As the younger sibling to the revered Land Rover Discovery, the Discovery Sport proves to be an enticing option with its accessible pricing and potent performance. It adheres to the brand’s standards of luxury and refinement and with significant updates to its engine in the current iteration, there is not much to criticize about the SUV. Even in terms of reliability, the vehicle has just 6 complaints and a single recall listed to its name. While it does not command a high-sales volume status, the 2018 Land Rover Discovery Sport’s performance seems justifiable. Its major niggles are concerned with its electrical components and a delay in its acceleration. In its segment, the SUV competes with the likes of the Mercedes-Benz GLC Class, the Audi Q5, and the BMW X3.
2018 Land Rover Discovery Sport User Complaints and Problems
Mechanical Complaints:
- Delay in acceleration: Included in the list of the Land Rover Discovery Sport issues, buyers of the SUV have reported the vehicle’s inability to respond to acceleration inputs. Despite the pedal being depressed, the SUV fails to pick up speed, which can create potentially hazardous situations. While there are a couple of complaints mentioned on the NHTSA website, some buyers have raised similar concerns on trusted forums as well.
- Vehicle loses power: In a one-off case, a buyer of the 2018 Land Rover Discovery Sport reported the vehicle lost power unexpectedly. As a result, the vehicle’s speed reduces drastically and a warning message is displayed on the information screen. Such a situation can increase the risk of a crash and has happened thrice for the same buyer.
- Issues with the transmission unit: The 2018 Land Rover Discovery Sport transmission problems deal with the unit’s inability to smoothly shift between gears and suffer from erratic shifting. In one case, a user has also mentioned the incapacity of the transmission to shift from “Drive” to “Park” and vice versa.
Electric System Complaints
- Variegated electrical concerns: The electric system complaints of the 2018 Land Rover Discovery SUV are neither concerning nor recurring. Buyers of the vehicle have reported problems like faltering safety sensors, failing air condition unit, and improper functioning of the start/stop button. While these are one-off cases, a couple of complainants have reported the malfunctioning of the infotainment unit, which fails to respond to users timely.
2018 Land Rover Discovery Sport Recalls
|
S. No |
Date |
NHTSA ID |
Issues Noticed |
Additional Remarks |
Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1. |
1st Feb 2018 |
18V087000 |
Possible fuel leak in engine compartment |
Due to a leakage from the fuel rail end caps, fuel vapor or liquid fuel might enter the engine compartment. In the presence of an ignition source, this can increase the risk of a fire. |
Dealers will replace the fuel rail, free of cost. The recall began on 8th March 2018. |
Should you buy the 2018 Land Rover Discovery Sport?
The 2018 Land Rover Discovery Sport problems seem constricted. While its previous iterations have not had a similar level of reliability, the current model year proves to be a massive improvement. It has minimal complaints and has been called back once for a recall that was brand-wide. So, in terms of reliability, we feel that the Discovery Sport is a formidable choice. However, if you consider overall performance, compact SUVs from German competitors provide better value for the money spent. Among these, the 2018 BMW X3is the best alternative.
