Models · Land Rover
Land Rover Discovery Sport L550 buying guide
The Discovery Sport replaced the Freelander 2 in 2014, offering five or seven seats and four-wheel drive on most versions. Early cars used a 2.2 diesel, replaced by Ingenium 2.0 diesels from 2015 and joined by Ingenium petrols from 2017.
The versions
- 2.2 SD4 diesel (187bhp) from 2014 to September 2015, seven seats only
- Ingenium 2.0 diesel from 2015: eD4 (148bhp, front-wheel drive), TD4 (178bhp) and SD4 (237bhp from 2017)
- Ingenium 2.0 Si4 petrol from 2017, around 237 to 290bhp
- Six-speed manual or nine-speed automatic; four-wheel drive on all but the eD4
- The plug-in hybrid is not covered here
What to check on a Discovery Sport
3 model-specific things to look at when you view one. They're a starting point, not the full inspection.
Air conditioning and electrics
What to look for: Run the climate control on cold and hot, checking both sides blow at the right temperature. Check the outside temperature reading on the dashboard is sensible, try the infotainment screen, and look for warning lights after start-up.
Why it matters: The air conditioning, electrics and infotainment cause the most trouble on the Discovery Sport. Climate control can fail for several reasons, and the outside temperature sensor sits in the door mirror, so a faulty reading means a new mirror unit.
The diesel cambelt
What to look for: On a diesel, look in the history for the cambelt change, with the date and mileage, if the car is over seven years old or past 105,000 miles.
Why it matters: Only the diesels have a cambelt, due every 105,000 miles or seven years. Many Discovery Sports are now at or past the age limit, so a car with the belt done on time is a sign it's been looked after.
Squeaks, rattles and the tailgate
What to look for: On the drive, turn the radio off and listen for squeaks and rattles from the cabin over rougher roads. Open and close the tailgate and listen for a squeak from where it meets the rear lights.
Why it matters: Owners have reported more squeaks, rattles and interior quality issues than usual on the Discovery Sport. A squeak from the back is usually the tailgate rubbing on a rear light cluster, which can be hard to cure, so a quiet car is a good find.
Also in the full guide
- Fuel and oil leak recalls
- The cold start, test drive and paperwork checks for the exact version you're viewing
The full guide to the Discovery Sport
The CrankSight guide walks you round the car on your phone at the viewing, with every check for the exact version you're looking at: what to look for, where to find it, and what anything you find is likely to cost. As you go it builds an assessment of that car, and if you view more than one, it lines them up side by side.
£29 for the model, used on as many cars as you like, delivered within 72 hours or your money back.
General points for the model, last checked October 2026. Every car is different, so treat this as a guide to what to look at, not a verdict on any car. CrankSight is independent and has no connection with Land Rover.