Range Rover Sport review

Driving position

First thing’s first, the Range Rover Sport really delivers on the seating position. Too many cars are likened to giving the driver a commanding view of the road ahead, but not much comes close to the Range Rover Sport which feels much taller than most.

While your eye line is probably no lower than that of a van driver’s, it feels far more car-like inside, where you’re cocooned in stunning leather and other high-grade finishes.

It’s actually really easy to get set up behind the wheel with up to 22-way power adjustable seats and a steering wheel that even has an ‘auto’ mode to adjust the position.

But even though the Range Rover Sport feels a far bigger car than most of its rivals, it’s still really easy to position in traffic or down tight side streets.

The sheer breadth of the thing and the acres of bonnet ahead of you take a drive or two to get used to, but it feels so easy that you don’t even need to rely on the 360-degree parking camera.

With various on- and off-road modes, that camera does deserve one particular shoutout, though. Forward-facing cameras located on the door mirrors show your exact front wheel positioning, which is really handy to prevent kerbing those massive alloys.

As for the actual unassisted visibility, the front pillars are positioned in such a way to minimise blind spots at roundabouts, and extra panes of glass in front of the side windows open it up a bit more.

It’s also really easy to catch what’s next to you or behind you, because all the side windows go pretty low (which incidentally helps make the cabin feel very airy). This stems from the L322 generation of Range Rover, known for its glasshouse-like feel.

Tech and features

Range Rover Sport trims

– S

– SE

– Dynamic SE

– Autobiography

– SV

– SV Black

– SV Carbon

The Range Rover Sport walks the very fine line between being hi-tech and minimalist – and we think it’s exactly where it needs to be.

Its 13.1-inch Pivi Pro infotainment system is not only far better than the systems used a decade or so ago, but it’s also one of the best in the business. It’s really easy to navigate, there aren't hundreds of complex menus, and there are widgets to help you access shortcuts more easily too.

While all the physical controls have gone, changing things like volume and temperature is actually still very easy. All you need to do is swipe on the widget without having to open up the full media or climate menu.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto also come as standard, and they look excellent thanks to the Range Rover Sport’s high-def display which allows an extra row of apps to be displayed.

Our top-spec Autobiography test model had the Meridian 3D surround sound system, which sounds effortlessly good.

Some other perks included in our test car, and some other lower trims, are the ClearSight digital rear-view mirror (which you flick on or off), a head-up display, keyless entry, a refrigerated area under the front armrest and a heated windscreen.

This test car also had the 22-way heated, ventilated and massaging front seats with power reclining for the rear row, and the £3,700 rear-seat entertainment package, which includes two built-in 11.4-inch screens with HDMI inputs.

Combine them with the on-board 180W 230V power outlet and you could even have a gaming console set up for longer journeys.

Despite all of this high-end tech, the actual touch points around the car are limited – most things are done through the touchscreen, and there are just a few switches here and there, so it all feels very refined and luxurious.

Engines and power

Range Rover Sport performance stats

– Power: 250hp to 635hp

– 0-62mph: 3.8 to 8.0 seconds

– Top speed: Up to 180mph

– Driven wheels: Four-wheel drive

Range Rover’s got you covered on most fronts here, with mild hybrid tech supporting some engines on the efficiency figures and plug-in hybrids also available for city-dwellers.

Mild hybrid petrols include the V6 P360 and P400 (P meaning petrol, and the number relating to its power output), with V8 engines available in P530 and P635 forms.

It’s the P635 that indirectly replaces previous-generation SVR models, and with a 0-62mph time of 3.8 seconds, it’s supercar-quick despite its mighty 2,560kg kerb weight.

Mild hybrid diesels include the D250, D300 and D350. All powered by a 3.0-litre V6, they probably make most sense for most drivers, with the high torque figures and superior fuel economy fitting this SUV well.

We tested the D350 model, with a 0-62mph time of 5.8 seconds, and this is probably the pick of the bunch.

For a diesel, it has no business being so quiet on startup and at idle – it's a far cry from diesel's agricultural roots.

It’s effortlessly pacey without the aggressive pin-you-into-your-seat acceleration of an EV.

