Land Rover Discovery Sport VS Cupra Formentor
Land Rover Discovery Sport
Likes
- Cabin is both large and practical
- Economical to run
- Mostly smooth to drive
Dislikes
- Paying extra for features may irk
- More expensive than flagship model
- Some tech needs work
Cupra Formentor
Likes
- Efficient if you commit to regular charging
- Delightfully sexy design
- Decent ongoing costs
Dislikes
- Charging commitment is inconvenient
- Firm ride
- Power isn't as fun once battery is depleted
Summary
Land Rover Discovery Sport
The Land Rover Discovery Sport is the sort of Land Rover you consider if you're not that serious about going off-road but still want something capable, but you don't want a car as large as it's Range Rover cousins.
Bonus points, the P300e mid-spec model I'm testing this week is a plug-in hybrid. So, you get the best of all worlds - capability, decent size and economy.
The new powertrain pits it against the Lexus NX450+, Volvo XC60, Audi Q5 and even the BMW X3 but while the P300e is great on paper, how does it stack-up in real life?
Read more about
- Land Rover Australian sales through the roof: Defender, Discovery and Range Rover Evoque star in spectacular year-on-year increases that leave competitors like Jeep, Mercedes-Benz and Audi in the shade
- England's pricey answer to the Suzuki Jimny? Baby electric version of Land Rover Defender coming by 2027 - report
- But what does it stand for? Land Rover brand axed as Jaguar Land Rover renamed 'JLR' to launch Range Rover, Discovery, Defender and Jaguar as individual brands
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 1.5L turbo |
| Fuel Type | — |
| Fuel Efficiency | 2.1L/100km |
| Seating | 5 seats |
Cupra Formentor
The Cupra Formentor is the most popular model in the Cupra stable and now the VZe Tribe Edition has joined the ranks.
Sitting one rung below the top petrol grade, the Tribe Edition combines the VZe plug-in hybrid powertrain with some great design upgrades, as well as features usually reserved for the top model.
Is this the most appealing Formentor model yet? We've spent a week with it to find out.
Read more about
- New car sales slowdown coming? How Cupra's fully refreshed 2025 line-up including updated Leon, Formentor, plus all-new Tavascan and Terramar will drive sales despite uncertain economy
- Watch out Kia EV9! Cupra's upcoming large electric SUV to target global markets, possibly Australia, as it sets its eyes on US launch
- 'To bet on EVs only is too risky!' Cupra plans to sell sporty combustion cars for as long as there are buyers
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 1.4L turbo |
| Fuel Type | — |
| Fuel Efficiency | 1.9L/100km |
| Seating | 5 seats |
Verdict
Land Rover Discovery Sport7.6/10
The Land Rover Discovery Sport P300e has a beautiful and practical cabin space. The powertrain didn't always convince me on the road but it does offer decent economy, if you charge it often.
The media system left a lot to be desired and having to pay around $15K extra for all of the customisations means it's not as affordable as what it initially seems. Still, if you’re looking for a plug-in hybrid with a great cabin and on-road looks, this is a good option.
Cupra Formentor8/10
The Cupra Formentor VZe Tribe Edition offers some great luxury features and is coupled with a plug-in hybrid powertrain that should entice those wanting something more efficient than the standard petrol grade. It's peak efficiency is only available with a fair amount of charging commitment, though, and the driving comfort isn’t always the best but its fun and looks hot. The price point also makes it appealing compared to its rivals.
Design
Land Rover Discovery Sport
The updated Disco Sport gets new underpinnings which are shared with the Range Rover Evoque.
The body has seen a minor facelift but honestly, it’s so slight only die-hard fans will notice anything different. Overall, it still has the styling that people know and love.
It’s once you head inside that the facelift becomes far more apparent. Gone is the more traditional looking e-shifter and in its place is a rather nubby-looking one.
The dashboard looks more streamlined and features wider padded accents and in our test model, we have the Oyster and Black upholstery which does make it look quite luxurious. There are a few too many blank spaces for me personally but it looks slick.
Accentuating the dashboard is a floating-effect multimedia system and a large digital instrument cluster – both of which look great but there are no other control buttons or dials. I’m not a fan of the fact that you’re 100 per cent reliant on the tech screens and I'll explain why in the Practicality section.
The optioned panoramic roof makes the cabin feel airy and it's cool that it has a memory function – it will close when you turn off the car but reopen upon starting again.
Cupra Formentor
The Cupra Formentor sounds like a Transformers name and if it were one, it’d be a Decepticon, for sure. It’s way too sharply styled and sexy to be a good guy.Â
The special-edition model sees it paired with black and copper 19-inch alloy wheels and every design aspect doubles down on its sports-car presence from the crisp pleating across the body, to the twin exhausts and shapely grille. And this sporty presence is what its rivals lack.
