COVER Range Rover Sport PHEV

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SeanCarson

sean _ carson@autovia.co.uk

FOLLOWING the recent reinvention of the Range Rover for the electric era, it’s now the turn of the Range Rover Sport.

The Sport is based on the same MLA-Flex platform as the Range Rover. This allows for plug-in hybrid models and a full EV that will join the range in 2024, and it’s the former in P510e guise that we’re focusing on here.

It uses a 38.2kWh battery feeding a 141bhp electric motor alongside a 3.0-litre turbocharged straight-six petrol engine to deliver 503bhp and 700Nm of torque.

This gives the car its easy-going feel, especially around town and at lower speeds. You move off smoothly and quickly in full EV mode, with plenty of refinement. And when the engine does kick in, it’s smooth and also pretty well suppressed.

Ask for everything and despite the 5.4-second 0-62mph claim the car doesn’t feel that fast, but the delivery is smooth. The same is true of the gear shifts.

Flat-out isn’t the P510e’s forte. Instead, let the car dictate when to use its electrical energy, petrol, or a combination of both with a relaxed approach to driving, and the Range Rover Sport is extremely convincing.

Land Rover claims up to 69 miles of emissions-free running. With rapid-charge capability, an 80 per cent top-up takes less than an hour, while using a standard home wallbox increases this to five hours.

Although it’s unlikely you’ll get close to the 327.7mpg claim, we did find the predicted electric range to be pretty accurate, albeit in 30-degree conditions. Of bigger benefit might be the 19g/km of CO2 emissions which, combined with its all-electric range claim, puts this £108,600 Autobiography model in the eight per cent Benefit-in-Kind company car tax band.

This third-generation Range Rover Sport’s ability is broader than ever. The car feels as though it can now do much of what the full-fat Range Rover delivers, with a flowing ride that has a light touch on the road. And the Sport has lost none of its dynamism; the car’s steering is direct and offers up a lovely weight and resistancefree feel to how you wind on lock.

In Dynamic mode the Sport’s chassis feels tauter, with ripples from the road surface more noticeable; control is better and the ride isn’t badly corrupted.

You still can’t throw the car about – you need to manage its weight and smooth out pitch and roll with gentle inputs – but it’s relatively agile for such a big machine. This is an SUV first and a sporty car second.

Agility is boosted by active all-wheel steering, where the rear wheels can turn

Range Rove

FIRSTDRIVE We get behind the wheel of a ca

by as much as 7.3 degrees. In slower corners and tighter streets and car parks, manoeuvrability is impressive.

Inside, the Range Rover Sport clearly has a more dynamic focus compared with its bigger brother, but it doesn’t feel like it sacrifices luxury in any way. Much of the cabin architecture is shared with the full-fat Range Rover, including the 13.7-inch digital instruments and 13.1-inch touchscreen. The Sport has a more cosseting cabin though, with a slightly sportier feel.

Material quality is great throughout. However, just like the regular Range Rover, the nasty plastic for the Meridian stereo’s

“In Dynamic mode, control is better and the ride quality still isn’t badly corrupted”

speaker pods on the front door tops seems like a real oversight.

It’s a small blot on an otherwise clean copybook. The rear seats are impressively spacious, offering plenty of legroom, and despite the Sport’s lower roofline and our car’s panoramic glass roof, there’s still no issue when it comes to headroom.

Boot space stands at 647 litres for a solid level of practicality, and there are nice storage touches inside the cabin.

Autobiography trim is pricey, but you get a lot of kit. Connectivity includes Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Alexa voice assistant and Spotify, plus downloadable apps and over-the-air software update capability.

Heated and ventilated leather seats with massage function come as standard, along with full keyless go with soft-close doors, Land Rover’s advanced off-road camera tech and Terrain Response system, wireless phone charging, loads of driver-assistance tech and everything you’d expect from a top-spec Autobiography Range Rover. www.autoexpress.co.uk