Land Rover Discovery Sport vs Kia Sorento

What's the difference?

Flexible, dynamically capable, and nicely put together, the Land Rover Discovery Sport S P200 packs a lot into a small/medium SUV package. It gives some ground to its premium competitors on equipment, but has a seven-seat ace up its sleeve, with genuine off-highway ability to boot.

The Kia Sorento GT-Line diesel has the space, the features and the looks. My son loves all of the amenities in the middle row and has enjoyed touching every single button he can in this SUV!

If you're after a seven-seater and want the luxury factor too, this is one to consider.

If you're desperate for both people and luggage stowage, the Carnival might be a better fit but my family of three really like what the GT-Line has on offer and it gets an 8.5 from us.

Launched globally in 2014, and arriving here a year later, the Discovery Sport was given a comprehensive makeover in mid-2019, with an evolution of its exterior design, a refreshed interior, improved tech, and optimised packaging.

But at first glance you won’t notice a huge difference. The car’s overall proportions are unchanged, the signature clamshell bonnet remains in place, as does the familiar, broad, body-coloured C-pillar, and a strong, horizontal character line running the length of the car (just under the windows).

Although it looks like the roofline tapers to the rear, it’s more a case of the base of the windows (car designers call it the beltline) rising towards the back of the car. 

Styling tweaks include a new headlight shape (they’re now LED), as well as a revised lower grille and front air vents, bringing the baby Disco more in line with its larger, and newer, Land Rover siblings.

Changes at the rear are even more subtle, with a rearranged tail-light design the only discernible difference.  

Interior highlights include two large digital displays - a 12.3-inch instrument cluster, and a 10.25-inch ‘Touch Pro’ multimedia screen - as well as a new centre console design.

The previous rotary gear select dial has been replaced by a more conventional shifter, buttons and controls have been made softer and set in ‘hidden-until-lit’ gloss black panels, and the door grab handles have been relocated and reshaped to be… grabbier.

A reprofiled steering wheel with sleek black control panels attached is also new, but as with the exterior, big-ticket items like the flowing dashtop, main dash panels, and key storage areas are unchanged. 

Overall, the interior feel is clean, comfortable, and precisely composed. The Land Rover design team is on its game.

The Sorento has been beefed up to compete against its heavier-set rivals, like the Kluger and Everest. The chunky design works in this format because it's body is well proportioned and features lovely highlights like a full suite of LED lights and satin-metallic accents.

The black grille is wide-set and complements the tall nose, while the two-tone 20-inch alloy wheels gives it some cool cred.

Hop into the cabin and you can't mistake this as anything other than the top grade with an interior that looks well-made, featuring a nice mix of materials with the Nappa leather upholstery, black suede headliner and soft touchpoints throughout.

The dashboard sits a bit lower than expected and thus you don't feel like you're in a big monster when you drive. The dashboard is headlined by the beautiful curved panel that houses those dual 12.3-inch digital screens.

Everything about this SUV shouts 'look at me, aren't I gorgeous?'

As mentioned, the Disco Sport isn’t huge on the outside (4.6m long), but interior packaging is impressive. A dash which slopes markedly back towards the base of the front screen helps open up the front passenger space, with 12-way electric front seats (with two-way manual headrests) adding extra flexibility 

There’s plenty of storage on offer, including two cupholders sitting side-by-side in the centre console, and a drop-in cover for them is supplied if you’d prefer a shallow, dished tray. There’s also a lidded storage box (which doubles as an armrest) between the front seats, a generous glove box, an overhead sunglasses holder and door pockets with enough room for bottles.

The second-row seat is amazingly roomy. Sitting behind the driver’s seat, set for my 183cm height, I had ample leg and headroom, and at getting on for 2.1m from side to side, the Discovery Sport punches above its weight division in terms of width.

Which means you can realistically seat three adults across the middle row, for short to medium length trips, at least. Adjustable air vents for back-seaters are a welcome inclusion, as are a pair of cupholders in the fold-down centre armrest, map pockets on the front seatbacks, and decent door bins.

