Is the 2016 Land Rover DISCOVERY SPORT reliable?

The 2016 Land Rover DISCOVERY SPORT has 67 complaints filed with NHTSA (3.0x the segment average). Our reliability verdict: avoid. Most common issue: ENGINE problems.

What are common problems with the 2016 Land Rover DISCOVERY SPORT?

Top problems: ENGINE (14 complaints, avg repair $500); TRANSMISSION (13 complaints, avg repair $500); BRAKES (7 complaints, avg repair $500). Issues typically appear around 50K miles.

Are there any recalls on the 2016 Land Rover DISCOVERY SPORT?

Yes, there are 2 recall(s): SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING. Contact any Land Rover dealer to verify if recalls have been completed on your specific vehicle.

How much does it cost to fuel a 2016 Land Rover DISCOVERY SPORT?

The 2016 Land Rover DISCOVERY SPORT gets 22 MPG combined. At current US average gas prices, driving 12,000 miles per year costs roughly $2182. See the interactive fuel cost calculator on this page for state-specific pricing.

How much does it cost to insure a 2016 Land Rover DISCOVERY SPORT?

Estimated US average full-coverage insurance for the 2016 Land Rover DISCOVERY SPORT is approximately $2,079/year (suv-luxury class). Actual quotes vary heavily by state, driver age, driving record, and credit — see the interactive insurance estimator on this page for state-specific pricing.

2016 Land Rover DISCOVERY SPORT

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2016 Land Rover DISCOVERY SPORT has 67 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 3.0x the segment average of 22. The most common issue is engine problems (21% of all complaints), specifically: twice now, i have come out of the auto start/stop mode after being idle. the engine seems to lag on engaging and both times my steering has been lost. both times, my speed was not more than 5 mph and it took a few seconds for the car's steering to return. once i was turning at a light after being. There are 2 recalls issued for this model year.

8 crash reports

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

3.0x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems(top 5 of 8)

ENGINE

14 complaints

21%

• TWICE NOW, I HAVE COME OUT OF THE AUTO START/STOP MODE AFTER BEING IDLE. THE ENGINE SEEMS TO LAG ON ENGAGING AND BOTH TIMES MY STEERING HAS BEEN LOST. BOTH TIMES, MY SPEED WAS NOT MORE THAN 5 MPH AND IT TOOK A FEW SECONDS FOR THE CAR'S STEERING TO RETURN. ONCE I WAS TURNING AT A LIGHT AFTER BEING
• PULLED INTO PARKING SPOT. PUT CAR IN REVERSE. PRESSED GAS. CAR JUMPED FORWARD AT A FAST SPEED. ROLLED OVER CURB AND THROUGH FENCE. HIT BRAKE. STOPPED AN INCH BEFORE GOING DOWN A 5 FOOT DROP.
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2016 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY SPORT. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED IN TRAFFIC AND THE TRANSMISSION WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED WITH A BEEPING NOISE. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS POWERED OFF AND RESTARTED, IT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TAKEN TO JAGUAR

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 2 crashes

“TWICE NOW, I HAVE COME OUT OF THE AUTO START/STOP MODE AFTER BEING IDLE. THE ENGINE SEEMS TO LAG ON ENGAGING AND BOTH TIMES MY STEERING HAS BEEN LOST. BOTH TIMES, MY SPEED WAS NOT MORE THAN 5 MPH AND IT TOOK A FEW SECONDS FOR THE CAR'S STEERING TO RETURN. ONCE I WAS TURNING AT A LIGHT AFTER BEING”

— NHTSA complaint filing

When Problems Appear on the 2016 Land Rover DISCOVERY SPORT

Based on 32 owner complaints that included an odometer reading. Median mileage at time of complaint: 49K miles. Most complaints cluster in the 60-100K miles range.

Overall complaint distribution by mileage

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

TRANSMISSION

Earlier than typicalmedian 32K mi · 8 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

ENGINE

Earlier than typicalmedian 44K mi · 6 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

Mileage figures are self-reported by owners in NHTSA complaint filings. Peak bucket = the mileage range with the most complaints for that component; it reflects when owners noticed and reported problems, not necessarily when the fault first occurred.

Recalls (2)

SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM09/12/2016

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Land Rover Discovery Sport vehicles manufactured May 30, 2016, to August 24, 2016, and 2016-2017 Range Rover Evoque vehicles manufactured June 7, 2016, to August 26, 2016. The affected vehicles have front lower control arm fasteners that may fail due to an assembly error, possibly resulting in separation of the steering knuckle.

