Compare the2023 BMW X5VS 2023 Land Rover Discovery Sport

The X5’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

The BMW X5 has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The X5 has standard Active Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Head Restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The X5 has a standard PostCrash iBrake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The X5 offers an optional Active Park Distance Control that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

The X5 offers an optional Surround View to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Discovery Sport only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

Both the X5 and the Discovery Sport have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available all wheel drive.

The BMW X5 weighs 548 to 1155 pounds more than the Land Rover Discovery Sport. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its available headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the X5 the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2022, a rating granted to only 176 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Discovery Sport has not been tested, yet.

The X5’s corrosion warranty is 6 years longer than the Discovery Sport’s (12 vs. 6 years).

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the X5 for 3 years and 36,000 miles. BMW will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Land Rover doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Discovery Sport.

There are over 77 percent more BMW dealers than there are Land Rover dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the X5’s warranty.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the X5’s reliability 30 points higher than the Discovery Sport.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the X5 third among upper midsize premium suvs in their 2022 Initial Quality Study. The Discovery Sport isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that BMW vehicles are better in initial quality than Land Rover vehicles. J.D. Power ranks BMW above average in initial quality. With 28 more problems per 100 vehicles, Land Rover is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Land Rover vehicles. J.D. Power ranks BMW above average in long-term dependability. With 5 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Land Rover is rated below average.

The X5 40i’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid produces 89 more horsepower (335 vs. 246) and 62 lbs.-ft. more torque (331 vs. 269) than the Discovery Sport’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The X5 M50i’s standard 4.4 turbo V8 produces 277 more horsepower (523 vs. 246) and 284 lbs.-ft. more torque (553 vs. 269) than the Discovery Sport’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

On the EPA test cycle the X5 gets better mileage than the Discovery Sport:

The X5 has 4.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the Discovery Sport (21.9 vs. 17.7 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The X5’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer launch control.

For better stopping power the X5 M Sport’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Discovery Sport:

The X5’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Discovery Sport are solid, not vented.

For better traction, the X5 has larger standard tires than the Discovery Sport (265/50R19 vs. 235/60R18). The X5’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Discovery Sport (F:275/40R21 & R:315/35R21 vs. 245/45R21).

The X5’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Discovery Sport’s standard 60 series tires. The X5’s optional 275/35R22 front and 315/30R22 rear tires have a lower 35 series front and 30 series rear profile than the Discovery Sport’s optional 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the X5 has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Discovery Sport. The X5’s optional 22-inch wheels are larger than the 21-inch wheels optional on the Discovery Sport.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the X5 can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The X5 M50i offers active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The X5 M50i offers an available adjustable active suspension system, which counteracts cornering forces actively, limiting body roll and improving handling and stability. Land Rover doesn’t offer an active suspension on the Discovery Sport.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the X5’s wheelbase is 9.2 inches longer than on the Discovery Sport (117.1 inches vs. 107.9 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the X5 is 2.1 inches wider in the front and 2.5 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Discovery Sport.

The X5 xDrive handles at .84 G’s, while the Discovery Sport S pulls only .82 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The X5 xDrive executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.6 seconds quicker than the Discovery Sport S (25.8 seconds @ .75 average G’s vs. 27.4 seconds @ .64 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the X5 has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Discovery Sport (8.7 vs. 8.3 inches), allowing the X5 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The front grille of the X5 uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The X5 has 1.2 inches more front headroom, .7 inches more front legroom, 2.7 inches more front shoulder room and 2.2 inches more rear shoulder room than the Discovery Sport.

The X5 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Discovery Sport with its rear seat up (33.9 vs. 6.9 cubic feet). The X5 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Discovery Sport with its rear seat folded (72.3 vs. 60 cubic feet).

The X5’s cargo area is larger than the Discovery Sport’s in almost every dimension:

The X5 and the Discovery Sport with 5+2 Seating have standard second row automatic folding seats. The X5’s optional third row seats also fold down at the press of a button. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer automatic folding third row seats.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the X5. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The X5’s rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the tailgate door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The Discovery Sport’s rear cargo window doesn’t open.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the X5’s tailgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

The X5’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Discovery Sport’s (5952 vs. 4409 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Land Rover Discovery Sport is only 4409 pounds. The X5 offers up to a 7209 lbs. towing capacity.

The engine in the X5 is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Discovery Sport. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that BMW service is better than Land Rover. J.D. Power ranks BMW 7th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 51% lower rating, Land Rover is ranked 30th.

Unlike the driver-only memory seat and mirrors in the Discovery Sport SE, the X5 M50i has a passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position, outside mirror angle, climate settings and radio stations and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The X5’s standard easy entry system raises the steering wheel, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

If the windows are left open on the X5 the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Discovery Sport can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the X5 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the X5 has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer cornering lights. The X5 also has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the X5 has standard extendable sun visors. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the X5 to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the X5 keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The X5 offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Discovery Sport.

The X5’s optional Parking Assistant Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The X5 is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

The X5 will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the X5 will retain 47.3% to 48.55% of its original price after five years, while the Discovery Sport only retains 45.39% to 45.58%.

Consumer Reports® recommends the BMW X5, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The BMW X5 outsold the Land Rover Discovery Sport by almost 13 to one during 2022.