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Land Rover Discovery Sport: Years to Avoid and Best Years (Engine & Transmission)
Land Rover Discovery Sport problems by model year, from 391 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. For each year: the share of complaints about the engine, transmission or fuel system, how many there were, and the recalls.
Years to avoid: 2016 (51%, 26 drivetrain complaints), 2017 (44%, 39 drivetrain complaints) and 2019 (43%, 24 drivetrain complaints). 3 of the 4 Land Rover Discovery Sport years we score have an elevated engine, transmission or fuel-system complaint share.
Best years on this measure: 2015 (30%). A low share means owners complained about other things more than the drivetrain, not that nothing ever fails.
The sharpest change between consecutive years is from 2015 (30%) to 2016 (51%), up 21 points. The complaint pattern shifts at that year, so check which year the car in front of you is.
By raw volume, the 2015 drew the most drivetrain complaints (41 of 130 across the scored years). Volume also tracks how many were sold and how long they have been on the road, which is why the share, not the count, sets the verdict.
2021, 2022 and 2023 have fewer than 25 complaints on record so far, too few to score. Newer cars have had less time to collect complaints.
Engine and transmission complaint share, 2010–2023
Share of relevant owner complaints about the engine, transmission or fuel system. 33% is elevated, 40% high, 60% very high. A dash means too few complaints to score.
Every Land Rover Discovery Sport year
| Model year | Signal | Drivetrain share | Drivetrain complaints | All complaints | Rank (1 = worst) | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 Discovery Sport | no elevated signal | 30% | 41 | 140 | 4/4 | 2 |
| 2016 Discovery Sport | high | 51% | 26 | 52 | 1/4 | 2 |
| 2017 Discovery Sport | high | 44% | 39 | 94 | 2/4 | 2 |
| 2018 Discovery Sport | too few to score | – | 17 | 22 | – | 1 |
| 2019 Discovery Sport | high | 43% | 24 | 59 | 3/4 | 0 |
| 2020 Discovery Sport | too few to score | – | 7 | 13 | – | 5 |
| 2021 Discovery Sport | too few to score | – | 3 | 4 | – | 2 |
| 2022 Discovery Sport | too few to score | – | 2 | 4 | – | 2 |
| 2023 Discovery Sport | too few to score | – | 1 | 3 | – | 3 |
What owners complain about most, all years
Categories as NHTSA files them, summed across the Land Rover Discovery Sport years with data. A complaint can name more than one component, so the shares overlap. Red is engine, transmission or fuel.
Land Rover Discovery Sport transmission recalls: timeline
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the Land Rover Discovery Sport involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 4 across the years we track. Each model-year page has the details. Whether a particular car still has a recall open depends on its VIN.
| Date | Campaign | Component | Model years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 2016 | 16V614000 | power train: automatic transmission | 2015 |
3 other recalls (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
| Date | Campaign | Component | Model years |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2016 | 16V274000 | exterior lighting | 2015–2016 |
| Dec 2016 | 16V889000 | suspension: front: control arm: lower arm | 2016–2017 |
| Dec 2016 | 16V942000 | seat belts: pretensioner | 2017 |
What the free pages leave out on the Land Rover Discovery Sport
- The mileage where it happens, for the model year you are looking at.
- What the repair costs, to price into your offer.
- Cleaner alternatives: similar cars with a better record.
- Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive.
- Open recalls on the actual car, by VIN.
Questions people ask about the Land Rover Discovery Sport
What are the worst years for the Land Rover Discovery Sport?
On engine and transmission complaints, the worst Land Rover Discovery Sport years are the 2016 (51% of relevant complaints, high), the 2017 (44% of relevant complaints, high) and the 2019 (43% of relevant complaints, high). 3 of 4 scored years are elevated in all.
What are the best years for the Land Rover Discovery Sport?
On engine and transmission complaints, the best Land Rover Discovery Sport years are the 2015 (30%). That describes the model year; any one car still needs an inspection.
Does the Land Rover Discovery Sport have engine problems?
In some years. Across the 4 scored years, 130 of 337 relevant NHTSA complaints (39%) concern the engine, transmission or fuel system; the largest drivetrain category is engine. The years with an elevated share are 2016, 2017 and 2019.
Is the Land Rover Discovery Sport reliable?
On the engine and transmission it depends on the year: 3 of 4 Land Rover Discovery Sport years we score have an elevated complaint share and 1 do not. Pooled across those years, 39% of relevant complaints are about the drivetrain, against a 33% line for an elevated signal. Complaint data does not measure overall reliability, so pick the year first, then inspect the car.
Are there transmission or engine recalls on the Land Rover Discovery Sport?
Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign involving the engine, transmission or fuel system across the Land Rover Discovery Sport years we track, out of 4 in total: 16V614000 (Aug 2016, 2015). Whether a car still has one open depends on its VIN.
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Check a VINExperimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across model years, not the condition of any individual vehicle. Model years with fewer than 25 complaints are not scored.