The ‘Sport’ in ‘Sport Utility Vehicle’ originally referred to outdoor pursuits such as hunting or fishing. Perhaps even an al fresco game of table tennis once that evening’s meal had been caught and cooked. What ‘Sport’ didn’t mean was bombing along a B-road, driving your SUV like its tyres were on fire.
Porsche and BMW pioneered the SUV-as-sports-car with the Cayenne and X5 around the turn of the century. Land Rover’s riposte was previewed by the radical Range Stormer concept of 2004, which reinvented the ‘old money’ Range Rover as something more youthful and dynamic. The show car’s coupe body and horizontally split gullwing doors didn’t make it beyond the design studio, but the production Sport would introduce Land Rover to a whole new audience.
Two decades later, the model is now into its third generation, and forms part of an expanded Range Rover lineup that includes the compact Evoque and stylish Velar – not forgetting the flagship Range Rover itself. Confused? Clamber aboard and let’s play some Sport.
Sport for all
The first thing to note is that the Range Rover Sport is scarcely smaller than its full-sized sibling. It sits on the same platform and shares the same wheelbase. Engines are broadly the same, too, comprising diesel, petrol and plug-in hybrid, with a fully electric version arriving soon.
However, while the traditional Rangie is very much focused on comfort, the Sport is, well, sportier. It rides 20mm lower and its chassis is 35 percent stiffer. You can also opt for various inertia-busting driver aids, such as active anti-roll bars, brake-based torque vectoring and rear-wheel steering.
Unlike previously, you can no longer order seven seats; the Range Rover, Land Rover Discovery and eight-seat Defender 130 all have that base covered. However, there is no shortage of space for five people, plus a suitably cavernous boot (with a proper spare wheel beneath the floor).
The lineup is bookended by the entry-level D250 diesel (£75,255) and the bombastic V8-engined SV (£171,460). I spent a week with the middling P400 petrol, which retails at £89,070 – or a hefty £108,295 with all the options fitted to my test car.
Heavy SUV metal
In a world where virtually every new car launched is an SUV, Land Rover’s ‘reductive’ design helps the Sport stand out. It looks less boxy and brash than some rivals, although the Santorini Black paint, ‘Black Pack’ exterior trim and dark tinted windows of this particular car did it no favours. In my native south London, that look usually goes hand-in-hand with carrying a ‘burner’ phone…
The Range Rover Sport’s interior also adopts a minimalist aesthetic, with virtually all functions accessed via a central touchscreen. Compared to the big buttons on a Defender’s dashboard (designed to be operated while wearing gloves) it’s a bit of a culture shock. And frankly, far less user-friendly. Such is the price of style.
The reductive ethos certainly doesn’t apply to the Sport’s size or weight, though. Land Rover quotes 2,310kg at the kerb – or comfortably more than 2.5 tonnes once you’ve added passengers and luggage. The plug-in hybrids are even heavier, at upwards of 2,810kg. Yep, that’s nearly enough three tonnes for a five-seat family car.
Matt Becker magic
Despite its big-boned body, the Range Rover Sport – as ever – feels surprisingly athletic on the road. This model was the first tuned by former Lotus and Aston Martin chassis guru Matt Becker, and his expertise shows in its blend of tidy handling and a cosseting ride.
Even without the optional handling pack, the car’s movements feel taut and tightly controlled, with precise steering and enormous reserves of grip. You’re always conscious of its sheer size, while the Porsche Cayenne still edges it for driver feedback. But there’s enough dynamism here to justify that ‘Sport’ suffix.
When you’re not driving like an over-excited journalist, the Range Rover is wonderfully comfortable and impressively refined – helped by speakers with active noise cancelling technology. A true luxury SUV, it feels like a sanctuary from the outside world, demolishing long motorway journeys with nonchalant ease.
Did I mention it goes off-road? Nobody will, of course, but in the unlikely event you take your £100,000 SUV onto the rough stuff, there are several Terrain Response modes, 360-degree cameras and even off-road cruise control.
Range Rover Sport: Verdict
So, which one to buy? If you do spend your days lapping the M25, a diesel-engined Range Rover Sport makes most sense. Unless your company is paying, of course, in which case the tax advantages of the plug-in hybrid (or forthcoming EV) come to the fore. The P400 petrol is likely to remain a niche option in the UK, best suited to low-mileage private buyers who can’t stretch to the all-guns-blazing SV.
Or should you just stump up the extra £20,000 or so for a ‘proper’ Range Rover? The latter remains the king of luxury SUVs – unless you enter the stratosphere with a Rolls-Royce Cullinan – but its laid-back demeanour and aristocratic image aren’t for everyone.
The Sport doesn’t feel as differentiated as it once did, yet it still has a distinct attitude of its own. If you’re in the market for a full-size SUV, it’s worth adding to your shortlist. Despite (or perhaps because of) its cost and complexity, few cars do so many things so well.
Tim Pitt writes for Motoring Research
Range Rover P400 Dynamic SE
PRICE: £89,070
POWER: 400hp
0-62MPH: 5.4sec
TOP SPEED: 150mph
FUEL ECONOMY: 28.6mpg
CO2 EMISSIONS: 223g/km