2018 Range Rover Sport Test Drive Review

• Published On: 5 October 2018
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The Range Rover Sport is the fourth vehicle in the Range Rover portfolio.

Land Rover has been steadily increasing the number of offerings in the Indian market. After the Evoque, Velar and flagship Range Rover, the Range Rover Sport is their fourth vehicle in the Range Rover portfolio. The Range Rover Sport looks very much appealing and gets loads of features.

Exteriors – The Range Rover Sport has a box-like design which looks very imposing and suits the overall SUV stance. The design of the bumpers is revised and the LED headlights are updated. The higher trims of the Range Rover Sport come equipped with Pixel LED adaptive beams, these lights can reach up to 500 metres.

There is plenty of gloss black treatment all around the vehicle. The bumpers, pillars, rear spoiler and roof are gloss black treated. The rear of the car features twin exhausts and a diffuser. After dusk one can see the Range Rover Sport logo on the road projected from ORVMs.

Interiors – The cabin looks luxurious with the usage of premium quality materials. The InControl Touch Pro Duo system in the centre has two 10-inch screens. The upper screen is for infotainment while the lower screen is for climate control and temperature control for seats. The driver seat is 22-way adjustable with massage function. The car also comes with heated steering. There are screens behind the front seats. The digital instrument cluster provides each and every information that is needed by the driver, apart from that there is an option of HUD.

The sunroof blinds can be controlled by hand gestures. There is an option of 23-speakers Meridian audio system, the lower trim gets 13 or 19 speakers. Surprisingly, the car misses out on Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. The top end variant gets steering mounted multi-functional touch buttons. The 4-zone climate control on the car works extremely well and it also features a mode that ionises and reduces the allergens and bacteria.

The seats of the car are extremely comfortable and due to the flat floor, three adults can comfortably sit in the second row. There is an option of the third row, which makes it a 7-seater SUV. There is a decent amount of legroom and knee room with good under-thigh support and an above average headroom. The car gets a full-size spare alloy wheel. For easy ingress and egress, the car lowers by 50 mm. The car comes equipped with soft door close, powered tailgate and a cooled box under the armrest.

Performance – The Range Rover Sport is available in V6 and V8 engines for both petrol and diesel. Powering our test vehicle is a 3.0-litre V6 diesel motor which is mated to an 8-speed automatic gearbox that churns out 265 PS and 600 Nm of torque. 0-100 km/hr sprint takes 7.7 seconds. The fuel efficiency of the SUV hovers around the 10 km/l mark. The diesel motor is very refined and offers a punchy mid-range but restricts itself to 4500 RPM. The gear shifts are smooth but it isn’t very fast, so one can shift manually with the help steering mounted paddle shifters.

Driving Dynamics – The Range Rover Sport is made on an all-aluminium monocoque platform which makes the car 400 kgs lighter than the predecessor. The car weighs 2.1 tonnes and it isn’t very agile. The electronics help to improve the dynamics of the car. While cornering, the torque vectoring system brakes the inside wheel and helps to keep the vehicle under optimal traction. There is a dynamic mode in the V8 variant, which alters the engine, gearbox, steering and the suspension. The steering is responsive but not very quick.

The Adaptive Dynamics monitors the vehicle movements up to 500 times per second and adjusts the springs accordingly. When you cross 105 km/hr mark, to reduce aerodynamic drag the car lowers itself by 15 mm. The low traction launch feature ensures optimal grip on off-road terrain. The Terrain Response System is a boon in the off-road situations. The Hill Descent Control maintains the engine speed and applies brakes on individual wheels. All Terrain Progress Control only needs you to control the steering while the car keeps rolling, this system can be activated between 1.8-30 km/hr speeds.

Safety and After Sales Service – The Range Rover Sport is a 5-star NCAP car and comes with loads of safety and electronic aids. The car gets many radar-based systems like adaptive cruise control, collision warning and lane assist.

Verdict – The Range Rover Sport is not the most dynamic Range Rover. Still, this SUV is very impressive, comfortable, luxurious and drives well. The V8 variant of the Range Rover Sport justifies its name properly rather than V6. While the cost is on the higher side, one simply can’t get an alternative to the Range Rover Sport if they crave for both luxury and off-road ability.