Ooofffff is the word that the Range Rover Sport inspires at first sight. It really does look great. We tested the Dynamic SE 3.0 Petrol Plug In Hybrid to find out what’s its really like.
Clean, strong and dynamic lines flow throughout the body. The reasonably priced Varesine Blue option at £895 is a great fit for this latest model as we feel it highlights the lines of the vehicle and its sporting character without being too shouty. Coupled with the 22-inch satin dark grey wheels and the black exterior pack our test vehicle really did look remarkable.
Stepping up into the Sport made is made easy thanks to the standard air suspension access ride setting. The cabin Is much like the outside. A real special place to be. The two pilot-feeling seats up front with the Range Rover special individual armrests are supremely comfortable. You really do sink into them and they feel super plush. But importantly they remain supportive on long adventures. The Interior undoubtedly feels modern due to the lack of buttons aside from the start/stop button. Which takes some getting used to there is no denying it. But it was felt that a lot of effort has been made to display things clearly on the large central screen. Technology is excellent with crystal clear infotainment graphics, heated steering wheel, Bluetooth, wireless charging, Apple/Android phone interface, pixel LED headlights, adaptive cruise with steering assist and the list goes on. A unique highlight was the offroad clear view camera, which projected a clear view onto the screen of what is under the bonnet and near the front wheels, meaning you could see exactly how to dodge potential tyre-busting rocks offroad or high curbs in the city. A fantastic feature.
Space inside was plentiful and the back seats felt more accustomed to a full-size Range Rover than what you may expect. A really nice surprise. Rear passengers on the test vehicle were treated to electronic reclining seats, individual climate control, seat heaters and sun blinds. A true luxury feel. Moreover, the test vehicle had the full non-leather upgrade. A specification that would have been unnoticed if it was not on the specification sheet. It looked, felt and even smelt great. Remarkable. An option we would choose. The boot is also unquestionably large and loading is made easier with the ability to lower the rear air suspension and fold the rear seats electronically.
With a 3.0 twin-turbocharged petrol and the plug-in hybrid electric motor, performance is close to breathtaking. The electric motor’s torque aids when pulling away and of course, the four-wheel drive system means the wheels remain in control. 0-60 is completed in just 5.3 seconds with the combined 460hp. It really does feel sporty, effortless and sounds surprisingly good too, especially from the outside. At speed the Range Rover Sport remains super refined in all areas, pampering its passengers whilst delivering excellent performance. The dynamic drive mode and putting the gearbox into sport enables the ultimate experience as well as being visually appealing with the dials changing to red. Handling is also impressive for the dimensions and grip is excellent. Corners can be taken confidently with quite some pace. The testers were truly impressed with the dynamic ability. A ‘Sport’ it truly is.
What’s more the hybrid battery enables up to a claimed 72 miles of pure electric zero-emission driving. A significant increase over the previous generation Range Rover Sport. This makes the plug-in hybrid properly useable. Doing so accentuates the Range Rover’s refinement and provides a truly smooth, peaceful and calming drive. It really suits the vehicle very well indeed. Land Rover claims the vehicle can achieve up to 368mpg. Undoubtedly this is unrealistic to many in the real world but thanks to that useable electric range if you charge the battery a lot you start to believe how this may be possible.
Being a Range Rover off-road capability is embedded as standard. Features such as adjustable height air suspension, Lands Rovers renowned Terrain Response 2 system, Hill Decent Control, Low traction launch and a high/low range transfer box its capability continues to be legendary. More useable on road is the 900mm water fording ability, of which depth can judged by the onboard wade sensing programme that provides a visual diagram of the current water depth. Also worth noting is that the plug in hybrid can still tow an impressive 3,000kg.
All this capability and luxury costs £93,145 for the Dynamic SE Plug-In Hybrid P460e, with our test vehicle with options costing just over £105,000. A lot of money, but experiencing it makes you feel its worth. A special SUV. Visit: https://www.landrover.co.uk/range-rover/index.html
By Luke Penny
