2023 Range Rover P440e: Premium PHEV SUV – Best of British!

The Range Rover Sport is the smaller sibling to the larger Land Rovers and offers a more compact, sporty flavour to the esteemed range

For 2023, the Range Rover is revised with new updates, mainly in the form of the P440e plug-in hybrid (PHEV) variant. It looks suitably sleek and athletic especially sitting on cool 22-inch split-spoke wheels. (Larger 23-inch wheels are also available.). The black out grille, hood vents and other black accented trim delineates the Sport model.

Interior updates include wonderful leather seating and a high quality tailored looking cabin. There is a bigger central display, large new dials, and a touchpad. A digital rear-view mirror is also available. The P400 Series arrives with rear wheel steering and all the normal Range Rover fourwheel drive capability as expected. Strangely the third-row seat is now deleted.

The Range Rover Sport arrives with three engine variants; the P400 sixcylinder turbo entry level model ( $101,750)), the P440e plug-in hybrid model as tested that offers 88 km of range on EV power alone. If you really must! a 500-plus horsepower twin-turbo V8 engine is available only on the P530 First Edition model ($133,650) and offers a very quick 4.5-second zero-to-100-km/h sprint.

By Veeno Dewan

We tested the P440e PHEV ($135,450) equipped with a turbocharged 3.0L sixcylinder engine paired with a battery powered 141-horsepower/104kw electric motor and a 38.2 kWh battery for a total of 434 hp and 457 lb-ft of torque. Transmission is via an eightspeed automatic.

Once cool feature is that the P400e supports both level 2 and DC fast charging, making it one of the more versatile PHEVs in its class with such a feature. It takes around five hours to fully charge the SUV using a 7-kW charger.

Our tester was highly optioned with such packages as Premium Upgrade Interior Pack with Bespoke Full Extended Leather Upgrade, Illuminated Treadplates, Meridian™ 3D Surround Sound System, Bespoke 22” Diamond Turned wheels with Satin Black contrast. The Technology Pack added: digital Rear view mirror, Head-up Display, Park Assist, Natural Black Birch veneer trim, 24-way heated and cooled, massage front seats and much more. Options boosted the base price by a hefty $16,295 plus delivery at $1,950 for a total price of $153,665.

The cabin features a high-quality premium interior with elegant design elements in satin metal and chrome . There are custom details plus a new, larger 13.1-inch touchscreen. There are comfortable seats with heating and cooling functions plus good ergonomics all round. The seats and trim was finished in a very cool deep red garnet perforated leather finish, that understated and elegant. The centre console hides a massive storage area, along with a cooled compartment. The rear compartment is fairly roomy and passengers can also enjoy a rear seat entertainment system. There is dual-zone climate control for the rear-seat passengers. Rear cargo capacity is between 7841,761 litres while towing capacity is 2,500 kg (5,511 lb).

On the road, thanks to a stiffer chassis and upgraded suspension technology featuring dual-chamber dynamic air suspension and performance derived Bilstein dampers keep the ride agile and responsive. There is very little body roll and a stable planted feel. The 3.0liter engine offers plenty of power and combined with the EV components offer a good mix of fuel economy and performance. The “Save” mode for the EV mode will maintain an electric charge until its needed.

The four-wheel drive system can be used in EV mode and the performance Sport or ‘S’ mode up’s performance a tad. Steering is well calibrated and delightfully responsive. The ride is generally good all-round and is only upset by the harshest of bumps maybe due to the larger rim and tire combination. There’s also a rear-wheelsteering system to help in tracking. The air suspension can also raise or lower the vehicle, providing 274 mm of ground clearance. Off -road trail performance is good with decent ground clearance, good articulation and entry and departure angles. A plethora of aid such as the hill descent control system, low and high gear ranges and the aforementioned suspension upgrades all add to the mix.

Downsides are few, the Sport can become very expensive when you start ticking option boxes and the absence of the previous third row seat are to be noted. Still, this does not detract from the overall attraction of this premium SUV. The Electric Driving range is respectable for its class there is good performance all -round plus lots of technology and a comfortable cabin . Highly recommended if a Range Rover is what you want. Very desirable, and very good.

2023 Range Rover Sport P440e Plug in Hybrid. Base MSRP: $135,450. Price as tested with options: $153,665. More info at www.landrover.ca