The third row is an option in many other countries. 5 seats and a full sized spare please for the UK please .

If 3rd row of seats is primarily for children & young teens, does that mean that these foldaway seats are designed to work with standard baby/child seats & booster cushions and be safe enough? Maybe we could ask J77 or others to check that too on any test drive / viewing of the DS.

Still awaiting any news re: viewings or test drives from my otherwise excellent local dealer  Life is not a dress rehearsal!

Nick - Caffyns tell me they will have a car to drive in December.

Most dealers will have a manual and an auto to test drive in December.

I will ask about the rear seats. 21MY Defender 90 S 3.0 D200

Thanks guys; J77 & 2 herring.  Life is not a dress rehearsal!

I have had a reply from Land Rover Customer Relationship Centre regarding my query about the Discovery Sport Tow Pack.

"I note your request for information regarding the Discovery Sport and can confirm that the maximum 2,500kg towing capacity will be offered later in 2015. However, further details have not yet been released so I am therefore unable to expand on this at this time."

Not bursting with information, but at least we know it will be available, but not exactly when.

Purely a guess but, as the Discovery Sport is being released in high spec formats at first, there is a 2WD version (others to follow )due later next year that will be cheaper, guessing but perhaps the 2.5t version will be five seats, instead of seven

Further investigation reveals

The only versions which don't have a third row are those fitted with Land Rover's Tow Pack. This increases the towing limit from 2000kg (with a six-speed manual gearbox) or 2200kg (with a nine-speed automatic) to 2500kg, but at the expense of the additional seating. Given that even a twin-axle caravan usually weighs under two tonnes, I'd be inclined to choose the more flexible cabin over the largely academic benefit of the higher maximum towing weight, when deciding what tow car to buy for your caravan holidays.

So basically, they won't tell dilwyn, but will tell the press.

http://www.practicalcaravan.com/blog/29995...QISotSl.99

My interest is not the increased towing capacity, my Coachman caravan only weighs 1.5 tonnes, but the fact that with 5 seats you can have a full size spare wheel and not the space saver available for the 7 seater.
You usually cannot tow with a space saver fitted. So, if I have puncture while towing I would have to call out the breakdown services as my car is then incapable of towing.
I am not a fan of 7 seats anyway, particularly in a vehicle as short as the Sport, as there is little space between the 6th & 7th seats and the back door to absorb a really serious rear end shunt.
We all have different requirements for our vehicles, - mine is that I can tow my caravan safely and conveniently all over Europe without the worry of not having a proper spare. I don't want to be stuck on the side of a French motorway waiting for a breakdown truck just for a puncture!

If I was in the middle of nowhere, at silly o'clock, towing, I wouldn't hesitate to use the Space Saver, it's purpose is to use in an emergency, to a place of safety, which it would be. The current Freelander spare is ok to tow with, nothing yet to say with the new one you can't, worse case scenario if I had a flat on the rear, would put the Space Saver on the front, beats sitting in the middle of nowhere at silly o'clock.

Well ad210358, I am afraid I am one those silly over-cautious people who do not take risks or chance my luck.
Your situation would never actually happen to me as I would not buy a tow car without a full spare.
In 35 years of towing caravans I have never been without a proper spare in the car.
Hopefully Land Rover will come up trumps. If not then, very sadly, I will look elsewhere.
Incidentally, I do have a space-saver on our second car but we don't tow with that so no problem.

My last tow car was a galaxy mk3 .. No spare what's so ever.. Took the van to Europe twice in the 5 yrs I had it. Do it now ! Your a long time dead !!

To get the thread back on topic, here are some of the features of the new car...

Click image to enlarge

Click image to enlarge

Click image to enlarge

I saw one today, in white. It looks better in the flesh. It was heading towards Runcorn on the expressway 2010MY 2.2 e4 (gone but, not forgotten)
Audi TT Roadster 3.2 DSG
FFRR Westminster 4.4 TDV8 (L322)

Tradewind 35 wrote:

Whether or not one likes change and whether or not the car suits the small number of UK motorists who put their Freely 2s to practical use in the country or off road is by the way.
The simple question is - is the DS good enough?
The full fat Range Rover is unquestionably king of the road in its market sector - because it combines fantastic off road capability with wonderful on road luxury motoring, style, image, imperious driving position etc - it is a real class act - this is why it sells worldwide even though most will never venture off tarmac.
So what does the DS offer in its market sector that might denote it as special?
Is it progress to "Discover" that it is lower, thinner, longer, less practical, more expensive and has reduced ground clearance between the rear wheels - than the outgoing car - with no air suspension lift to give it genuine off road capability? Seems very little to distinguish its from the other soft roaders it is to go up against. The high volume manufacturers have the pockets to easily out- innovate Landrover and in terms of efficiency and reliability they have the volume to gets things right more often than Landrover. LR simply do not have the worldwide dealer and distribution networks and economies of scale to compete as a high volume producer. With a unique selling point they can profitably dominate sub sectors of markets. They should concentrate on what they do best - the mix of on road/off road capability which is the very essence of the brand - and that is where the DS seems to loose the plot - too much emphasis on style, not enough targeted engineering.