Land Rover Discovery Sport vs Lotus Eletre

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.

So, how does this radically different Lotus measure up to the brand’s reputation and stack up against its would-be competitors in the final summation? It doesn’t reset the benchmark in any area or stand out head and shoulders above its competition, but crucially for Lotus (and its overlords at Geely) it doesn’t feel behind its rivals. 

For the Lotus diehards this is an unrecognisable addition to the brand’s legacy of great sports cars. But this new version of the brand is looking to reach fresh customers and the Eletre will likely grab their eye with its dramatic looks.

It’s a highly competitive luxury, performance SUV that should have anyone considering a similar sized Bentley, BMW, Mercedes, or even the Lamborghini taking it for a test drive. It has both elements - luxury and performance - that will appeal to those looking for something special.

The updated Disco Sport gets new underpinnings which are shared with the Range Rover Evoque.

The body has seen a minor facelift but honestly, it’s so slight only die-hard fans will notice anything different. Overall, it still has the styling that people know and love.

It’s once you head inside that the facelift becomes far more apparent. Gone is the more traditional looking e-shifter and in its place is a rather nubby-looking one.

The dashboard looks more streamlined and features wider padded accents and in our test model, we have the Oyster and Black upholstery which does make it look quite luxurious. There are a few too many blank spaces for me personally but it looks slick.

Accentuating the dashboard is a floating-effect multimedia system and a large digital instrument cluster – both of which look great but there are no other control buttons or dials. I’m not a fan of the fact that you’re 100 per cent reliant on the tech screens and I'll explain why in the Practicality section.

The optioned panoramic roof makes the cabin feel airy and it's cool that it has a memory function – it will close when you turn off the car but reopen upon starting again.

The design of an electric SUV is, by its very existence, interesting as it’s something a Lotus has never been before. This is the brand’s new flagship SUV, designed to take on the likes of everything from the Bentley Bentayga to the BMW iX and even the Lamborghini Urus, so it needs to make a statement.

The design is influenced by the Evija electric hypercar, which Lotus built to kick-start its Geely era, but goes a step further with its angular design. It certainly looks more closely related to the Lamborghini SUV than any Lotus you’ve seen before.

It’s different, it looks special and will likely turn heads, but to be blunt, if you’re a Lotus lover who has an affection for the Elise, Exige and the like then this really isn’t for you.

This is a modern evolution for Lotus, created to appeal to new customers with its edgy exterior design, utterly modern interior look and premium finish.

One disappointment is the way the plethora of safety sensors and cameras can disturb the lines of the car, making it look like an unfinished prototype from some angles.

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.

The modern and premium design carries over into the cabin, with the model we were testing finished in grey leather and Alcantra with gold highlights. Which, along with the fact there’s leather and carpet inside, makes this feel more polished and luxurious than any previous Lotus.

But once you look beyond that you notice it’s not quite as practical as such a large SUV could be. Yes, there are a couple of cupholders in the centre console, but one is quite small and not practical for most cups/bottles.

There’s a small shelf for the wireless smartphone charging pad and the centre console box, but aside from that, there’s no other significant storage space in the front.

On the plus side the seats are comfortable and supportive, which is also true of those in the rear. The space in the rear is excellent, with plenty of head and knee room that will allow four adults to travel in comfort (adding a fifth to the middle seat would be a squeeze).

Those in the back also get access to the small screen that allows them to adjust not only the climate control but also the front seats. The rear seats also recline and there’s a pair of cupholders and USB-C ports.

The Lotus Eletre has a generous 688-litre boot, which is wide and deep. However, it comes at the expense of a spare tyre, with only a puncture repair kit provided.

The Eletre is one of many electric vehicles to fall victim to the fluctuating market, receiving an enormous price cut before it officially went on sale in Australia.

The range was meant to start at $239,000, but the decision makers changed their minds and slashed it by a whopping $49,100 so the ‘entry-level’ Eletre is priced from $189,900, plus on-road costs.

The Eletre S, which is the subject of this review, also received a major price cut, dropping to $229,990 from its original $269,000, while the range-topping Eletre R is now priced from $279,990 rather than $315,000 as first announced by the brand.

