Range Rover Sport review
The Range Rover Sport is hard to beat, because it offers strong performance, superb comfort and an engaging drive
Is the Range Rover Sport a good car?
The third-generation Range Rover Sport delivers exactly what luxury SUV buyers are looking for. Smarter styling, improved onboard technology, along with a raft of developments in the way the Sport drives mean that it remains as sophisticated as ever, while maintaining a dynamic edge over its bigger Range Rover sibling.
A strong choice of petrol, diesel and efficient plug-in hybrid engines will please private and business users alike, as will the sumptuous levels of comfort and refinement. Yes, it’s expensive, but the Range Rover Sport is one of the best premium SUVs you can buy – so much so that we named it Large Premium SUV of the Year at the 2023 Auto Express New Car Awards.
| Key specs | |
| Fuel type | Petrol, diesel, plug-in hybrid |
| Body style | Five-door large SUV |
| Powertrain | 3.0-litre, 6cyl turbocharged petrol plus 1x e-motor, four-wheel drive 4.4-litre, 8cyl turbocharged petrol, four-wheel drive 3.0-litre, 6cyl turbocharged diesel, four-wheel drive |
| Safety | 5-stars (Euro NCAP, 2022) |
| Warranty | 3yrs/unlimited mileage |
How much does the Range Rover Sport cost?
With a ‘Range Rover’ badge, the Sport isn’t going to be cheap, but its starting price compares well with rivals. The entry-level S trim that comes exclusively with the D250 diesel engine costs just over £75,000, which is similar to the Mercedes GLE, and only a few thousand more than the BMW X5. The Sport is better equipped than the X5, though, with standard air-suspension, blind spot monitoring, lane keep assistance and a 360-degree camera system. The plug-in hybrid starts at around £90,000 in P460e SE form, while the high-performance SV comes in at £172,000.
Used - available now
2020 Land Rover
Range Rover Sport
87,000 milesAutomaticDiesel3.0L
Cash £26,995
2022 Land Rover
Range Rover Sport
33,731 milesAutomaticDiesel3.0L
Cash £41,100
2017 Land Rover
Range Rover Sport
43,714 milesAutomaticDiesel3.0L
Cash £26,995
2022 Land Rover
Range Rover Sport
29,325 milesAutomaticDiesel3.0L
Cash £42,836The latest Sport model utilises the same MLA-Flex platform as the Range Rover – architecture which can be used to accommodate all-electric, plug-in hybrid and mild hybrid powertrains.
Its minimalist exterior styling and sumptuous cabin certainly set the right tone, while onboard infotainment is the best yet, and optional rear-wheel steering helps the Sport’s manoeuvrability in town. A range of mild-hybrid petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid engines add to its appeal, while an all-electric model will be introduced soon.
Entry into the Range Rover Sport engine line-up starts with the 247bhp D250 3.0-litre diesel, a 296bhp D300 version of the same engine, followed by an even more potent 345bhp D350. People paying Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) company car tax will be more interested in the P460e and P550e PHEVs, which pack more of a punch with 454bhp and 543bhp, respectively. The 4.4-litre V8 petrol engine found in the P530 provides a whopping 523bhp and a 0-62mph sprint time of 4.3 seconds. The high-performance SV version uses a twin-turbocharged V8 that produces a whopping 626bhp, and propels this large SUV from 0-60mph in just 3.6 seconds. All models use an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Available trim levels include S, SE, Dynamic SE and Autobiography, with a standalone SV model for those wanting the fastest Range Rover Sport. As we’ve already mentioned, the S is generously equipped, while the SE piles on the luxury features with upgraded Windsor leather, adaptive LED headlights and 20-way electrically adjustable front seats. Dynamic SE provides a Satin Dark Grey finish for the alloy wheels and interior chrome accents, while Autobiography comes with an uprated Meridian 3D sound system, 22-way electrically adjustable front seats, and 22-inch alloy wheels.
