The interior is expected to be a bit more sophisticated than that of the Freelander but there’s still plenty of emphasis on storage, and – a sign of the times – there will also be up to four 12V power points and six USB charging sockets for occupants’ electronic devices.
Initially, at least, the Discovery Sport gets the 190 PS 2.2 litre SD4 turbodiesel engine seen in existing small Land Rover models, paired with either a nine-speed automatic or a six-speed manual, rather than the new Ingenium engines expected to debut shortly in the Jaguar XE.
Like the Freelander before it, the Discovery Sport will be produced at Land Rover’s factory at Halewood, Liverpool, alongside the Range Rover Evoque.
It goes on sale in the UK in January 2015, with prices starting at £32,395, although the entry point will drop below £30,000 when a fuel-saving two-wheel drive eD4 model is introduced later on.
