Infotainment upgrade takes center stage with 2017 Land Rover Discovery Sport
There's also a new aesthetics upgrade on offer, as well as three new safety systems.
In the two years that have progressed since Land Rover launched the Discovery Sport line in the US (replacing the aging LR2), plenty of advancements have been made in terms of in-car technology. Thus, in updating its midsize utility vehicle for 2017, Land Rover's focused nearly entirely on technology.
That isn't to say that it's left other parts to languish. In HSE or HSE Lux trims, the Disco Sport can be optioned to include the new Dynamic Design Pack, which amounts to more aggressive bumpers, blacked-out exterior trim, black wheels and contrast-stitched interior pieces. There are four new colors on offer, as well -- silver, black, gray and "Aruba Metallic," which is a gold-grey hybrid.
The real gem in this update, though, is the introduction of Land Rover's InControl Touch Pro touchscreen infotainment system. Packing a 10.2-inch screen, a quad-core processor and a speedy solid-state hard drive, it's loaded to the gills with features and has a design meant to mimic a smartphone experience. You can check local weather reports, peruse high-definition maps, and do many other things that the "back in my day" crowd used to do before leaving the house.
Three new safety features are also coming along for the ride. Driver Condition Monitor checks driver inputs and can alert him or her when the system detects drowsy driving. Intelligent Speed Limiter can monitor speed-limit signs and prompt the driver to speed up or slow down as the limit changes. Lane-keep assist is pretty self-explanatory -- it gently steers you back into the lane if you happen to start drifting.
The 2017 Land Rover Discovery Sport should go on sale in the US in August, and pricing starts at $37,695, with a fully loaded-and-optioned model taking you north of $55,000.
