It should be called a sports luxury vehicle, SLV. You could watch James Bond stunt driver Jessica Hawkins drive it up Karahnjukar Dam’s sheer spillway in Iceland, and don’t bother reading the rest of my review.
What made that feat possible is the new 35% stiffer platform by Land Rover/Jaguar. The MLA-flex (Modular Longitudinal Architecture-flexible) was designed to support the brand’s future electric vehicles, which may even be heavier.
We drove the Range Rover Sport in its P440e Dynamic SE trim. All that means is it has a 3.0-liter inline-six turbocharged petrol engine combined with a 143hp electric motor making a total of 434hp. The high-capacity 38kWh battery in the rear has an estimated 70km pure EV range. More on that plug-in hybrid EV system in the engine section below.
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Styling
The Rover profile is unmistakable. Steep rakes on the windshield and rear hatch. Hefty proportions. The short front and rear overhangs. The subtle cues that it is a modern Rover are the thin elongated minimalist taillights and headlights. They make it look simple but the light clusters are packed with functional technologies. The pixel LED headlights have signature daytime running lights. Unique burnished copper accents may go unnoticed on the Charente Grey exterior paint, until you look closer.
22-inch wheels are visually just the right size. The fenders and the whole vehicle are that big they fit appropriately. So do the large-diameter brake rotors and Brembo calipers inside the wheels.
Interior
Flush door handles pop out to welcome you in. The soft-close doors shut and nestle you inside the two-toned caraway/ebony perforated leather and ultralight fabric interior. The driver can electrically adjust the steering column while his three friends can sit luxuriously on identical 20-way adjustable, heated Windsor leather seats. A fifth passenger can sit on the middle rear seat with ample leg room. The curved 13.1-inch center touchscreen with haptic feedback is their command center for a number of in-vehicle modules and an impressive sound system.
Meridian Audio, a boutique British hi-fi company, engineered a bespoke 15-speaker sound space within the Rover Sport. It’s often said that the worst place to listen to high-fidelity music is inside a vehicle. Road and traffic noise drown out certain frequencies, glass all around bounce off unwanted resonance. Inside the cabin, Meridian created a custom sonic experience by equalizing frequencies. The result is a tonal balance that’s faithful to the recording. The number of speakers and their location makes a two-channel audio source feel and sound three-dimensional. There’s even an upscale version that has a 1,430W amplifier, double the number of speakers, and active noise cancellation.
The 13.4-inch Driver Interactive Display provides all the information from the modules that can be controlled with the center touchscreen. Wireless CarPlay and Android Auto connect to a smartphone seamlessly, with high data-transfer speeds. The shift lever/pad is located perfectly as a rest for the driver’s wrist as his hand touches the screen. So it’s steady enough not to miss hitting the screen buttons to fold down the rear seats or toggle between the multiple external cameras. For other things, there’s hands-free voice commands.
Engine performance
In the default Hybrid mode, the electric motor has enough power for leisurely cruising around town and through traffic. The only time the engine starts up to assist is when going up sloped parking ramps, or when exceeding a cruising speed of 70kph. When decelerating, it regenerates electricity to charge the lithium batteries. If the vehicle stops completely, it turns off the engine and goes into EV mode.
Intentionally switching to EV, it will prioritize using the electric motor until the battery runs out, or when the throttle pedal is mashed down, or paddle shifting the eight-speed automatic to sport mode. Once the battery is empty, putting it on Save mode runs the engine most of the time to charge up the battery. The system only shuts off the engine when idling at stop lights, then runs the air conditioning and other accessories from the partially charged battery. In short, the hybrid system is intuitive. Frugal but unhurried.
The Ingenium petrol engine meanwhile is no slouch. There’s 620Nm of torque from 1,500-5,000rpm. But a gas miser it is not. Though the estimated combined EV and gas mileage is an incredible 125km/L, that is if the battery is always plugged in for charging.
Ride and handling
Being familiar with the Land Rover Terrain System 2, I just left it to do its thing in auto, which it does really well. On top of the Dynamic Air Suspension, the ride is sublime. Suspension height adjustment is fast and easy with the touchscreen controls. It has all the advanced driver aids and safety features and they all work in sync, seamlessly in the background.
If I have one complaint, it’s with the emergency collision detection and brake assist systems. It augmented my brake pedal pressure with a violent full brake application when it detected a swerving motorcycle cutting my lane. It did that because it ‘saw’ that there was no vehicle behind me. It also warned me about rear-ending a taxi ahead even when it was doing a fine job slowing downhill on its own as it regenerates energy. Maybe it was detecting and reacting to erratic traffic movements?
The drivetrain configuration, with its power and torque tweaked by the electronic aids, makes it swift and nimble. With the weight of the aft battery balancing the heavy front engine; combined with four-wheel steering, it can turn on a dime even with its long wheelbase.
Extra features
I’ve already mentioned some of the safety features, but there’s a lot more. There are three-dimensional surround cameras that display a 360-degree panorama that includes a view of the ground underneath the car; parking sensors; water wading sensors; blind spot assist; occupant protection assist; front and rear parking aids; maneuvering lights; traffic light recognition; lane-keep assist that’s not intrusive; advanced cruise controls, and driver condition monitor.
The air suspension not only provides a supple ride, but can also quickly actuate to prevent the vehicle from rolling over in adverse situations. All Terrain Progress Control provides applicable information should you drive off road. Perimeter alarm can warn the driver and show a video of that delivery rider on the passenger side sneaking too close in slow-moving traffic.
Not a lot of luxury cars can boast of a 400W, 3D surround sound system. A connected smartphone will be wirelessly charged on a 15W pad tucked safely under the touch screen. Panoramic sliding sunroof, four-zone climate controls, and air quality sensors with high-efficiency cabin filters are standard at this level. Satin chrome paddle shifters and gear shift levers are optional extras. There are upper and lower glove boxes with a USB charging port inside, and another type-C port under the dash. The center console can be used as a drink or food chiller. There’s room inside it for six-pack cans or a small bottle of champagne and caviar.
Verdict
It’s the ultimate PHEV sports luxury vehicle.
Price: P13,490,000
Engine: 3.0-liter turbocharged gasoline straight-six + electric motor
Power: 434hp @ 5,500-6,500 rpm
Torque: 620Nm at 1,500-5,000 rpm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Layout: All-wheel drive, front-engined, electric motor in the middle of the drivetrain
Seating: 5
Score: 9/10
More photos of the Range Rover Sport 2024:
