 | Positives: Stunning new sheetmetal and stunning Giola Green paint, beautiful in-car tech, good overall driving dynamics from the RWD setup. |
 | Negatives: Turbo lag hampers acceleration, not as good to drive as the previous generation, weird location for interior door handles, steep price tag. |
 | Bottom Line: The stunning new Range Rover Sport has become a bit overwrought with its tech and interior styling. It's not as fun as its predecessor, unfortunately, and the price is hard to stomach. |
Driving Experience
Even the base engine is powerful and it adds a 48-volt hybrid system for a total of 355 horsepower in the P360 SE. The power delivery off the line, however, feels quashed and it seems to lack the verve of the old Range Rover Sport turbo six that didn't benefit from a mild hybrid system in the base configuration.
Ride Quality: The standard air suspension provides the Sport with an excellent ride that's both comfortable and compliant with road surfaces. It's not overly cushy, either.
Acceleration: The Ranger Rover Sport with the base powertrain will launch to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds. It's not especially quick, and the delay off the line makes it that much worse.
Braking: The brakes feel strong and have plenty of bite. We had no trouble bringing the 5,387-lb beast to a stop.
Steering: The steering feedback is pretty much non-existent, but there is some effort involved. It's on-center, and responsivenss is good.
Handling: The Adaptive Dynamics and taut chassis keep the Ranger Rover Sport in check in the turns, and there's not much body roll exhibited. The RWD setup also makes it more maneuverable overall.
Technology
Land Rover's in-car tech has come a long way, and it has improved in just about every way. The system in the Range Rover Sport is bigger, bolder, and better than ever. The digital gauge cluster might actually be the best one we've ever seen in any vehicle, and that's saying something. Finally, the Sport's Terrain Response system is excellent, and it allows the Sport to showcase its off-road abilities that aren't something to be discounted in an SUV that focuses on sport.
Infotainment System: The huge curved convex screen is unique in the industry, and it's finally very responsive unlike previous systems. PIVI Pro is visually attractive and not overwrought. The menu is crisp, and functions are easy to find.
Controls: We love the conventional (and short) shift knob, the excellent climate control knobs, and the presence of a physical volume knob. Everything has been nicely sized and spaced in the center stack and center console.
Styling
The redesign is, simply put, beautiful. It eschews some of the brutish look of the old Sport and adopts the slinkiness of the new Range Rover, as well as some of the design-centric Velar. It's still less refined than the Range Rover thanks to a bit more angularity
Front: The front end of the new Sport moves away from a larger grille and adopts much more of the Velar's sleek look. The headlights are less complex and quite a bit thinner, too. We think it looks too similar to the Range Rover and the Velar and loses some of its aggressiveness.
Rear: The boxy U-shaped taillights are gone, replaced by thinner L-shaped units. The dark plastic strip between the taillights gives it more width.
Profile: This is our favorite angle because it looks similar to the shape of the old RR Sport. The raked C and D-pillars give it a sportiness, and the front fender vent is a nice touch. That paint job is stunning, as well, and it received numerous compliments from bystanders.
Cabin: The interior of the RR Sport is more refined than ever before. Although we don't like the preponderance of piano black in the cabin, the look is fresh, sophisticated, and handsome. We do hate the position of the interior door handles for the front-row occupants. It's too low, and you have to hunt for them because your hand doesn't naturally fall to their position. We're not sure why Land Rover did this.
Comfort
With the redesign comes improved comfort levels with ample amounts of space in both rows and excellent seats. We would've like to have sportier interior, but customers at this price point want luxury. The Range Rover Sport offers great materials and opulent appointments for all.
Front Seats: It feels a bit more like you're sitting on top of the front seats than in them. Cushioning is excellent, and there's a solid amount of bolstering.
Rear Seats: We especially love the cushion length, which allows occupants to sit for longer periods of time. All three positions provide excellent levels of comfort and legroom.
NVH (noise/vibration/harshness): The RR Sport is quiet at highway speeds, and the aerodynamic body means there's very little wind noise, as well. Sound deadening inside is very good.
Visibility: Despite the angularity of the pillars in the back, the overall visibility is very good. We would've like a better seating position, but the height of the front seats permits easy sightlines over the hood.
Climate: The climate system was responsive, but we wish airflow out of the small front dash vents was better.
Safety
The new RR Sport has not been crash tested by either the IIHS or the NHTSA, but that's not surprising given its price and sales volumes. It does come with a strong set of standard safety features.
IIHS Rating: Not tested.
NHTSA Rating: Not tested.
Standard Tech: Our tester came with Emergency Braking, Emergency Brake Assist, Adaptive Cruise w/Steer Assist, Driver Condition Response, Blind Spot Assist, Surround Camera System, High-Speed Emergency Braking, Lane Keep Assist, Parking Aids, and Traffic Sign Recognition & Adaptive Speed Limiter.
Optional Tech: None.
Storage/Cargo
Some small storage options are compromised by the wide center console and the position of the touchscreen. The rather large climate control knobs, conventional shift knob and the drive mode controls also prevent better storage. The cargo space is about on par with the competition, namely the BMW X5 and the Audi Q8.
Storage Space: copy text
Cargo Room: The RR Sport gets 31.8 cubic feet behind row two and 68.6 cubic feet with the seats folded flat. The cargo floor height is more than manageable, and the opening is wide. We also like the flat load floor.
Fuel Economy
Even the base engine isn't exactly miserly. We didn't match the EPA estimates, but we were close. The turbocharged and supercharged V6 move the heavy Sport well, but you pay for it when it comes to the cost at the pump.
Observed: 17.6 combined.
Distance Driven: 122 miles.
Audio
The stock Meridian sound system sounds truly premium. It happens to deliver powerful sound, great clarity, and strong bass. It also comes at no extra cost to the P350's already hefty price tag, which is a nice touch.