Head inside and you'll notice the biggest change from the standard VZe model are the sport bucket seats in the front and the blue leather upholstery that has been liberally applied across the cabin.
The dashboard features gorgeous copper accents and contrasting stitching while being headlined with large tech screens that immediately catch your eye.
The interior has a killer design but it's not one you'd call plush as the edges and surfaces are as sharp as they look.
Practicality
Land Rover Discovery Sport
With it's 4597mm length, 2173mm width and 1727mm height, the Discovery Sport is technically classed as a medium SUV but the cabin space is much larger than it has any right to be.
Both rows have ample head- and legroom for both my 168cm (5ft6') height and those much taller. When you have a co-pilot, you’re also not jostling for elbow room and it’s easy to slide in and out of because of the 212mm ground clearance.
The amenities up front are good with the update seeing more decent sized individual storage options.
There are two cubbies in the centre console as well as two cupholders and a medium-sized middle console. The glove box can hold more than a manual and the storage bins with their single drink bottle holders are also larger than before.
The powered front seats are comfortable and the optioned heat functions are most welcome on the cooler days we've been having lately.
The back seats also have superior padding comfort but you sit on top of, rather than in, them which is typical of an SUV.
The amenities and storage are what you would expect for the grade level with a fold-down armrest with two cup holders and small storage cubby, directional air vents, reading lights, map pockets and small storage bin in each door.
There is also an accessory hole to attach device holders on the backs of the front seats - perfect for hooking up a screen for little ones on a long journey.
The P300e loses points on its practicality with the multimedia system. You eventually get used to using it while on the go, even though the lack of buttons/dials means more time is spent with your eyes on the screen.
That's when the screen turns on. The display has cut out a few times this week and the wireless connectivity for Bluetooth and the connection for Apple CarPlay (wireless or wired) drops out a lot.
The P300e I'm driving is brand-spanking-new, so it may just be a case of something that needs calibrating but for a lot of the Land Rovers I've sampled in the past, the media system seems to be the area with the biggest teething issues.
That being said, the built-in satellite navigation is top-notch and easy to use. The directions also get displayed on the instrument cluster and optioned HUD.
The charging options are excellent with the front row getting three USB-C ports and a large wireless charging pad. The rear gets two USB-A ports and two USB-C ports plus a 12-volt socket and the boot also has a 12-volt socket. Totally spoiled for choice.
The boot is a great size at 897L with all seats in use and that jumps up to 1749L when the rear seats are folded flat. The rear row also has a 40/20/40 split, which opens up storage opens.
There is a temporary spare tyre housed underneath the flat floor and a powered tailgate comes standard in this model, which I always like.
Cupra Formentor
For something that leans more towards a sports car than SUV in its styling, the cabin is still fairly practical when it comes to space and access.
Front occupants enjoy the best of each, though, and it's easy enough for a taller driver to get into a comfortable position.
The rear row offers excellent headroom but the legroom may be cramped for a tall passenger. It's best to think of the car as a four-seater as the middle armrest won't go down when there is a car seat installed.
In terms of seat comfort, fatigue will set in early on a long trip for front rowers as they are decidedly hard under the butt but the padding is a lot better in the rear row.
Overall, storage options and amenities are great throughout the car with the tri-zone climate control, heated front seats and steering wheel functions giving a premium cabin experience.
The glove box is extra large and can easily fit a small handbag and a manual while the middle console is on the small side. There are four cupholders and drink bottle holders (4/4) but the front cupholders need to be spaced out more to accommodate two cups properly. A few loose coffee lids were had!
In the rear you also get two map pockets and the boot has 345L of capacity available which is on the tiny side for a medium SUV! However, the wide boot aperture tricks you into thinking it’s bigger and the powered tailgate is always a handy feature.
Technology looks great but the multimedia system is finicky to use and one that takes a while to get used to. At first it's difficult to recognise what you have to touch to access the different menus available but the screen is responsive and the graphics are clear.
The built-in satellite navigation is easy to use, and the Tribe Edition also has wired/wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, four USB-C ports, a wireless charging pad and a 12-volt socket.
Price and features
Land Rover Discovery Sport
The Discovery Sport is offered in four grades and the model on test in this review is the plug-in hybrid mid-level P300e.
The P300e is priced from $102,125 before on road costs but the addition of the plug-in hybrid powertrain means that it is actually $8855 more expensive than the flagship HSE.
In terms of its rivals, the P300e sits towards the middle of the line-up with the Volvo XC60 Recharge Plus PHEV coming in as the most affordable at $92,990 before on-road costs, then the Lexus NX450+ PHEV at $93,498. Sitting at the more expensive is the Audi Q5 55 TFSIe at $106,600 and then the BMW X3 xDrive30e M Sport PHEV at $111,800.