Risk: If the fasteners were to fail causing the knuckle to separate, vehicle handling may be affected, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Land Rover will notify owners, and dealers will replace the hardware that connects the front lower control arm to the knuckle, free of charge. The recall began on January 27, 2017. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is Q650/Q651.

Fuel Cost Calculator for 2016 Land Rover DISCOVERY SPORT

Live EIA prices

Annual miles driven: 12,000

Your state (affects local gasoline price)

Per year

$2,182

Per month

$182

Per mile

18.2¢

MPG

City driving (worst-case MPG)

$2,401/yr

Highway driving (best-case MPG)

$1,847/yr

Based on EPA fuel-economy ratings and EIA weekly retail prices (2026-07-20). Real-world cost varies with driving style, trim/engine, terrain, and traffic.

5-Year Gas Price History

EIA weekly retail data · 2021 → today

Show:

Current

$4.00

5-year low

$2.78

5-year high

$5.01

Since 2021

+27%

Source: US Energy Information Administration weekly retail gasoline prices.

Estimated Insurance Cost for 2016 Land Rover DISCOVERY SPORT

Estimate only, not a quote. Modeled from NAIC + HLDI averages for a hypothetical 35-year-old driver with clean record + full coverage. Your actual quote depends heavily on your age, driving history, credit, ZIP code, and insurer.

Your state (affects local premium average)

Full coverage / year

$2,079

Full coverage / month

$173

Liability only / year

$732

vs US avg

+24%

How this estimate is calculated

US base full-coverage premium$1674

× state (US)1.00x

× vehicle class (suv-luxury)1.35x

× theft risk1.00x

× safety rating1.00x

× vehicle age0.92x

= Full coverage estimate$2079

Coverage assumed: 100/300/100 liability + comprehensive/collision, $500 deductibles. Data sources: NAIC 2024 + HLDI loss studies.

Maintenance & Warranty

Land Rover New-Vehicle Warranty Coverage

Bumper-to-bumper (basic)

4 yr / 50K mi

Powertrain

4 yr / 50K mi

Hybrid/EV battery

8 yr / 100K mi

Corrosion (rust perforation)

6 yr / unlimited mi

Roadside assistance

4 yr / unlimited mi

These are the terms for a new Land Rover. If you're buying a used 2016 DISCOVERY SPORT, remaining coverage is usually pro-rated from the vehicle's original in-service date. Not all coverage transfers between owners — check with a Land Rover dealer for VIN-specific remaining warranty.

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

BODY/STRUCTURE(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 67 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: TWICE NOW, I HAVE COME OUT OF THE AUTO START/STOP MODE AFTER BEING IDLE. THE ENGINE SEEMS TO LAG ON ENGAGING AND BOTH TIMES MY STEERING HAS BEEN LOST. BOTH TIMES, MY SPEED WAS NOT MORE THAN 5 MPH AND IT TOOK A FEW SECONDS FOR THE CAR'S STEERING TO RETURN. ONCE I WAS TURNING AT A LIGHT AFTER BEING
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, SUDDENLY THE 'CRITICAL WARNING MESSAGE' AND 'BRAKE' LIGHTS CAME ON. THE CAR LOST POWER QUICKLY, WITH THE MOMENTUM THE CAR RAN FEW HUNDRED FEET TO STOP. THEN, THE WORD 'GEARBOX FAULT' AND 'BATTERY CHARGE' APPEAR. THE ENGINE STILL RUN, BUT I WAS COMPLETELY STUCK, COULD NOT
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BRAKES: I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, SUDDENLY THE 'CRITICAL WARNING MESSAGE' AND 'BRAKE' LIGHTS CAME ON. THE CAR LOST POWER QUICKLY, WITH THE MOMENTUM THE CAR RAN FEW HUNDRED FEET TO STOP. THEN, THE WORD 'GEARBOX FAULT' AND 'BATTERY CHARGE' APPEAR. THE ENGINE STILL RUN, BUT I WAS COMPLETELY STUCK, COULD NOT
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BODY/STRUCTURE: WHEN USING KEYLESS ENTRY, WALKING UP TO DOOR AND OPENING WITHOUT UNLOCKING, THE DOOR LATCH WON'T HOLD CLOSED. CAUSING THE DOOR TO SWING FREELY. I'VE HAD TO TRY TO LOCK AND UNLOCK OR START AND TURN OFF MY TRUCK. AFTER 15-30 MIN, IT WILL USUALLY LATCH. BUT THERE'S NO CONCRETE REMEDY. THE FIRST TIM
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
RECALLS: Verify all 2 recalls have been completed — free at any Land Rover dealer
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)