Land Rover Range Rover Sport

The Range Rover Sport isn’t just a model designation, but a different car. Lower, smaller and supposedly a bit meaner, the Sport supposedly brings the price of entry into Range Rover ownership down. It does, but whether it should is another conversation entirely.

• Comfort

  Sharper than a Discovery 3 by some margin, but not quite as composed as the Range Rover, it doesn't quite know what it wants to be. It might ultimately be faster than its big brother, but better? That's up for debate. We'd take a base-spec Rangie proper every time.

   

  

• Performance

  A combination of engine options from the Discovery 3 and the Range Rover appear in the Sport; 2.7-litre V6 diesel (Disco3), 4.4 V8 or 4.2 supercharged V8 (Range Rover). The diesel is a great engine and works well, but it's hardly sporty. The supercharged V8 is the only engine that'll make you pay attention; 0-100km/h in 7.2 and on to 225km/h - though it's worth remembering that if you want a fast SUV, both BMW and Porsche are down into the fives for acceleration, and they both handle considerably better.

  

• Cool

  Some people think that the Range Rover Sport is the coolest thing on the planet. We aren't those people.

  

• Quality

  Initially the Range Rover Sport feels pretty high class - until you have a go in a Range Rover, then it feels like a smaller, cheaper copy. It shouldn't vex too many people though - and the usual LR niggles have been worked through on other cars, so the RRS should be reliable after all that.

  

• Handling

  Surprisingly not quite as good as the Range Rover proper - maybe because it's based on the Discovery chassis. It can still be made to surprise a few hot hatches, but it's not the most responsive of set-ups. The steering is nothing special, but the body control is good, with the usual excellent beyond-the-beaten-track ability and Land Rover's ‘Terrain Response' system making off-roading with style a mere twist of a knob away.

  

• Practicality

  The RRS is lower and shorter than the RR, but head, leg and elbow space is still pretty good as long as we're talking for four rather than five. The usual RR split tailgate is very handy, and there's a decent boot.

  

• Running costs

  Even the diesel doesn't manage sub-10 litres/100km, and the range runs from $90,000 to $145,000, so the Sport is pretty hard to think of as a ‘budget' Range Rover.