If you’re willing to launch a UN-style diplomatic mission to negotiate relative space for those in the second- and third-row seats, the manual slide and recline function for the centre row will act as a handy mediator.

As mentioned earlier, Land Rover makes no bones about the fact that the third row is best for kids, but having that occasional seating capacity can be a godsend in helping the car accommodate extra family friends or relatives. There are cup/bottle holders and small elasticised storage pockets for each ‘way-back’ seater.

Getting in and out is relatively painless because the back doors open to almost 90 degrees, and the centre row seats fold forward easily. 

Worth noting the third-row seat is standard, and removing it is a no-cost option, the trade-off being the move to a full-size spare wheel and tyre rather than the otherwise standard space-saver.

Boot capacity comes in three sizes, depending on which seats are raised or lowered. With all seats upright, load space is a modest 157 litres, enough for a few grocery bags or some soft luggage.

Drop the 50/50 split-folding third row, via a user-friendly release mechanism, and 754 litres opens up. Our three-piece hard suitcase set (36, 95 and 124 litres) slipped in with room to spare, as did the jumbo size CarsGuide pram.

Fold away the third row as well as the 40/20/40 split second row, and no less than 1651 litres will have you thinking about starting a furniture moving side hustle.

There are sturdy tie-down anchor points at each corner of the load floor, and a handy netted pocket behind the driver’s side wheel tub.

In terms of media connectivity and power options, there’s a 12-volt outlet in the front and centre rows, and a USB port up front.

‘Our’ car was fitted with the ‘Power pack 2’ option ($160), which adds USB sockets for the second and third rows, as well as a wireless charging bay up-front ($120). 

Towing capacity for a braked trailer is 2200kg (with 100kg towball download), 750kg unbraked, and ‘Trailer Stability Assist’ is standard. The stability assist system detects trailer sway movements at speeds above 80km/h, and manages them through symmetric and asymmetric braking of the car.

The Sorento offers a cabin that is not short on space and up front you never feel like you're on top of your passengers, no matter who or what you're carrying.

However, the leg- and headroom is the best in the front and middle rows. The panoramic sunroof and stadium positioning of the seats of the middle row cuts into the headspace a little bit but a taller adult will still find comfort.

The legroom in the third row is more suited for kid-sized occupants but an adult could squeeze back there for a (very) short trip.

Individual storage and amenities throughout the car are excellent for the class. Front passengers get a drink bottle holder in each door, two cupholders and a large middle console and glove box. There are also some handy storage nooks and a utility tray on the topside of the centre console for items like keys, wallet and your phone.

The electric front seats are super comfortable and have those lux heat and ventilation functions.

The middle row gets a skinny drink bottle holder in each door, two cupholders in a fold-down armrest and another cupholder in each door. These are the favourites for my son because they are easier to access for him.

On the back of the front seats you get map pockets and two netted device holders. There are also reading lights, directional air vents, retractable sun blinds and heated outboard seats.

Third rowers aren't forgotten either with two cupholders, two snack trays and directional air vents, as well as an electric fan controller and reading lights.

In terms of other storage, the back seat has a 60/40 split and the third row has 50/50 split. With the third row stowed, you get a decent 608L of storage capacity in the boot.

There is a small under-floor compartment where you can hide the cargo cover and the full-size spare wheel is located underneath the car. This grade also comes with a handsfree-powered tailgate.

The technology on a whole is up to date and easy to use, however, the 12.3-inch touchscreen multimedia system has a different layout ushered in as part of the update and it took a while to get used to. Kia has thankfully fixed the strange quirk of some higher model grades not having wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, so that's now standard. This grade also gets built-in satellite navigation with map updates for 10 years.

The instrument cluster is semi-customisable and you get a head-up display too. I like that there are handy controls within easy reach of the driver, like the remote boot opening button. It's good on a school or sport run!

Charging options are really good throughout the car with each row getting two USB-C ports but the front also gets a wireless charging pad too. Both the middle and third rows get a 12-volt port, so basically charging will not be an issue in this car.

There are four grades available for the Sorento with a choice of a petrol or the diesel engine for each grade level.