Two V6 plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), the P460e and P550e, complete the lineup, with 75-76 miles of electric-only range perfect for shorter trips and petrol power to back them up.

Handling and ride comfort

You might think it’s a bit of a stretch to brand this Range Rover model the ‘Sport’, but it’s sort of deserving of that name.

Performance is there, as you can see above, but it doesn’t do a bad job of handling all that power either.

There’s no fighting physics, and this 2.5-tonne SUV always feels its size wherever you are and however you’re driving, but you can still keep the pace through corners on country lanes without having to slow down and annoy cars behind you.

Our test vehicle had absolutely massive 23-inch alloys – something we’d generally urge you to avoid. The more alloy there is, the less (ride-cushioning) rubber there can be.

Don’t worry, though, because this car was still far more comfortable than your average family SUV.

At this end of the market if you’re spending upwards of £100,000 (new) on a well-specced Range Rover Sport, it’s about being effortless and understated, and that’s exactly how it feels.

That also extends to around-town driving, where the Stormer Handling Pack really pulls its weight in making the ‘Sport’ a joy to drive.

Admittedly it’s a £5,330 option, but it’s probably the single option that makes the biggest difference, mostly due to the all-wheel steering.

Whether turning a sharp corner or reversing into a space, it feels like it’s turning on a sixpence, to the point that you might even need to reduce the steering angle because it’s just so effective.

The turning circle reduces by over a metre-and-a-half to 10.95m with this option.

The electronic active diff and the dynamic air suspension help out on the road, too.

We’re not done, though, because the eight-speed automatic gearbox also needs its moment. It's phenomenal.

Gear shifts, whether you’re being really gentler or hammering it, are as undetectable as they can be. Can we say it again? Effortless.

Boot space

Range Rover Sport boot space:

– Boot space: Up to 647 litres

– Incl. rear seats folded: Up to 1,491 litres

Few Range Rover owners will be doing the tip run or carting about building materials, so boot size doesn’t matter. In the industry, you reach a point where you’ve got enough space, and any more is better served extending the legroom for rear-seat occupants.

With a 647-litre boot that’s broadly in line with rivals like the BMW X5 (650 litres) and Mercedes GLE (630 litres).

You’ve got all the height you need, but actual front-to-back depth is more ‘normal’ than ‘impressive’.

In our not-so-normal test (loading the boot with SCUBA diving equipment), we were able to fit less than in the X5 due to the smaller footprint of the boot’s floor. But this was fine, because we could stack it really high.

There’s also the air suspension trick – a neat little control panel in the boot will let you lower the car if you’re struggling to reach things in. Perfect

Rear seats

Rear-seat passengers are well-looked after, with more than the usual amount of seat adjustment. Our test car even had the electric door-mounted panel for backrest reclining.

Compared with previous models, legroom is up, but headroom has never been an issue and even the tallest passengers will be perfectly fine here.

Optional heated and ventilated seats (included in our Autobiography test car) are also there, with easy multi-function dials for controlling the four-zone climate control and seat comfort.

Although three adults side-by-side will be fine, the real purpose of a car like this is to have two in the back separated by the chunky, really comfortable arm rest.

It has pop-out cupholders, an integrated storage console for sweets, and USB-C and HDMI ports (when equipped with the rear-screen package).

Storage solutions

Starting at the front, you’ve got dual gloveboxes to keep things apart from each other. Dual electronic release buttons on the dash open them independently.

The armrest also uncovers an area that, depending on spec, has two-stage cooling that gets surprisingly cold. It’s the perfect size for cans, but bottles not so much.

Even the centre console has sliding compartments that hide extra storage, wireless phone charging and a narrow slot to keep your key safely from rolling around.

Apart from the aforementioned rear-seat armrest, all four doors also have plenty of space for bottles and various other items.

Put it this way, it took us more than a while to empty the driver’s door bin after a week with the car – it’s just that good at swallowing all the junk that ends up in cars.

Range Rover Sport dimensions

– Height: 1,820mm

– Width: 2,209mm (incl. door mirrors)

– Length: 4,946mm

– Kerb weight: 2,340kg to 2,810kg

Towing

Towing really isn’t an issue here, with the petrol and diesel models all rated to 3,500kg. The PHEVs are only limited to 3,000kg because of total system weight, not because they can’t physically pull anything heavier.

