Pros: The 2015 Land Rover Range Rover Sport can, quite literally, drive on any surface (even through water), but it’ll do so while keeping you wrapped in luxury and sophistication.
Cons: You pay the price to play in the high-end SUV game. All that luxury and sophistication and off-roading technology come at a pretty price -- almost as pretty as the Range Rover Sport, actually.
Price and Fuel Economy: There seems to be a Range Rover Sport to suit every need and budget, as there are no fewer than six models to choose from. Pricing is as follows:
- SE $75,490
- HSE $79,990
- Supercharged $92,490
- Supercharged Dynamic $95,990
- Autobiography Dynamic $104,990
- SVR $124,990
If you opt for the V6 then you’ll see fuel economy numbers in the 14L/100km range in the city, 10.5L/100km on the highway, and a combined rating of 12.4L/100km. The V8 is obviously a bit thirstier and bumps those numbers up to 16.6L/100km in the city, 12.3L/100km on the highway, and a combined rating of 14.7L/100km.
Even though the Range Rover Sport SVR sports the same LR-V8 as the Supercharged version, it’s calibrated differently for more horsepower and also drinks more fuel. The SVR fuel ratings are 17.3L/100km in the city, 12.2L/100km on the highway, and 15L/100km combined.
You do not buy a Land Rover to save money at the pumps, that’s for sure.
Powertrain: As you can see above, there are two different engines. In the SE and HSE you’ll find a supercharged 3.0L V6 that produces 340 horsepower and 332 lb-ft of torque. 4WD is standard, as is an 8-speed transmission.
Jump to the Supercharged, Supercharged Dynamic and Autobiography models, and the engine changes to a supercharged 5.0L V8 that pushes out 510 horsepower and 461 lb-ft of torque. Again, 4WD is standard as is an 8-speed automatic transmission. Despite being a rather large SUV, the V8 will get you to 100km/h from a standstill in just 5.3 seconds.
Now, opt for the balls-out SVR version, and you’ll get the same supercharged V8; however, in this particular instance you’ll be looking at 550 horsepower and 502 lb-ft of torque. As per the norm: 4WD is standard along with the 8-speed autobox. Maximum speed in the SVR is 260km/h and it’ll hit the 100km/h mark from a stop in just 4.7 seconds. Seriously.
Changes and Improvements: For 2015, the Range Rover Sport was re-imagined and features exterior tweaks and changes as well as a new all-aluminum structure to help lighten the vehicle by about 800lbs. That’s a huge drop that helps in performance and fuel economy.
Cargo Capacity: The Range Rover's little brother offers plenty in terms of interior space with 489 litres under the rear luggage cover. If you don’t care to cover your goods, that space is increased to 874 litres.
Of note, the Range Rover Sport has a ground clearance of 10.9”, as well as approach and departure angles of 30-degrees. It can also tow up to 3,500kg.
There is a 5+2 seating package available that adds a third row for two more passengers.
Safety: The 2015 Land Rover Range Rover Sport is equipped with all manners of safety equipment and airbags, as well as available lane departure warning with traffic sign recognition, a blind spot monitoring system, and reverse traffic detection.
Direct Competitors: Audi Q7, Mercedes-Benz M-Class, BMW X5, Lexus GX.