However, our test model does have a few optioned extras which ups the price tag and its position in the pack.
Those options include:
- A Technology Pack for $4700 which adds a digital rearview mirror, head-up display, and a 360-degree camera system with wade sensors.
- A fixed panoramic roof for $3040.
- Upgraded Meridian Surround Sound System for $2220.
- Upgraded 20-inch alloy wheels for $2080.
- Heated front seats for $860.
- Home charging cable for $520.
- Titanium mesh trim for $420.
All of that brings the grand total to $117,290, before on roads. Which is no small lump of change for what is essentially just a baby Land Rover.
Standard luxury and practical features include powered front seats with a three-position memory function for the driver, synthetic leather upholstery, keyless entry, push-button start, powered tailgate, temporary spare-tyre, and dual-zone climate control.
Technology includes an 11.4-inch touchscreen multimedia system, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, Android Auto, wireless charging pad, Bluetooth connectivity, and DAB+ Digital Radio.
The update also sees wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay, an Amazon Alexa app, as well as new USB-C ports, as opposed to USB-A ports from the previous model.
Cupra Formentor
There are usually three variants available for the Formentor; the base V petrol model, the mid-spec VZe plug-in hybrid and the range-topping VZx petrol.
The Tribe Edition pairs the plug-in hybrid powertrain with some of the features you get in the VZx, making it technically sit right below the top model, despite being $2200 more expensive at $67,990 MSRP.
Yet still it offers great value compared to its luxury rivals, the Lexus NX350h Luxury Hybrid which sits at $71,600 MSRP and the Peugeot 3008 GT Sport Plug-in hybrid which starts at $82,915 MSRP, without feeling like the poor cousin.
For a $3K price hike over the standard VZe model, you enjoy heated front seats, sport bucket front seats, 'Petrol Blue' leather upholstery throughout the cabin, black and copper 19-inch alloy wheels, a black headliner, a 360-degree view camera and a powered drivers seat with memory and lumbar function.
Other standard equipment includes keyless entry and start, powered tailgate, heated steering wheel, dusk-sensing LED headlights, rain-sensing wipers, auto-start/stop function and a tyre repair kit and inflator.
Technology looks top-tier with the 12-inch touchscreen multimedia system with built-in satellite navigation, 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, tri-zone climate control, wired and wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, four USB-C ports, Bluetooth, AM/FM radio, digital radio and a nine-speaker Harman Kardon sound system.
Under the bonnet
Land Rover Discovery Sport
The Discovery Sport P300e has a 1.5-litre, three-cylinder plug-in hybrid turbo-petrol engine with an eight-speed auto transmission and is an all-wheel drive.
The engine produces a combined power output of 227kW and 540Nm of torque. On paper, it’s punchy and can do a 0-100km/h sprint in 6.6 seconds but in practice, it’s not always great at using that power.
Cupra Formentor
The VZe Tribe Edition is a plug-in hybrid that has an electric motor that produces up to 85kW/330Nm. This is paired with a 1.4L four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine. Together, they produce outputs of up to 180kW and 400Nm.
However, once the lithium-ion battery is depleted, those figures drop to 110kW/250Nm and you notice the difference on the open road.Â
The Tribe has a smooth six-speed automatic transmission and can do a 0-100km/h sprint in 7.0-seconds. Not crazy fast but still fun.
Efficiency
Land Rover Discovery Sport
The official combined fuel cycle consumption figure is 2.1L/100km and my real-world usage sits a 4.8L/100km after doing some open-roading and lots of urban trips this week. For an SUV of this size and with it's power, that's pretty darn good.
The trick is to regularly charge it for maximum fuel economy gains and that's not always practical.
Officially, you get up to 66km of pure electric range in this but expect closer to 47km in the real world.Â
The P300e has a Type 2 CCS charging port which means you can hook this up to a fast charger. On a 50kW system, you can go from 0-80 per cent in as little as 30 minutes but on a 7kW system, going from 0-100 per cent jumps up to to two hours and 12 minutes.
Expect to leave it on charge overnight on a standard domestic socket.
The driving range based on the official combined fuel cycle is obscene, and I can't see it happening in real life - so, based on my fuel economy figure and the 58L fuel tank, expect a theoretical driving range of up to 1208km.
Cupra Formentor
Like all plug-in hybrids, you get the best efficiency if you recharge the Tribe often. If you want to get close to the official combined (urban/extra-urban) fuel cycle figure of 1.9L/100km you need to charge it every single time you use it.
Following this procedure over 347km of a mix of open and city driving, saw the real-world usage pop out at 2.3L/100km, which is outstanding.
However, the second half of the week saw 336km travelled and no recharge and the real-world usage stepped up considerably to 6.0L.