As for what you get for that money, the Eletre comes standard with a range of premium equipment, befitting Geely’s aspirations for the Lotus brand. This includes matrix LED headlights, two-tone paint with a black contrasting roof, 20-inch alloy wheels, air suspension, keyless entry and start, a key card with NFC (Near-Field Communication) function, four-zone climate control, eight-way power adjustable front seats and heated front seats.

There’s also a KEF premium sound system, in-built eSIM card with 5G capability, a wireless charging pad as well as a 12.6-inch digital instrument panel and a 15.10-inch OLED central multimedia screen.

Stepping up to the Eletre S adds more goodies including 22-inch 10-spoke alloy wheels, an 'Active Aero Pack', 64-colour ambient lighting, automatic parking assist and a 23-speaker KEF 3D surround sound system.

At the top of the range, the Eletre R gets a more potent dual-motor powertrain, two-speed transmission, unique 22-inch alloys and a 'Quartz' interior theme.

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.

As mentioned earlier, there are three Eletre models, with the base model and S sharing the same powertrain, while the R gets a unique set-up.

The Eletre and Eletre S punch out a very healthy 450kW/710Nm from the dual motors that provide all-wheel drive traction. Despite being a full-size SUV, the two 450kW models are able to run 0-100km/h in only 4.5 seconds.

The Eletre R gets more powerful motors that make a staggering 675kW/985Nm, and crucially also get a two-speed transmission, which helps with acceleration. Lotus claims it has enough performance for the Eletre R to launch from 0-100km/h in just 2.9 seconds, a hugely impressive time for such a big and luxurious vehicle.

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.

Despite the different powertrains, all three Eletre models have the same 111kWh battery but the driving range varies across each one. 

The entry-grade model has a claimed WLTP range of between 535-600km, the Eletre S drops to 490-535km and the Eletre R can travel between 410-450km on a single charge.

On test we found those claims to be optimistic, certainly on the higher end, and especially if you head out of the urban environment and don’t maximise the regenerative braking to keep the battery topping up.

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.

The challenge for Lotus, and its competitors, is to make its cars stand out from the pack despite the increasing similarities in performance brought on by electric powertrains.

Whereas in the past we could have assessed the difference between a Lotus-built V8 compared to a BMW manufactured V8 or even a Mercedes-Benz V12, these days all the electric models produce the same quiet, effortless punch.

So, it creates a generic driving experience in some regards, when what you’re hoping for at this end of the market is something special and different. And it’s important to note I don’t use the term ‘generic’ in a negative sense, but simply the Eletre has similar driving characteristics to the electric models from BMW, Mercedes-AMG and others.

Where it does give a hint to Lotus’ heritage is in its handling, where the combination of the air suspension with adaptive dampers, torque vectoring (by braking) and the British brand’s decades of experience combine to create a surprisingly direct and responsive SUV.

You won’t mistake it for an Emira, Exige or Elise, but the Eletre does have dynamic ability a cut above your average luxury SUV.

Another major change for this new era is massive upgrades in terms of safety technology. The Eletre is packed with an array of cameras and sensors to help you avoid an accident.

There are 34 in total - four Lidar, six radar, seven HD cameras and 12 ultrasonic sensors. This all feeds a raft of features, including 'Highway Assist', which makes the Eletre the first Lotus to drive itself.

However, as part of the price cut, the Lidar hardware is removed from the entry-level model from the MY25 built examples onwards. However, if you option the Highway Assist package, they are fitted again in order for the system to work.

Standard on all Australian models is the 'Lotus Pilot Pack' which includes all the safety items that have become so common in recent years, including adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring, driver monitoring and traffic sign information.

Neither ANCAP nor Euro NCAP have tested the Eletre, as the safety authority rarely tests such expensive vehicles.

The airbag count is seven - front, front side, side curtain and far side (front centre) - and there are three top tether point and two ISOFIX positions for child seats across the second row.

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.

As for its ownership credentials, Lotus doesn’t offer capped price servicing, so you’ll need to discuss the on-going maintenance costs for your Eletre.

On the plus side, the new model is covered by a five-year/150,000km warranty for the car, with an eight-year/200,000km warranty for the battery.