New Range Rover Sport: 10 features that make it a unique SUV

Many of the features that set the new Range Rover Sport apart were already seen in its “big brother”, the Range Rover. But while the latter takes luxury and refinement to a superlative level, the new Range Rover Sport adds the sporty touch its name suggests. And not only in terms of design, but also when driving it.

During a first static hands-on with the model, we were able to verify that the Range Rover Sport does not sacrifice maximum sophistication, with an excellent quality of finish that can be appreciated in the detailing and in the feel of every single material. We also got to see the design up close and in person: it really feels much more different than the Range Rover than you might think if you rely only on the images.

Bear in mind that it is 4.95 metres long, 10 cm shorter than the Range Rover, with which it shares a 2.99-metre wheelbase. But setting aside the front design or the rear light clusters, which make a difference, the 5 centimetres less in height and a more raked windscreen are decisive.

In addition, there are many features that make the new Range Rover Sport a car like no other. An SUV that combines, like no other, tradition, sportiness, luxury, comfort and off-road capability. We will review them in the following article.

Range Rover Sport price: from 102,700 euros

Its price already makes it clear that this is no ordinary SUV: you need to lay out more than 100,000 euros for the entry-level version, which curiously is the P440e with plug-in hybrid technology, costing 102,700 euros. Only just, by around 350 euros, but it is cheaper than the D250 turbodiesel, while being more powerful, with better performance and with the advantage of the DGT’s CERO environmental label, compared with the ECO label carried by the diesels, thanks to MHEV mild hybridisation.

The top of the range is, for the moment, the P510e PHEV, available from 141,650 euros. Among its main rivals we would highlight models such as the Porsche Cayenne, the Audi Q8, the BMW X5 or the Mercedes-Benz GLE; and it is no coincidence that the Range Rover Sport is the most expensive. Exclusivity has a price.

4×4 capabilities: a true Land Rover

Like any good Land Rover, the Range Rover Sport boasts unrivalled 4×4 capability. On its world debut it climbed nearly 200 metres up the spillway of a dam while facing a torrent of more than 700 tonnes of water per minute.

Many technical features contribute to this, most notably the second-generation Terrain Response system. But the main ones are its favourable TT dimensions, with a maximum wading depth of 900 mm, good approach and departure angles, a ground clearance of 280 mm (270 mm on the PHEVs) and no less than 546 mm of suspension travel (wheel drop) thanks to the disconnectable active anti-roll bars.

PHEV with over 100 km of EV range and fast charging

The plug-in hybrid versions of the Range Rover Sport, the P440e and P510e (the figure in the name indicates its power), stand out for two features compared with other plug-in hybrid SUVs in their category. First, a 38.2 kWh battery, a very large capacity for what is usual in plug-in hybrids, which allows a WLTP electric-mode range of over 110 km to be announced.

Second, it is also not common for PHEVs to offer fast charging. In the case of the Range Rover Sport, the PHEV versions can recharge at up to 50 kW, which allows 80% of the battery charge to be reached in just one hour.

Petrol, diesel, PHEV… and an electric

We will have to wait until 2024 for the arrival of the fully electricRange Rover Sport, for which no technical details have yet been released. But with this version, and not forgetting the powerful 530 hp twin-turbo V8 planned for next year, the Range Rover Sport will offer powertrains for every taste: petrol, mild-hybrid diesel, plug-in hybrid and an electric variant.

Predictive driving: anticipating the road

As long as the car is connected thanks to the SIM cards built into the vehicle, the Range Rover Sport can anticipate the road ahead and adjust many driving-related systems to the conditions of the route, from the lighting to the damper calibration, the four-wheel steering or the active anti-roll bars. This allows, for example, the car to be prepared so that the body does not sway much before reaching a bend.

Even the Terrain Response has a specific adaptive function for driving off-road, which adjusts the optimal speed based on algorithms that take into account parameters such as the incline or the pitch of the body. The special “wading” mode locks the transmission, sets the air suspension to maximum height and closes the cabin ventilation openings.

Up to 3.5 tonnes of towing capacity

Land Rover offers an electric retractable tow hitch for the Range Rover Sport, as well as the Advanced Tow Assist function to make manoeuvres easier when towing a trailer. The maximum towing capacity is 3.5 tonnes in the petrol and diesel versions, and 3 tonnes for the plug-in hybrids.

Air purification: wellbeing on board

Thanks to NanoeTM X technology, the Range Rover Sport makes the most of the exclusive air filtration and purification system in the cabin, which reduces bad odours and allergens, including the virus that causes Covid.

This system works by condensing the moisture in the air and generating electrically charged particles that produce a series of free radicals in tiny water molecules, which react with the pollutants the air may contain. The driver can monitor the interior air quality thanks to the CO2 control function, and there is also a specific purification function that can be activated even while driving.

High fidelity on board: up to 1,430 watts of power

Land Rover has relied on Meridian for its sound systems for years. In the case of the Range Rover, the top of the range uses 29 speakers, and the system’s power reaches 1,430 watts. It uses 10 independent digital processors and strategically placed speakers, even in the headrests, to create personalised environments for each occupant.

Noise cancellation system: maximum comfort

Using active noise cancellation systems is nothing new these days. But the one used in the Range Rover Sport is among the most advanced. It is a feature exclusive to the sound system, which uses a series of individual accelerometers and microphones in the wheel arches to measure the noise to be mitigated.

The system generates a noise-cancelling signal through the speakers of the audio system, capable of eliminating noise frequencies up to 1 kHz. The speakers located in the seat headrests work like the noise-cancelling systems of high-end headphones. According to the brand, interior loudness is reduced by up to 3 dB. In dynamic driving mode, the system allows the driver and passengers to control the engine noise reaching the cabin, to enhance the acoustic experience.

Connectivity: more than 26 inches of screens and artificial intelligence

The Range Rover Sport is equipped with the brand’s Pivi Pro infotainment system, with a 13.1-inch floating touchscreen in the centre of the dashboard, and a second 13.7-inch screen for the instrumentation. In total, more than 26 inches of high-resolution graphics to control navigation, the multimedia system or the car’s settings.

This system relies on artificial intelligence to “learn” users’ habits and personalise their on-board experience. Thanks to the Amazon Alexa voice assistant, integrated into the system, Alexa-compatible devices at home can be controlled by voice, such as the alarm, turning on the lights or opening the garage door.

New Range Rover Sport