Does the title sound a bit strange to you? It does to me as well. But I’ve always seen the Range Rover as the “king of off-road machines,” so it only makes sense that the slightly smaller, more accessible and somewhat wilder (as wild as a nobleman can be) Range Rover Sport (RRS) would be the prince.
In production for over 47 years, the Land Rover Range Rover is one of the true legends of the modern automotive industry. Its success comes from a unique combination of qualities – exceptional off-road capability paired with levels of luxury and comfort typically associated with high-end limousines.
However, at the beginning of the new millennium, the market for off-road vehicles began to evolve into a more specific niche – that of the “sport SUVs.” Cars like the BMW X5, Porsche Cayenne, and to some extent other major players such as the Mercedes-Benz M-Class (known today as the Mercedes-Benz GLE) reshaped expectations in the segment.
This led to the creation of a slightly more compact and driver-focused model from the British brand – the Range Rover Sport.
In reality, the first generation Sport wasn’t a “true” Range Rover, as it was based on the Land Rover Discovery 3… a slightly confusing situation. The second generation, however – the one I’ll be introducing here – is a proper Range Rover in every sense: technology, design, and refinement.
Design
The Sport relies on a clean, conservative design that is unmistakable – this is unmistakably a Range Rover. The roofline and the glasshouse retain the characteristic features we’ve known since the original model from the 1970s.
The lighting design also leans towards the conservative side, simultaneously echoing the larger Range Rover and the more modern Range Rover Evoque.
The Range Rover Sport, however, has an undeniably “powerful” stance. The car looks solid and firmly planted on the road – and off it as well. This is partly due to the width of the body, which is noticeably greater than that of most rivals – around 10 cm wider than the Audi Q7, 13 cm wider than the BMW X5, and 6 cm wider than the closest in size, the Volvo XC90.
These proportions, combined with the signature boxy shapes (thankfully, Land Rover haven’t started softening their designs), give the Range Rover Sport its distinctive presence.
Personally, I really like this familiar design and believe it will still look good even 15 years from now. That said, purely from an aesthetic standpoint, I think the Volvo XC90 is the more beautiful SUV.
Interior
Land Rover have managed to create an interior design that is just as distinctive. The dashboard of the Range Rover Sport is unmistakable – this is a pure-blood Land Rover, with clean, simple surfaces wrapped in leather, a characterful centre console, and a unique layout and control logic for the car’s functions.
Time spent inside is genuinely pleasant, thanks to the luxurious yet slightly avant-garde atmosphere, as well as the unconventional colour combinations. Materials and build quality are at the top level you’d expect from a car with a base price of around €66,000.
What I particularly like is the sense of space. It comes from the generous glazing and relatively low door line, but also from the fact that the space is real, not an illusion – this is simply a very large car. That, and especially the width I mentioned earlier, allows three adults to sit in the second row and feel genuinely comfortable.
In fact, the second row can rival cars like the Mercedes-Benz S-Class in terms of comfort and luxury. The seats are excellent and offer both ventilation and heating, there’s four-zone climate control, and last but not least, very good visibility in all directions, which further enhances comfort on long journeys.
The car also offers a third row of seats, but no matter how much I tried, I couldn’t find a convincing reason for its existence. First, it’s extremely cramped and simply not usable. Second, if you want a Land Rover with proper third-row seating, you’re far better off going for the Land Rover Discovery 5.
On the road
The car provided by Moto-Pfohe was equipped with the SDV6 diesel engine. This is a 3.0-litre unit producing 306 hp and 700 Nm of torque. Combined with the eight-speed automatic gearbox from ZF Friedrichshafen AG, the Range Rover Sport accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.2 seconds and reaches a top speed of 225 km/h (210 km/h in non-Dynamic versions).
I got in and immediately found an optimal driving position – the seats are excellent, and visibility in all directions (including rearward, which is becoming increasingly rare) is very good. The high seating position stands out, giving the impression that the car is even larger than it actually is.
Being a Range Rover, I couldn’t resist heading straight towards Bozhurishte and the Pozharevo Reservoir, where I figured I could explore some abandoned fields, meadows, and dirt tracks before the end of the day.
The first impression, even on the way out of Sofia, was comfort. The car moves quietly and with a high level of refinement, while the air suspension deals brilliantly with small road imperfections. Without a doubt, this is the most comfortable off-road vehicle I’ve ever been in.
