New Kia Sorento and Land Rover Discovery Sport vs Honda CR-V: verdict

Our verdict

We’ve always rated diesel versions of the Discovery Sport, but this P200 petrol falls well short of that standard. Performance is sluggish, the engine is poorly integrated with the automatic gearbox and mild hybrid system, and fuel economy is woeful. The version tested doesn’t ride brilliantly, either, although there’s no doubt that it remains a practical, family-friendly car.

So, if you want a large SUV with seven seats and good economy, you’ll want the Sorento. Kia’s reliability record is impressive, and a seven-year warranty is there just in case. The petrol engine, electric motor and gearbox work together smoothly to deliver punchy performance, and you get an interior that’s nicely made and ridiculously spacious. It’s an excellent buy.

That said, if five seats are fine, don’t rule out the CR-V, because it’s almost as roomy as the Sorento, even quicker and much more economical. That makes it quite a bit cheaper to run, and it’s also cheaper to buy.

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1st – Kia Sorento

For Best for interior space and third-row usability; best ride and handling balance; best infotainment
Against Driving position could be better; not exactly cheap to buy; sheds value the fastest
Recommended options Metallic paint (£650)

What Car? rating 5 stars out of 5

Read our full Kia Sorento review >>

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2nd – Honda CR-V

For Best for fuel economy; gutsiest performance; best visibility; cheapest to run privately and buy on a PCP; comfy ride
Against Poor infotainment; hybrid isn’t available with seven seats; engine noisy under hard acceleration
Recommended options Metallic paint (£550)

What Car? rating 4 stars out of 5

Read our full Honda CR-V review >>

Find Honda CR-V deals >>

3rd – Land Rover Discovery Sport

For Quietest at a cruise; flexible seating; holds its value the best; best for towing and off-roading
Against Lacklustre performance; unsettled ride; poor reliability record; priciest to own
Recommended options Driver Assistance Pack (£1350), metallic paint (£705)

What Car? rating 3 stars out of 5

Read our full Land Rover Discovery Sport review >>

Find Land Rover Discovery Sport deals >>

Specifications: Kia Sorento 1.6 T-GDI HEV AWD 2

Engine 4cyl, 1598cc, turbo, petrol, plus electric motor
Peak power 226bhp @ 5500rpm
Peak torque 258lb ft @ 1500-4500rpm
Gearbox 6-spd automatic
0-60mph 8.3sec
30-70mph 7.7sec
Top speed 119mph
30-0mph 10.8m
70-0mph 58.7m
Noise @ 30mph 59.8dB
Noice @ 70mph 65.4dB
Official economy 40.9mpg
Test economy 37.9mpg
CO2 emissions 158g/km

Specifications: Land Rover Discovery Sport P200 AWD R-Dynamic S Plus 7-seat

Engine 4cyl, 1997cc, turbo, petrol
Peak power 197bhp at 5500rpm
Peak torque 236lb ft at 1200-4000rpm
Gearbox 9-spd automatic
0-60mph 9.9sec
30-70mph 9.7sec
Top speed 128mph
30-0mph 11.9m
70-0mph 68.5m
Noise @ 30mph 59.6dB
Noise @ 70mph 64.9dB
Official economy 30.1mpg
Test economy 25.2mpg
CO2 emissions 211g/km

Specifications: Honda CR-V 2.0 i-MMD Hybrid AWD SR

Engine 4cyl, 1993cc, petrol, plus electric motor
Peak power 143bhp @ 6200rpm (petrol), 181bhp (electric)
Peak torque 129lb ft @ 4000rpm (petrol), 232lb ft (electric)
Gearbox CVT automatic
0-60mph 8.0sec
30-70mph 7.2sec
Top speed 112mph
30-0mph 10.3m
70-0mph 60.1m
Noise @ 30mph 60.1dB
Noise @ 70mph 66.3dB
Official economy 38.7mpg
Test economy 45.7mpg
CO2 emissions 166g/km

Weather conditions Damp

Cars pictured

Kia Sorento 1.6 T-GDi HEV AWD 2 with Runway Red metallic paint (£650)

Land Rover Discovery Sport P200 AWD S R-Dynamic with Firenze Red metallic paint (£705), 20in Style 5089 gloss black wheels (£1650), fixed panoramic roof (£1150), black contrast roof (£610)

Honda CR-V 2.0 i-MMD AWD EX with Modern Steel metallic paint (£550)

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