On test this week is the top-spec GT-Line with the turbo-diesel engine.  This particular combination is priced at $68,590 before on road costs and sits more towards the middle of its rivals. The Hyundai Sante Fe Highlander slides in as most affordable at $66,500 and the petrol-powered Toyota Kluger Grande eclipses the Sorento at $75,650.

You would be right in expecting the flagship model to come jammed-packed with features and the GT-Line doesn't disappoint.

The luxury appointments include quilted Nappa leather upholstery, panoramic sunroof and heated rear outboard seats in the middle row.

The driver's seat features 14-way powered adjustments with lumbar support and extendable under-thigh bolster. The front passenger seat has 10-way powered adjustment with lumbar support and both seats feature heating and ventilation functions.

The top dog also gets a heated steering wheel, digital rearview mirror and a whole bunch of updated technology. The Apple CarPlay and Android Auto can be connected via wire or wireless and the 12.3-inch touchscreen multimedia system has had its layout updated and exclusive to this grade is the 12.3-inch digital instrument panel.

The family-friendly and practical features include keyless entry/ start, powered tailgate, remote start and remote parking function (key fob activated), retractable sun-blinds  (middle row), extendable sun visors and a full-size spare wheel.

There is a niggling thought though that if the people and storage stowage were the deciding factors, you might be better suited for the Kia Carnival which is more fit-for-purpose, more affordable (by a hair) and features a similar specs list.

The Land Rover Discovery Sport S P200 is powered by a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-petrol engine producing 147kW at 5500rpm and 320Nm from 1250-4500rpm.

It’s part of Jaguar Land Rover’s family of modular ‘Ingenium’ diesel and petrol engines, built around multiples of the same 500cc cylinder design. 

The all-alloy unit features variable intake and exhaust cam timing, variable (intake) valve lift and a single, twin-scroll turbo.

Drive goes to all four wheels via a nine-speed (ZF-sourced) automatic transmission, and front and rear diffs, with torque on demand to the rear axle.

Our GT-Line on test has a the 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine that produces a maximum power output of 148kW and 440Nm of torque. This combination ensures that you have plenty of grunt, even with a full boot load, but can feel sluggish off the mark. It's a beautiful cruiser once you're up to speed though.

The GT-Line is an AWD with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

You can select an additional three terrain modes, Snow, Mud or Sand and it has a braked towing capacity of 2000kg (750kg unbraked) for any adventure pursuits.

Claimed fuel economy for the combined (ADR 81/02 - urban, extra-urban) cycle is 8.1L/100km, the S P200 emitting 188g/km of CO2 in the process.

Over close to 400km of city, suburban and quite a bit of freeway running, we recorded 10.1L/100km, which is a passable result.

Minimum fuel requirement is 95 RON premium unleaded and you’ll need 65 litres of it to brim the tank.

You'd expect the  diesel engine to be relatively frugal for efficiency and the Sorento claims an official combined fuel cycle figure of 6.0L/100km and after mostly urban driving, my real-world usage came out at 7.9L which is very good.

Based on the official combined fuel cycle and the 67L fuel tank, you should see a driving range of 1116km, which makes the GT-Line diesel an excellent road-tripper.

Land Rover claims 2.0-litre turbo-petrol versions of the Discovery Sport will accelerate from 0-100km/h in 9.2sec. Anything under 10 seconds is reasonably swift, and the S P200 makes good use of all of its nine gear ratios to keep things on the boil.

Maximum torque of 320Nm isn’t huge pulling power, especially when we’re talking about shifting a close to 2.0-tonne (1947kg) seven-seater. But the twin-scroll turbo’s contribution means every one of those torques (actually newton-metres) is available from just 1250rpm, all the way to 4500rpm. So, mid-range performance is energetic enough. 

If you really want to press on, peak power (147kW) arrives at a lofty 5500rpm, just 500rpm away from the engine’s nominal rev ceiling. At which point, having remained a relatively low-key whirr in the background, the engine makes its aural presence felt.

The Cleary family (of five) took to the highway and some rural back roads for a weekend away during the test period, and open road performance was stress-free, with more than enough oomph for easy cruising and (well-planned) overtaking.

