Land Rover Range Rover Sport

2024 Land Rover Range Rover Sport – Dazzling Sense of Premium Leather Upholstery With New Age Connectivity

Once you step inside the Range Rover Sport, the pure sense of leather upholstery and the comfort it provides will instantly make you fall in love with its cabin. The reason for such a pleasing sense of luxury is that the 2024 Range Rover Sport immensely shares its cabin layout with the flagship Range Rover luxury SUV. Despite massively accommodating the use of leather inside the cabin, you can even have the interior finished in vegan materials as a matter of choice. With that price tag, the new Range Rover Sport price gives you plenty of options for customization in appearance and equipment.

2024 Range Rover Sport – Front Row & Infotainment

The dashboard looks simply elegant with a quite similar layout as most other Range Rover cars. The center console placement is slightly high with the floating 13.1-inch infotainment touchscreen and a bigger 13.7-inch digital instrument cluster that sits behind the traditional Land Rover three-spoke steering wheel. This 13.7-inch digital instrument console serves to be practical but still has some room for improvement in terms of customization options for the driver.

If we talk in detail about the curved 13.1-inch infotainment touchscreen, the infotainment system of this car plays an incredible role in its luxury appeal. It is called the Pivi Pro system that’s being offered as standard across all Land Rover vehicles. The graphics of the infotainment screen are crisp and responsive with haptic feedback, which makes you feel a sense of a click when you press anything on the screen. The colors on the infotainment and the instrument screen are bright and vivid, offering utmost visibility even in the brightest shades of the environment. Land Rover has worked for years to develop a good infotainment system for their cars, but this Pivi Pro system on the Range Rover Sport still needs to improve considering a little lag in responsiveness.

Moreover, you’ll get to see wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity as standard with a handful of USB-C and USB-A ports everywhere inside. All variants of the Range Rover Sport are available with Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant as well. Other highlights include soft close-door functionality, a digital rear-view mirror, and a head-up display. You’ll even get a wireless smartphone charging pad integrated on a shelf just beneath the infotainment screen along with a 19-speaker Meridian stereo system that has speakers in the front and rear headrests with active noise cancellation. You can ask for the 29-speaker Meridian stereo system as an optional fitment if you require more of that audio fun. Then there are dedicated physical dials for the AC controls and drive terrain modes which provide good usability with minimalistic use of effort searching for the buttons.

The seats of the new-gen Range Rover Sport are positioned 20mm lower compared to the standard Range Rover SUV, but still, the captain view of the world remains uncompromised within this vehicle being a Land Rover. The front seats are power-adjustable with an optional functionality for up to 22 ways of adjustability along with massage, winged headrests, and seat ventilation. The cabin of the new-gen Range Rover Sport houses an air purification system that reduces the spread of bacteria, viruses, allergens, and bad odors inside the cabin. Also, part of the standard package are ADAS functions such as adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, blind-spot warning, and many other crucial driver assistance features.

2024 Range Rover Sport – Rear Row Comfort & Spaciousness

Unlike the full-size Range Rover, the Range Rover Sport slightly misses out on comfort and a third row of seats which we have seen on the early generations of the Range Rover Sport. Instead of separate individual captain seats, you’ll get to experience a single bench seat in the rear row with just 37 degrees of limited backrest recline adjustability. There are two separate AC vents fixed on both sides of the roofline for the rear row passengers with dials for climate control and a standard voltage laptop charging port. Another thing to complain about is the manual adjustability for the window shades considering the hefty Range Rover Sport price tag.

Talking about comfort, first in place is the Sport’s high-stance which isn’t the easiest for people with short height to enter. However, the dynamic air suspension setup does prove handy here as you can lower or increase the ride height as required at the touch of a button. This feature assist might prove to be helpful in loading and unloading luggage in the boot. The ride quality isn’t the best either despite given the standard air suspension. You’ll notice a bit of wind and rattling noise inside the cabin with most imperfections on the road and a stiff ride quality that isn’t the case with most of its German rival SUVs from the Mercedes-Benz and BMW.

Spaciousness is not a big issue for the new-gen Range Rover Sport as it’s a large SUV by any standard. There’s an incredible amount of space in both rows with 835 litres / 31.9 cubic feet of luggage capacity. One can even increase the cargo space as the seats can be folded or raised with a button to 40/20/40-split which increases the cargo capacity to 53.0 cubic feet. Other than that, there are more storage spaces everywhere around the cabin including the center console with heated and cooled storage. You’ll even find a refrigerator storage in the rear row along with a couple of hidden cupholders in the armrests. Also, there’s more storage under the boot floor with a full-size spare wheel.

New-Gen Range Rover Sport – Performance Engineered for the Extraordinary Potential

Under the hood, you’ll get to see two entry-level turbocharged 3.0-litre inline-six-cylinder engines, that are available as standard across both Diesel and Petrol powertrains along with an eight-speed automatic transmission, an adjustable air suspension and an all-wheel drive system as well. However, the state of tune, technology, and aesthetics is where you can spot some real differences.

