Introduced for 2006 as an offshoot of the legendary full-size Range Rover, the midsize Sport retains the British brand’s long-standing reputation for off-road capabilities, accompanied by uncompromising luxury amenities. With the available supercharged V8, in particular, the Sport delivers phenomenal acceleration along with impressive handling on paved surfaces.
What's New for 2016
A new HST Limited Edition joins the lineup for 2016, carrying a supercharged 3-liter V6 that generates 40 more horsepower than the regular six-cylinder engine. The HST features unique interior trim as well as exterior modifications. A new Hands-Free Gesture tailgate is available for 2016, as is Automatic Access Height. Also new this year is a 3-liter Td6 turbocharged diesel engine. A new InControl Remote & Protect app lets owners interact with the vehicle using a smartphone.
Choosing Your Range Rover Sport
Each Range Rover Sport has full-time four-wheel drive with hill descent control and hill start assist, plus a self-leveling air suspension. The Terrain Response system alters performance to suit various surface conditions.
Fuel economy is estimated at 17 mpg city/23 mpg highway with the standard 3-liter supercharged gasoline V6 engine, but a decidedly non-thrifty 14/19 mpg (city/highway) with the 5-liter V8. The new diesel V6 engine delivers 254 horsepower and 440 pound-feet of torque, achieving a 25 mpg combined fuel economy estimate (22 mpg city/28 mpg highway). Each engine mates with an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Newly available driver-assistance features include a Hands-Free Gesture tailgate and a tailgate camera washer. All-Terrain Progress Control, standard with the V8, acts like a low-speed cruise/crawl mode. Automatic Access Height lowers the air suspension when the vehicle is in Park, for easier entry/exit. A power-folding third row, available for most models, raises seating capacity to seven.
Six trim levels are offered, including the new HST Limited Edition:
All Range Rover Sports can get a Driver Assistance package with lane-departure warning, a self-parking system, and 360-degree parking sensors.
That's quite a choice of trims, and the price differential between them escalates as you move up the scale. Each V6 model fits into the midsize luxury SUV class. So does the Supercharged V8. Pick an exclusive Autobiography or SVR, though, and you're in a different universe.