Discovery Sport gets seven seats 30 | 07 | 2014
LAND ROVER HAS confirmed its all-new Discovery Sport will come with a standard 5+2 seating layout when it goes on sale across Scotland at the start of next year.
This official photo shows final prototypes being tested ahead of a planned debut at the Paris Motor Show in October.
Though the mules are wrapped in a camouflage cladding, it's clear that there's a third row of seats installed behind the conventional rear bench.
It's logical to assume the two rear-most seats will fold forwards to increase load space in the rear, and — more than likely — could be removable altogether.
Related: Stealth Pack for Range Rover Sport
The bold decision by Land Rover to incorporate the third row of seats will help the seven-seater Discovery Sport stand from the increasingly crowded mid-size SUV segment which is currently dominated by the likes of the Audi Q5 and BMW X3.
According to Land Rover design boss Gerry McGovern, the car will offer "spacious load space and configurable seating, while still retaining a more compact footprint than traditional five-seat SUVs."
Power will come from Jaguar Land Rover's new range of advanced Ingenium engines, with entry-level, front-wheel drive versions expected to emit around 119g/km of CO2.
Related: John Clark profits rocket
Keep up-to-date with all the latest news by following us on twitter.com/scotcars
Jim McGill