Seamlessly shuffling drive between the front and rear axles, the Terrain Response 2 system coped admirably with graded, but slightly rutted dirt roads, the car feeling secure and composed at all times.

Suspension is strut front, multi-link rear, and ride quality is good, especially in the context of an off-highway capable SUV. And the seats proved supportive and comfy over long stints.

Standard 18-inch alloy rims are shod with 235/60 Michelin Latitude Tour HP rubber, an on-road focused tyre which proved grippy and surprisingly quiet.

Electrically-assisted steering delivers impressive feel and accuracy, while the brakes, by ventilated disc all around (349mm fr/325mm rr), are progessive and strong.

And although we didn’t push into hardcore off-road conditions, those keen on doing so will want to know the car’s wading depth is 600mm, obstacle clearance is 212mm, approach angle is 25 degrees, ramp angle is 20.6 degrees, and the departure angle is 30.2 degrees. Enjoy the rough stuff.

The diesel GT-Line can initially feel sluggish when you're accelerating from a stand-still but once you get going, it is a lovely open roader. The Sorento feels well balanced in corners and has enough grunt to tackle hills without fighting to keep up your speed.

The steering feels nimble but not light and the on-road feeling is on the right side of heavy, meaning the car doesn't shift around, even in heavy winds on the highway.

Strangely, when you pull your foot off the accelerator there's a slump as the car slows down, similar to an EV when the regenerative braking kicks in, which takes a while to get used to.

Comfort is ensured by how quiet the cabin is and the driving experience on a long journey feels very refined because of it. Suspension feels cushioned and a smidge spongier than I like, but all my passengers rave about the ride comfort, so there's that.

Despite its 4815mm length and 1900mm width, the Sorento is surprisingly agile to park because of its superb 11.6m turning circle.  The super clear 360-degree view camera system, as well as the front, rear and side parking sensors means you shouldn't struggle parking it.

The Kia Sorento is well equipped with safety features.

Standard items include the biggies like forward collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, blind-spot view monitor, rear cross-traffic alert, lane keeping aids, lane departure alert, driver attention monitoring, 360-degree view camera system, as well as, front, rear and side parking sensors.

It's also great to see items like blind-spot collision avoidance, reverse parking collision avoidance, safe exit assist, rear occupant alert, intelligent seat belt reminders (six seats), tyre-pressure monitoring, trailer stability assist and an SOS e-call button.

The traffic sign recognition tech is still an annoying feature as it continues to beep/ chime/ alert whenever there is a traffic sign and/or speed sign change. Good luck ignoring it when you hit a school zone too.

The Sorento has AEB with car, pedestrian, cyclist and junction turning assist, which is operational from 5.0 - 85km/h but the car detection is only up to 75km/h, which is surprisingly low. It's usual to see that top figure sitting closer to 180km/h for car-to-car detection.

The Sorento achieved a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating from testing done in 2020 and features seven airbags but the curtain airbags do not cover the third row, which is disappointing for a seven-seater family car.

Families will be happy that there are a total of four ISOFIX child seat mounts (two in the middle row and two in the third row), as well as, five top-tether anchor points.

The middle row is wide enough to accommodate three child seats and there is plenty of room for front passengers when a 0-4 rearward facing child seat is installed.

Land Rover offers a three year/100,000km warranty in Australia, with 24-hour roadside assistance included for the duration.

That’s well off the mainstream pace, which sits at five years/unlimited km, but on the upside, three years paint surface cover, and a six year anti-corrosion warranty are part of the deal.

Service requirement is variable, with a range of on-board sensors feeding into a service interval indicator in the vehicle, although you can use 12 months/20,000km as a guide.

A fixed ‘Land Rover Service Plan’ set at five years/102,000km is available for $1950, which isn’t too shabby at all.

The Sorento comes with a seven-year/unlimited km warranty, which is excellent for the class.

It also comes with a seven-year, or up to 105,000km capped-price servicing program and services average $541 per service, which is competitive.

Servicing intervals are reasonable at every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first.