Range Rover Sport – Petrol Powertrain

Starting off the petrol powertrains is the P360 mild hybrid 3.0-litre inline-six-cylinder engine that features a 48-volt hybrid system and pumps out 360 PS of power between 5,000 to 6,500 rpm. Then there comes the P400 mild hybrid powertrain where the same setup is tuned to deliver 400 PS of power at around 5,000 to 6,500 rpm. For better efficiency, there’s the P460e plug-in hybrid powertrain where the same 3.0-litre inline-six engine is equipped with an electric motor to produce 460 PS of power at 5,000 to 6,500 rpm. If efficiency is not your top priority, the P530 mild hybrid might be your cup of tea that makes 530 PS of power between 5,000 to 7,000 rpm. Still, if you crave more performance from this engine then there comes the top-of-the-line Range Rover Sport Autobiography trim that comes with the P550e plug-in hybrid powertrain, which is exclusive to the Autobiography variants only. This P550e plug-in hybrid powertrain combined with the output of an electric motor produces 550 PS of power at around 5,000 to 6,500 rpm.

Range Rover Sport – Diesel Powertrain

Talking about the turbocharged 3.0-litre inline-six-cylinder diesel engine powertrains, there isn’t much to elaborate on as there are only two powertrain options available, the D300 mild hybrid, and the D350 mild hybrid. The D300 mild hybrid powertrain is capable of producing 300 PS of power at around 4,000 rpm. Whereas, the D350 mild hybrid can produce up to 350 PS of power between 4,000 rpm.

Additional Performance Package

With that huge Range Rover Sport price tag, you’ll get plenty of interior customisation options as well as additional performance packages. Land Rover provides an optional performance driving setup for the Range Rover Sport which they have termed as the Stormer Handling package. The Stormer Handling package includes an addition of rear-wheel steering and torque vectoring functionality to the rear differential which makes this 5387-pound SUV easy to manoeuvre in tight spaces such as driving in the city or on narrow roads in rural areas.

2024 Range Rover Sport 0-100 kmph Timings

D300 Diesel Mild Hybrid: 6.6 seconds

D350 Diesel Mild Hybrid: 5.8 seconds

P360 Petrol Mild Hybrid: 5.9 seconds

P400 Petrol Mild Hybrid: 5.5 seconds

P460e Petrol Plug-in Hybrid: 5.5 seconds

P530 Petrol Mild Hybrid: 4.5 seconds

P550e Petrol Plug-in Hybrid: 4.9 seconds

EV Range and Battery

The P550e and P460e plug-in hybrid models are equipped with an adequate 38.2 kWh 398 V lithium-ion battery pack that is large enough to deliver a claimed 122 miles of electric drive range per charge as per Land Rover’s quote.

New Gen Range Rover Sport – Improvement on Performance and Sophistication, but Lacks the Sporty Character

Range Rovers are quite well known nowadays for their luxury ride experience, and the rigid off-road capability, that could handle almost any terrain. The levels of refinement and luxury inside the all-new Range Rover Sport are phenomenal. Land Rover has made a great improvement over the previous generation Range Rover Sport, which had more grunt and sportiness. The new one, however, has more to offer in terms of refinement and luxury along with improved handling and performance. One thing to consider is whether it justifies the “Sport” badge at the end of its name. The answer to this is, not well enough. There is nothing to complain about the great improvement in handling, but being a big SUV has some limitations concerning its weight.

We must not forget that the new-gen Range Rover Sport is a highly capable SUV that is derived from Land Rover’s flagship Range Rover SUV. Although, it’s more of a mid-sized SUV than the full-sized Range Rover, which makes it more of a performance SUV that accommodates the luxury factor as well. Talking about its performance characteristics, as we’ve earlier mentioned about the powertrain options, the Range Rover Sport comes with two engine options that are further incorporated with mild-hybrid and plugin-hybrid technology.

2024 Range Rover Sport – 3.0 Litre Diesel Powertrains

Compared to the petrol powertrains, the diesel engine feels more punchy in performance due to an additional 700 Newton-meters of torque that provides great power output in the initial and mid-range.

However, the performance magic subtly fades in the top rev range. Also, the 8-speed torque converter is not as quick in gearshifts as you’d get to see on its close rivals such as the Porsche Cayenne and the BMW X5. Overall, the performance from this 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine feels great to drive and doesn’t feel like you’re driving a diesel engine. It performs great with a decent amount of comfort and refinement from the diesel motor along with the standard air suspension setup that further enhances the ride experience while beautifully maintaining the high-speed stability of the vehicle. The best part about this diesel engine is its efficiency combined with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system, that comes into play wherever you need that additional power to overtake or push this SUV to its maximum rev range. This mild-hybrid system performs quite better mated to the 3.0-litre diesel engine rather than its 3.0-litre petrol variant when we’re looking for mileage and efficiency.