Engines, performance & drive
You’re more likely to find the Range Rover Sport on-road rather than off it, and to that end, you can get some handy suspension and steering aids as part of the Stormer Handling Pack to benefit low-speed manoeuvrability, along with high-speed stability if you do try to push this 2.3 tonne SUV at some corners. There’s a strong line-up of sensible diesel engines or bonkers V8 petrol grunt. But behind all this, the Sport is still a cosseting luxury car at heart, with a great balance between long-distance comfort and confidence-inspiring driving dynamics. Read more about the Range Rover Sport’s engines, performance and drive…
MPG, emissions & running costs
Anyone buying a £75,000-plus car is (hopefully) under no illusion that it’ll be inexpensive to run, and the same is true of the Range Rover Sport. While its residual values are expected to be better than some of its rivals, it will still consume plenty of fuel (or electricity if you’re running the plug-in hybrid model), and insurance is likely to be pricey. Company car drivers will be much better off financially going for either the P460e or P550e plug-in hybrid models because they’re in a five per cent Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) tax band, whereas everything else is in the 37 per cent band. Read more about the Range Rover Sport’s MPG, emissions and running costs…
Design, interior & technology
Numerous subtle changes to the exterior of the Range Rover Sport have cleaned up its design while maintaining its distinctive look. The interior carries on this minimalist trend, although deleting the easy-to-use rotary climate control dials is a backward step in our view. The technology is a step on from what went before, but the display is a little busier than before, now that there isn’t a second screen in the Sport to divide functions between. Read more about the Range Rover Sport’s interior, design and technology…
Boot space, comfort & practicality
Unlike its predecessor, you cannot get the latest Range Rover Sport with seven seats. For that, you’ll need to side-step towards the Discovery, Defender or upgrade to the full-fat Ranger Rover LWB. That omission might put some buyers off, but in the end, you still have a big five-seater car with a sizeable boot. We’d like to see a little more rear passenger legroom, because there are numerous older rivals with more generous rear quarters. Towing capacity for anyone lugging around a trailer, caravan or horsebox is excellent. Read more about the Range Rover Sport’s boot space, comfort and practicality…
Reliability & safety
Those putting their faith in the fact that they’ll be safe in a car the size of the Range Rover Sport will not be disappointed, because it gets a top five-star score from Euro NCAP. It also comes fully equipped with all the safety assistance technology you’d expect of an expensive luxury car. Land Rover has also been steadily improving the brand’s Driver Power customer satisfaction score, with a fine 10th place out of 32 manufacturers in our 2024 rankings. Read more about the Range Rover Sport’s reliability and safety…
Range Rover Sport P550e Autobiography long-term review
Auto Express Editor Paul Barker is currently running our extremely luxurious long-term Range Rover Sport - it’s a tough job, but somebody had to do it. He’s chosen the plug-in hybrid version to fit in with his lifestyle of short trips that can be undertaken on electric power, with the flexibility of running on petrol for last minute work related trips further afield. In cold temperatures, he’s managing around 50 miles to a charge, and expects that to improve in warmer spring and summer weather.
Paul’s car is the top-of-the-range Autobiography trim, which allows you to get the most powerful P550e version over the P460e fitted to SE and Dynamic SE trims. So far, his children have enjoyed the optional rear seat entertainment system, while Paul likes the easy to use steering wheel button for selecting his preferred driver assistance settings. You can read the full long term test here...
Range Rover Sport alternatives
The Range Rover Sport sits in the Land Rover range above the Range Rover Velar, and below the Range Rover as a more sporty version of the brand’s most luxurious SUV. Up against the Sport are rivals such as the Audi Q7, BMW X5, Mercedes GLE and Porsche Cayenne.
Buyers considering a seven-seater will need to look towards either the Audi Q7 or BMW X5, because the latest Sport has lost the option of two fold-out chairs in the boot, leaving you to dig deeper into your savings and upgrade to the long-wheelbase version of the pricier Range Rover.
The Cayenne is perhaps a little sharper to drive, but you pay the price in terms of ride quality compared with the more supple Sport, and the Porsche can’t match the Range Rover’s imposing driving position. The Cayenne doesn’t hold its value nearly as well as the Sport, which is important to consider when totting up running costs.
In terms of plug-in hybrids, the extra capacity of the Sport’s 38.4kWh battery over the 29.7kWh X5 xDrive50e means it can go further on electric power alone, but the more efficient GLE can travel a similar distance as the Sport on battery power, despite having a smaller 25kWh battery. As long as you can tolerate the much smaller boot of the GLE due to the battery pack taking up valuable space, the Mercedes might be the one to go for if running costs are important to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Although Land Rover has historically had a questionable reliability record, the brand finished 10th (out of 32) in the 2024 Driver Power customer satisfaction survey, coming four places higher than BMW.