Not long after, I reached the area around the reservoir and left the asphalt behind. The Range Rover Sport is well prepared for this kind of use, thanks to the Terrain Response 2 system, which adjusts the engine, gearbox, centre differential, and suspension according to the terrain. It can also wade through up to 85 cm of water – which is seriously impressive.
Suspension travel is equally notable – 26 cm at the front and 27.2 cm at the rear. Combined with a generous 27.8 cm ground clearance in off-road mode, this means that, in the right hands, the car is capable of a lot. I don’t have much off-road experience myself, so I was more cautious, but even under my driving, the Range Rover Sport proved extremely capable. The fact that I repeatedly found myself thinking “we’re going to roll over here,” “there’s no way we’ll make it,” or “we’re definitely going to scrape something” says a lot about what the car can actually do.
By the end of the day, as dusk was setting in, I had convinced myself that I wouldn’t be able to get the car out of the spot I’d driven it into. I got so carried away that I even forgot to take photos of its heroic achievements and effortless return to the asphalt.
The next day, I decided to head towards Panichishte, combining twisty roads, snow, and a motorway drive on the way back.
Shortly after leaving the populated areas around Zheleznitsa, I switched into Sport mode and pushed on. The behaviour of the Range Rover under this kind of driving feels slightly strained – at least to me. The power is sufficient for brisk progress, and the active suspension handles corners well, keeping body roll moderate while preserving a good level of comfort. The car remains stable and neutral, but despite that, it simply feels out of place when driven this way.
Then again, driving an SUV like this in a sporty manner is somewhat pointless. If that’s your goal, you’re better off looking at models like the BMW X5, BMW X6, Maserati Levante or Porsche Cayenne.
Once I stopped the experiments, I continued driving normally – well, relatively normally, with frequent detours whenever I spotted an interesting dirt track or field. This is where the Range Rover’s true strength becomes clear – its ability to isolate you from the outside world. The feeling is genuinely special.
I won’t hide the fact that, subjectively, the best interior I’ve seen in this class belongs to the Volvo XC90, but despite that, there’s something about the Range Rover Sport that makes you feel special. Perhaps it’s precisely that sense of isolation – the car is very quiet in terms of aerodynamic noise, road noise, and how it deals with imperfections.
For comparison, the air suspension in the Mercedes-Benz GLE, despite being among the most comfortable cars out there, feels noticeably less refined.
Reaching Panichishte, I continued experimenting in the snow, and the Range Rover Sport remained impressively competent, proving that it is a true off-roader – something increasingly rare today. Eventually, I did manage to get stuck, but only after attempting to climb one of the abandoned ski slopes in the area… which probably says more about the tyres than the car.
As for fuel consumption, here’s what I recorded:
Economical driving on main roads at 95–100 km/h – 6.7 l/100 km
Motorway at 150 km/h – 11.5 l/100 km
City driving – 8.5 l/100 km
I’d say these are quite reasonable figures, and considering the low mileage of the test car, they could probably drop by another 5–10%.
Of course, financially speaking, fuel consumption is the least of a Range Rover owner’s concerns. Insurance costs and the purchase price carry far more weight. A reasonably equipped Range Rover Sport with the less powerful six-cylinder diesel starts at around €81,500 (approximately €67,800 base price), while the well-equipped test car reaches roughly €102,000.
Serious money – but then again, this is a serious machine.оста богато оборудване достига до около 200 000 лв. Сумите са сериозни, но такъв е и автомобилът.
Conclusion
The Range Rover Sport was yet another model from Jaguar Land Rover that I returned with great reluctance. After spending some time with it, it became very clear why it is so desirable among those who can afford it. The Range Rover Sport simply makes life calmer and more pleasant – and in our fast-paced daily lives, that matters a lot.
The car is highly capable both on and off the road and comes with a wide range of engines. Starting with a four-cylinder diesel producing 240 hp – which, frankly, I struggle to imagine suits this car – then moving through the diesel hybrid, promising fuel consumption of under 7 l/100 km, and all the way up to the monstrous V8 petrol engine with 550 hp, capable of accelerating to 100 km/h in just 4.7 seconds.
Eng. Tsvetan Iliev
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