including a 4G WiFi hotspot, along with USB and 12V inputs across all three rows of seating.

Other highlights include a Smart Settings system with uses artificial intelligence (AI) to learn driver preferences like massage and seat positions, music and climate settings, along with steering column positioning to suit each driver.

Finally, there's a host of driver assistance tech now fitted as standard, including lane keep assist, autonomous emergency braking, front and rear parking sensors, and driver condition monitoring. A rear-view camera remains standard fit, as well.

Australia

Full pricing for the local range is still to be announced, though the entry-level S grade with the 147kW (P200) turbo petrol engine is on sale now from $60,500 plus on-road costs, with first deliveries arriving around October.

The S, SE and HSE trim levels with continue, with the outgoing HSE Luxury dropped from the updated line-up. Buyers wanting a sportier look can opt for the R-Dynamic package on all variants.

It appears the local powertrain line-up has been simplified, with the petrol range including the aforementioned 147kW P200, along with the 184kW P250. The diesel family, meanwhile, will include the 132kW D180, and the 177kW D240.

 

 

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