Range Rover Sport review – comfortable and good to drive
“The new Sport offers so much luxury and refinement that the full-size Range Rover almost seems unnecessary”
Pros
- Unflappable refinement
- Luxurious interior
- Powerful engines
Cons
- Not quite as sporty as name suggests
- Sluggish gearbox
- More expensive than before
Verdict – is the Range Rover Sport a good car?
The latest Range Rover Sport is sublimely comfortable and refined, with interior quality and technology that now rivals the best in a competitive class. It’s also capable of spanning an incredible range of conditions from challenging B-roads to tough off-road routes, without feeling compromised in any one area.
Range Rover Sport models, specs and alternatives
The Land Rover brand has evolved considerably over the years. The original Land Rover Series 1 was intended to be little more than a utilitarian workhorse for those in the country. Following the release of the Range Rover Classic in 1970, the British marque realised the incredible demand for luxurious 4x4s and began catering for that sector of the market.
In 2005, Land Rover released the first-ever Range Rover Sport as a smaller, more affordable version of the full-size Range Rover. That’s not to say the Sport was any less desirable than its larger sibling; it still boasted a luxurious interior, but also promised a much more dynamic driving experience.
The latest iteration of the Range Rover Sport was launched in September 2022 and comes as part of the luxury brand’s ‘Reimagine’ initiative, which aims to bring its range of gas-guzzling SUVs into the new low-emissions, electrified age.
While the new Sport is visually more of an evolution over its predecessor (slimmer lights and a less-cluttered design are the most distinct aesthetic differences), the SUV has undergone a revolution under the metal. The third-generation Sport now sits on new e ‘MLA-Flex’ underpinnings, the same as the latest full-size Range Rover.
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This new platform has allowed for a greater capacity for electrification. The entry-level D250 mild-hybrid diesel is claimed to return around 40mpg, whereas both plug-in hybrid models boast a pure-electric range of over 70 miles – more than what’s possible in the equivalent BMW X5 xDrive50e or Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid.
Of course, if you can afford the new Range Rover Sport (prices start from over £75,000), you probably aren’t too worried about high running costs. Land Rover knows this and also offers the Sport in ‘SV’ guise with a 626bhp twin-turbocharged 4.4-litre V8 petrol engine. This delivers supercar levels of performance, and the trick suspension and chassis tuning make the SV a capable machine through the corners, too.
Another huge leap has been made on the inside as the new Sport’s interior offers a much higher level of finish than its predecessor. Nearly everything you touch feels of impeccable quality, while Land Rover’s latest 13.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system is incredibly intuitive and quick to respond.
All of this, alongside a spacious boot and unmatched comfort and refinement, makes the Range Rover Sport one of the most desirable new cars on the market right now. Buyers can specify their ideal car in one of five ascending trim levels: S, SE, Dynamic SE, Autobiography and the high-performance SV Edition Two.
The majority of Land Rover models hold their value well, so Sport finance deals should be competitive with rivals. Unfortunately, despite being available with several fuel-sipping engines, Range Rovers are notoriously expensive to run and insure – and we expect the Sport to be no different.
