Land Rover Discovery Sport vs Gac Emzoom

What's the difference?

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.

GAC isn’t messing around with the Emzoom Luxury. It’s undeniably eye-catching, priced well and carries just enough of a premium aesthetic to draw attention.

Is it the best small SUV I’ve driven? No. It does enough to avoid being overlooked, but it’s not quite reinventing the wheel.

What it does well is deliver a comfortable, easy urban runaround with strong equipment for the price. However, the safety calibration and overall breadth of systems feel like areas that still need attention.

All up, it gets a lot right for the money, but doesn’t quite land a knockout punch.

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.

Up front, the Emzoom offers the most space and it’s where it feels most comfortable. The seats are supportive enough for longer trips, and while only the driver’s side is electrically adjustable, that’s not unusual at this price point. Wide door apertures make getting in and out easy and there’s enough elbow room so it doesn’t feel cramped.

In the rear, space is also surprisingly generous for the segment. The flat floor helps with legroom and headroom remains good despite the panoramic sunroof.

Storage is well thought through and generous. Up front, there’s a glove box, a deep centre console and a dual-phone tray that incorporates a ventilated wireless charging pad. There are two cupholders and a drink holder in each door storage bin. You also get an additional shelf underneath with both USB-A and USB-C ports, which helps keep cables and clutter out of the way.

In the rear, amenities are solid, with rear air vents, a fold-down armrest with two cupholders, map pockets and even small device pockets for added practicality. There's a drink bottle holder in each door and a single USB-A port behind the centre console.

Around the back, the boot offers a wide opening and a level load space, making it easy to use day-to-day. Capacity sits at 341 litres, which is enough for a weekly grocery run or a weekend away. There’s a spare tyre tucked under the floor and a powered tailgate is standard.

The tech is easy to live with, too. The media system is intuitive with clear graphics and a responsive touchscreen. Wireless Apple CarPlay connects quickly without fuss, and there’s also wireless Android Auto. Sound quality from the six-speaker system is crisp and the digital radio and Bluetooth hold a steady connection (where some rivals can struggle).

For now, the GAC Emzoom range is about as simple as it gets. There’s a single, well-specified Luxury grade on offer, priced from $25,590, before on-road costs.

That puts it right in the mix with key Chinese rivals like the GWM Haval Jolion Lux, which starts at $28,990 (MSRP) and the MG ZS Vibe Turbo at $24,990 (MSRP). It also significantly undercuts more established mainstream options such as the Kia Seltos Sport+, which opens at $37,550, before on-roads.

The Luxury arrives well equipped. You get an electric driver’s seat with ventilation, synthetic leather upholstery, a panoramic sunroof with tilt and slide function, and auto-flush door handles. There’s also a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a 360-degree camera system, parking assist and a blind-spot view monitor.

Technology leans towards the premium end, too. A 14.6-inch central display is paired with a 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster, along with ambient lighting, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and a wireless phone charger. There are two USB-A ports, a single USB-C port up front, a 12-volt socket and a six-speaker DTS sound system.

It’s the smaller details that round things out nicely. Auto LED headlights, rain-sensing wipers, dual-zone climate control, a temporary spare tyre and a powered tailgate are all included as standard.

All up, it’s a strong package for the price.

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.

The Emzoom Luxury is front-wheel drive and powered by a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine producing 125kW and 270Nm.

That gives it a slight edge over the GWM Haval Jolion, which sits at 105kW and 210Nm and puts it more in line with the MG ZS Vibe Turbo and Kia Seltos Sport+. On paper at least, it’s competitive for the segment and suggests there’s enough performance on tap for daily driving.

It’s paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch auto transmission. Around town, it can feel a little clunky at lower speeds, particularly in stop-start traffic, but it settles down as you pick up pace and feels much smoother on the open road.

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. 

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.

The Emzoom Luxury has a 47-litre fuel tank and a claimed combined cycle (urban/extra-urban) consumption figure of 6.6L/100km, which gives it a theoretical driving range of up to 712km. That’s more than enough to comfortably get through a week of mixed driving.

In the real world, my trip computer returned 6.2L/100km after a mix of mostly urban driving and a longer highway run. That’s a strong result and reinforces its credentials as an easy urban runabout.

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.

On the road, the Emzoom has enough power to feel spritely and capable, whether you’re darting around town or merging onto the highway. That said, the way it delivers that power at lower speeds can feel a little inconsistent. There were moments where lifting off the accelerator didn’t translate to an immediate response, with the car continuing to surge forward briefly. Which made for a few 'eek…' moments during the week.

Handling is on the sharper side for the segment. The steering and suspension are well judged, giving it a slightly zippy, eager feel through corners without tipping into harshness. Braking, however, can feel a touch spongy underfoot, which takes away from that otherwise confident set-up.

Visibility is a mixed bag. Thick pillars, a relatively low window line and a small rear view can make it feel hemmed in from the driver’s seat. Though, the blind-spot camera feed popping up on the display takes some of the guesswork out of lane changes.

Ride comfort is solid overall. It handles bumps well enough, and a longer drive proved comfortable, although there is a low level of road noise that creeps in at higher speeds.

Where the Emzoom really shines is around town. It’s easy to manoeuvre, with an 11.2-metre turning circle that makes tight streets and car parks feel manageable. The 360-degree camera system is clear and makes parking a relatively stress-free experience.

The GAC Emzoom hasn’t been tested by ANCAP yet and is unrated. It comes with six airbags, which is on the lower side for this class, and there are a few notable omissions.

Features like rear cross-traffic alert, side exit assist and emergency call functionality aren’t included. While there is a blind-spot view monitor that displays a live camera feed when you indicate, it doesn’t appear to have a traditional blind-spot warning system with indicator lights in the side mirrors.

The core safety suite is there. You get autonomous emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane- keeping aid and lane-departure warning, along with seatbelt reminders for all seats, a tyre pressure monitoring system and hill descent control. There are also two ISOFIX points and three top-tether anchor points for child seats.

Where it falls short is in execution. The steering assist function tied to the adaptive cruise control is overly intrusive, with noticeable inputs that make it difficult to use comfortably. Given the amount of highway driving I do each week, it’s not a system I found myself wanting to rely on.

Overall, the safety offering doesn’t feel as comprehensive or as well calibrated as it could be, which takes some shine off an otherwise well-equipped package.

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.

The Emzoom is offered with a seven-year/unlimited km warranty which is great for the class.

Service pricing has yet to be finalised for the Emzoom and for now the service network is tiny, with only around 10 centres nationwide but you can undergo authorised repairs through places like MyCar.