Land Rover Discovery Sport PHEV review
Land Rover's Discovery Sport P300e plug-in is an impressive petrol-electric SUV, but lacks the seven-seat practicality of the non-hybrid
Pros
- Smooth petrol/electric changeover
- Great interior and technology
- Low company-car tax
Cons
- Five-seater only
- Less refined than Evoque
- Expensive for private buyers
| Car type | Electric range | Fuel economy | CO2 emissions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plug-in hybrid | 34 miles | 141mpg | 44g/km |
The Land Rover Discovery Sport has been around for a while, but the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version only joined the line-up recently. It follows the introduction of hybrid power to the Range Rover Evoque and Range Rover Velar, and is part of Land Rover's effort to catch up to German rivals such as BMW and Audi.
The Land Rover Discovery Sport P300e is a petrol PHEV that uses a 1.5-litre, three-cylinder combustion engine driving the front wheels and a 107bhp electric motor powering the rear axle. It has a 15kWh battery, a typical size for this kind of car, and the total system output is 304bhp.
The main reason many people will be looking at a plug-in hybrid SUV like this is the very low company-car tax bands they fall into at the moment. The P300e's 34-mile electric range and 44g/km CO2 emissions qualify it for the 11% Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) band during the 2020/21 financial year, which is a massive potential saving compared to running a petrol or diesel version.
The Discovery Sport PHEV drives very similarly to the non-hybrid models, and that includes the car's considerable off-road capability. It's also really practical and spacious inside, so it works well as a family car – although it's worth noting that there's no seven-seater version of the hybrid.
There's plenty of luxury and comfort here, which follows from the petrol and diesel versions, but you'd expect it to be at least somewhat impressive given the list price of over £47,000.
There are cheaper options if you go without the electric motor in lesser versions, but the only way to enjoy the big company-car tax savings mentioned above is to choose the PHEV. For a more detailed look at the Land Rover Discovery Sport P300e, read on for the rest of our in-depth review…