2024 Range Rover Sport – 3.0 Litre Petrol Powertrains

The petrol powertrains are quite linear in power delivery as compared to the diesel ones. However, the ride quality is slightly better with a rich six-cylinder exhaust note. The Range Rover Sport doesn’t make a big difference between different powertrains except for a small shift of character. This 3.0-litre petrol engine has more power than the diesel unit but limits the torque band to 660 Newton-Meters only. There’s also a plugin-hybrid variant available with this petrol engine which is capable of reaching motorway speeds on electric power alone. Driving the 3.0-litre petrol feels better in the commute with the same but much more responsive 8-speed automatic torque converter.

Quick and Responsive Handling Dynamics

There’s a massive amount of improvement in terms of handling the big-size Range Rover Sport, all thanks to the rear-wheel steering addition.

This rear-wheel steering, however, comes at an additional price for which you will have to opt for the “Stormer Handling Package” when deciding to buy your personalized Range Rover Sport SUV. Including the Stormer Handling Package is a must if you really wish to drive out the true characteristics of the new generation Sport. The Range Rover Sport feels its big-sized road presence due to the higher seating posture where you’ll experience a commanding view of the outside world. Along with that, the bigger rear-view door mirrors and the large rear window provide a clear view of what is going on behind you. No matter what powertrain you’re driving, the 2024 Range Rover Sport provides you good confidence and pleasure to drive around town or on the highways without much stress to your joints. The 8-speed transmission does its job adequately well as the gearbox changes ratios smoothly, and you can even switch to manual gearshifts with the help of paddle shifters at your convenience.

Moreover, the dynamic air suspension plays an important role in the improved handling and stability of the 2024 Range Rover Sport. As with most Land Rover cars, this air suspension is adjustable in decreasing or increasing the height of the vehicle if you’re in a situation where you need to cross a river and the ground clearance isn’t adequate enough. This dynamic air suspension further aids the new generation Range Rover Sport to manage and adjust the pothole or speed bump detections on the road in coordination with the advance driver assistance systems. But the tuning of this dynamic air is quite stiff as compared to its better-tuned rivals like the Mercedes-AMG GLE53. Also in corners, it doesn’t feel confident enough as you’d get to experience from a Porsche Cayenne being a performance SUV. But, if you take the Range Rover Sport for an off-road adventure, the standard all-wheel-drive terrain response system works seamlessly great as you’d expect from a Land Rover vehicle.

Driving the Range Rover Sport in tight spaces is not a big problem at all despite its big dimensions, you’ll get a crisp and clear 360 surround camera view of all the unseen spaces with the help of multiple high-definition cameras and parking sensors present outside the cabin. It further aids with a warning signal if anything comes near the vehicle at low speeds while maneuvering the city traffic. Considering the Stormer Handling Package, another advantage you can expect from the new Range Rover Sport is the rear-wheel-steering system which significantly reduces the turning radius of the Sport.

2024 Range Rover Sport – Safety and Braking Performance

Safety is a priority for manufacturers like Land Rover, the new generation Range Rover Sport has scored a five-star rating at the Euro NCAP with 9 airbags. The score assessment comprises of 85% rating for both adult and child occupant protection, 69% rating for pedestrian protection, and 82% for driver assistance systems.

Talking about ADAS (Advance Driver Assistance Systems), the new Range Rover Sport comes equipped with some basic ADAS features as standard including Automated Emergency Braking, Blind Spot Assist, Lane Keep Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control, and a Rear Collision Monitor.

Rest of all, braking performance is decent with minimal drag to bring the car to a stop with disc brakes at work on each wheel.

The Final Verdict – 2024 Land Rover Range Rover Sport Comparatively High on Price Tag

With an abundance of improved luxury and performance perks from the new 2024 Range Rover Sport, there comes a hefty Range Rover Sport price tag. But if we keep the price factor aside for a while, this luxury SUV is not going to disappoint you at all if you’re more of a driving enthusiast. And if you’re focussed more towards supreme luxury and comfort than you should go for the flagship Range Rover SUV. It stands steady in the luxury SUV segment despite not being the best in its segment. The material quality used in the new generation Sport denotes a massive improvement over the previous generation Range Rover Sport along with enhanced fit and finish inside the cabin.

In short, the Range Rover Sport is the smaller and more affordable version of the full-sized Land Rover Range Rover SUV. Keeping that in mind, both the cars share quite similarities in their designs, features, and engines, but if you are considering buying the Range Rover Sport over the flagship Range Rover then you would have to compromise with less cargo and rear seat space. As it’s a Land Rover SUV, there is no doubt about the tremendous in-car technology, and offers more off-road capability than most other SUVs out there in the market.

Conclusion; the hefty Range Rover Sport price tag still demands a premium over the base prices of some of its highly competent rivals including the Mercedes-AMG GLE53, Porsche Cayenne, BMW X5, Genesis GV80, and the Volvo XC90. If you need a car that is fun to drive and classy in its own parameters then the 2024 Land Rover Range Rover Sport is a great choice to go that way. If you’re more of a luxury and comfort-oriented person, then you need to have a look at the flagship luxury Range Rover SUV.