With its 40L fuel tank, you have a theoretical driving range of up to 2105km but expect less in real-world conditions. Worth noting Cupra recommends a minimum 95 RON unleaded petrol for this model.
The Tribe has a lithium-ion battery with a usable 10.9kWh capacity and the claimed pure EV range is up to 58km, as well as, a claimed 14.1kWh energy consumption figure.
Over my week with it, the consumption hovered around 22.8kWh/100km when cruising on the highway going 100km/h.
Driving
Land Rover Discovery Sport
The Discovery Sport P300e has the goods on paper when it comes to power and it does... once you're up to speed. That's when you can punch it and feel confident at overtaking or keeping your speed consistent on hills.
It's when you're accelerating from a full-stop that it becomes a bit lacklustre as there's serious lag between accelerating and actually moving forward. Accept that you will have to accommodate for this inaction whenever you are joining or crossing traffic from a standstill.
Besides this little hiccup in the power delivery, handling on the whole is good.
The Disco Sport is easy to manoeuvre and you don’t feel like you’re driving something big, despite the ample cabin space. It also handles itself well in corners without too much roll.
The switch between the electric and petrol components isn’t always the smoothest but when it’s in its electric mode it’s blissfully quiet. The cabin feels refined too because you don’t get a lot of external noise in the cabin at all.
The wide windows and higher ride means visibility is great and the optioned digital rearview mirror adds another viewpoint if the back window isn’t clear.
The Disco Sport proves to be nimble and easy to park with the optioned and clear 360-degree camera system, and the sensors at the front and rear are sensitive.
Cupra Formentor
The VZe Tribe Edition is happiest in the city and when you have a full battery. This is when it feels the most responsive with its power delivery. In the city, it’s quick and sure-footed.Â
However, once that battery hits empty and you’re on the open road, the power is there but it stops feeling as fun.
The firm steering keeps it nimble and the driver's cockpit makes you feel well connected with what the car is doing but the ride comfort is like the design, not what you'd call plush.
The suspension is firm and you feel every bump in the road. Road and wind noise are also pretty high and in general, you feel a bit weary at the end of longer trips.
The visibility is good despite having narrow windows but a car seat or passenger in the back seat compromises the rear view vision.Â
The Formentor shines in a tight car park with its 10.7m turning circle and compact proportions. The 360-degree view camera system is also most welcome but the quality of the feed is reflective of the grade level.
Safety
Land Rover Discovery Sport
The Discovery Sport plug-in hybrid variant is not covered by its siblings' five-star ANCAP safety rating from 2022, so the P300e is unrated but features some good safety gear.
Standard items include AEB, blind spot monitoring, driver attention alert, tyre pressure monitoring, rear collision warning, forward collision warning, rear cross-traffic alert, lane keeping aid, traffic sign recognition, intelligent seatbelt warning, and adaptive cruise control.
The traffic sign recognition tech is dreadfully intrusive, which impacts the driving enjoyment. I turn the warning sound alerts off each time I hop in as it's like a small child is hitting the same piano key over and over again - just to give you a sense of the sound itself and resulting annoyance.
It has seven airbags but interestingly, and unusually, the seventh one is a pedestrian airbag.
This model misses out on lane departure warning but for any families, there are ISOFIX mounts on the rear outboard seats plus three top tethers and you should be able to get three seats back if they’re not too big.
Cupra Formentor
The Formentor has a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating from testing done in 2021 and now features 10 airbags including side chest bags for the rear row and a front centre airbag as standard.
Other standard equipment includes blind-spot monitoring, driver monitoring, tyre-pressure monitoring, LED DRLs, front and rear fog lights, forward collision warning, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure alert, lane keeping aid, side exit assist, adaptive cruise control, park assist, front and rear parking sensors and a 360-degree view camera system.
The Formentor has AEB with car, pedestrian and cyclist detection and is operational from 5.0-250km/h. The Formentor also has two ISOFIX child seat mounts and three top tethers but the rear seat is only wide enough for two child seats.
Ownership
Land Rover Discovery Sport
The Discovery Sport comes with a five-year/unlimited km warranty and the battery is covered by an eight-year/ 160,000km warranty which is a usual term to see for this class now.
There is a five-year capped-price servicing program which costs a flat $2100, or $420 which is both reasonable for the class and is more affordable than a pay-as-you-go option. There is also a five-year roadside assistance program as a part of your servicing plan through Assist Australia.
Servicing intervals are great at every 12 months or 20,400km, whichever occurs first.
Cupra Formentor
The Formentor has a five-year/unlimited km warranty but it’s becoming more common to see longer warranty periods being offered now.
You can pre-purchase a three- or five-year servicing program. The three-year program costs a flat $990, averaging $330 per service. The five-year option averages costs $1990, averaging $398 per service which is reasonable for the class.
Servicing intervals are good at every 12-months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first.