It’s not so much about whether it can tow, it’s about the finer details.

For example, the £1,130 factory-fitted tow bar doesn’t cost much more than you’d pay to have one retrospectively fitted – not that you would want to, because this one is electrically deployable so hides neatly under the bumper when you don’t need it.

It’s also got the electrics integrated into the arm for easy access.

As ever, we went above and beyond to test out the Range Rover Sport for you, even pulling a 1,400kg, six-metre boat.

As you’d expect, it was effortless with the D350 engine, though fuel economy took a hit to around 21mpg – as it has done in nearly everything else we’ve towed with.

The various camera views also help if you're not confident reversing, with the £385 Advanced Tow Assist option taking care of the counter steering for you. Shame we only found out about this after towing – so we haven’t tested that.

Off-roading

With massive 23-inch wheels, our test car wasn’t the sort of SUV you’d want to take off-roading for risk of damaging the rims. But it easily could, if you had to.

Especially with the adjustable air suspension ride height, which can increase obstacle clearance from 216mm to 280mm.

Approach (33 degrees), departure (30 degrees) and breakover (26.9 degrees) angles are all far better than your average family SUV (PHEV models are slightly inferior).

It also has a 900mm wading depth – not that you’d want to drive through nearly a metre of water.

On-board sensors and infographics for all of the above make it more like a carefully executed mission rather than a blind attempt.

The star of the show, though, is the Terrain Response 2 system, which has seven separate drive modes for the likes of snow and sand. The best bet, unless you’re really pushing it to the edge, is to leave it in ‘Auto’ and let the computers do the work.

After all, why should you have to think when you’ve bought a Range Rover – arguably one of the best off-roaders in the business.

Safety

All the standard systems you’d expect apply here, including autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep assist, traffic sign recognition and more.

But crucially, it’s really easy to configure your Range Rover Sport to your exact preferences.

It’s easy to turn off speed limit warnings if you’re not a fan (by cycling through the dedicated button on the steering wheel.

There’s also the option of not only changing the adaptive cruise control (ACC)’s distance with steering wheel-mounted controls, but disabling it altogether and having regular cruise control.

It’s an under-looked advantage, because sometimes on an empty motorway it’s more effective to use regular cruise control.

To do this, press and hold on the short-distance button – or press and hold the long-distance button to re-engage ACC.

Fuel economy

We tested this car when diesel prices were quickly approaching £2/litre, and had really low expectations given its weight.

This was where we were wrong though – on a motorway we were able to achieve 38mpg, and 40mpg might even be possible if you knock 5mph off in the name of fuel savings.

Its mild hybrid system also really improves town efficiency, where we were still getting over 30mpg. In stop-start traffic with a diesel engine and a 2.5-tonne SUV, this is nearly unheard-of.

It’s proof that the diesel models still make total sense for many drivers even in a petrol-biased world.

Given that our D350 model claims 35.5-38.3mpg, it’s an outstanding performance.

Petrol models might halve this MPG figure, but that’s normal of any petrol engine.

The PHEVs are great if you really want rock-bottom running costs, though, because the 75-mile range is far more than your average daily commute.

Both use a 38.2kWh battery (31.8kWh of which is usable), which means an off-peak fully charge using a 7p/kWh tariff will cost just £2.67.

Both charge to 100% in five hours using a 7kW charger (or 15 hours using a standard domestic socket), and they also accept 50kW rapid charging for an 80% charge in 40 minutes.

Reliability

Land Rover and Range Rover cars used to be known for their hit-and-miss reliability, but despite a mixed history, today’s products are far better and totally undeserving of that reputation.

Improved software and over-the-air (OTA) updates keep the computers up and running, and the mechanical parts are a step forward from previous-generation models.

It’s worth noting that, like any other premium brand, maintenance and servicing will be on the costly side. A set of tyres for the 23-inch wheels will cost around £1,500, for example. But that’s the same for any large SUV.

The three-year warranty is just average, but at least it’s uncapped in terms of mileage, whereas many other brands set a 60,000-mile cap.