Land Rover has always been a brand less eager to change than most. But today's crossover and SUV market is far more competitive than it used to be, with a number of players vying for segment dominance. To keep abreast of the competition, the 2020 Land Rover Discovery Sport has been nipped and tucked in small but meaningful ways.

The most obvious improvements are the slimmer headlights and generally more elegant sheetmetal. Interiors were also classed up and now boast 40/20/40 split-folding rear seats, more refined materials, and upgraded infotainment. Optional sustainable interior choices should please those especially concerned with our planet's fragility.

Headlining the updates is a new optional mild-hybrid four-cylinder powertrain. It uses a 48-volt electrical system and an underfloor battery designed to store energy regenerated during braking.

Land Rover offers this model in four trims: Discovery Sport, S, SE, and HSE. Prices begin at $38,795 including destination for the base Discovery Sport and climb to $53,795 for an HSE.

It's also important to note that the lineup is divided into two flavors: base Discovery Sport and R-Dynamic. The R-Dynamic has a little more visual punch over the base, but otherwise the two are similar. The S and SE trims are available in both base and R-Dynamic guise, while the Discovery Sport trim is exclusive to the regular model and the HSE is exclusive to the R-Dynamic.

All Land Rover Discovery Sport models but the HSE come with the base 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, dubbed P250 by the automaker. HSE models eschew this traditional powertrain for a mild-hybrid four-cylinder setup that goes by P290.

Both powertrains use a nine-speed automatic transmission, while all-wheel drive is standard and max towing checks in at 4,409 pounds.

Though there's a nice 40-horsepower bump with the hybrid technology, don't expect it to endow the Discovery Sport with more, well, sportiness. Any potential for quicker acceleration will be countered by the inevitable weight gain from the battery pack and starter-generator setup.

With its battery, starter-generator, and 48-volt electrical system, better mileage should be all but guaranteed, despite there being no official figures yet released. Considering that the similar Land Rover Range Rover Evoque offers the same powertrain, it would be safe to assume its EPA-estimated 23 miles per gallon combined will also be the case for the Discovery Sport.

Despite only having 181 inches of length between the bumpers, the Disco Sport can seat up to seven people when equipped with the optional third row seats; this kind of versatility is rare in this class. Skip that option and five people can comfortably share the Discovery Sport's cabin.

Behind the second-row seats, there's 32.7 cubic feet of cargo space. Drop the new 40/20/40 split-folding rear bench and cargo space expands to 67 cubes.

The Land Rover Discovery Sport is available with the full suite of today's active-safety features. "Available" is the key word here – not much besides low-speed automatic emergency braking is standard on the lower trims.

If that doesn't cut the mustard, the optional $1,700 Drive Package bundles adaptive cruise control, high-speed automatic emergency braking, and blind-spot monitoring. These features finally become standard on the HSE model.

New for 2020 is an optional rearview mirror that also functions as a camera. Push a button and the reflective mirror gives way to a screen showing an unencumbered wide-pane view of the rear of the vehicle. It's available through the $800 Park Package alongside a park assist system and a surround-view camera.

Befitting its pitch as a luxury SUV, the Discovery Sport now comes standard with a 10-inch touchscreen housing updated infotainment software. The new system offers, among other things, what Land Rover calls Smart Settings. These presets use artificial intelligence algorithms to determine preferences of the driver, including climate and radio settings as well as seat position.

In a nod to the electronic world we find ourselves in, a good bit of the Discovery Sport's 2020 interior updates center around the connectivity experience. For proof, look no further than the steering wheel, which now boasts capacitive buttons with similar haptic feel and feedback as a smartphone.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto become standard on the S trim and higher, but require the $300 Smartphone Package on the base model. Wireless charging, a head-up display, and an interactive driver display are bundled in the $1,580 Technology Package.

Considering the price point of the entry-level Discovery Sport model, it comes rather well equipped. Standard features include dual-zone climate control, rain-sensing wipers, USB ports for both rows, and an auto-dimming mirror. Keeping things affordable are fabric seats with eight-way manual adjustment for the driver.

In proper Land Rover fashion, serious off-road equipment comes standard. The goodies include hill descent control, a crawl-speed cruise control, five off-road settings tailored to particular terrain, and hill-launch assist.

A heated steering wheel and windshield, upgraded LED headlights with signature daytime running lights, and a headlight power washing system are available in the Cold Climate Package ($620).

The Discovery Sport S includes auto-dimming and power-folding mirrors, navigation, leather upholstery with 12-way power front seats, and traffic-sign recognition. The R-Dynamic adds to this bespoke trim and unique 18-inch wheels.

The $1,480 Premium Upgrade Interior Pack includes a fancier leather-wrapped steering wheel, upgraded carpet floor mats, illuminated metal treadplates, and ambient lighting.

The SE is second from the top in the Discovery Sport hierarchy and comes well equipped for the price. Memory seats, a power tailgate, blind-spot monitoring, and the fully digital gauge cluster are all made standard. Signature LED headlights and 19-inch wheels visually distinguish the SE.

Interior options include $1,545 Windsor leather and an $800 Meridian surround-sound audio system with 14 speakers.

The highlight of the top-shelf HSE is the mild-hybrid powertrain, but it isn't lacking in other luxuries either. Some of its notable features include the rearview mirror camera, keyless entry, 20-inch wheels, 14-way power seats with memory, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, and high-speed automatic emergency braking.

Compare Discovery Sport Trims Side-By-Side