The Range Rover Sport is a nice blend of the full-size Range Rover and the compact Evoque. It’s shorter and sportier than the Range Rover with some styling cues from the Evoque.
The 2017 Land Rover Range Rover Sport is offered in five trims: SE, HSE, Supercharged, Autobiography, and SVR. Starting prices range from $65,650 to $111,350. It seats up to seven passengers.
Five powertrains are available: The base engine is a 3.0-liter supercharged V6 that makes 340 horsepower paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters on the steering wheel. A supercharged V8 cranks out 510 hp. Want more power? The SVR V8 delivers a whopping 550 hp and 502 lb-ft of torque. There’s also a a turbodiesel V6 that makes 254 hp and 440 lb-ft of torque.
EPA mileage estimates for my tester are 17 mpg city and 23 mpg highway with a combined rating of 23. I got 21 during my week with a mix of city and highway driving, and a fair amount of driving in slick conditions after a Portland snowfall.
Although Land Rover products are still designed, engineers and built in England, Land Rover and Jaguar are owned by Tata Motors of India.
The good:
It can take you from an evening at the ballet to a night under the stars in the wilderness.
Impressive off-road capability.
Sporty handling for an SUV.
Seating position is high, providing great visibility all the way around.
Beautiful interior with top notch materials and trim.
Panoramic roof provides airy feel in the cabin.
The not so good:
The price can skyrocket in a hurry.
Third row is cramped for all but the smallest passengers.
The new 10.2-inch touchscreen isn’t the most functional with its menus and submenus.
The almond and ivory interior looks great now when new, but these aren’t the most practical colors for a rough and rugged SUV!
Pricing Info:
My tester starts at $69,950.
The Front Climate Comfort and Visibility Package is $2,800 and adds 16-way power front climate seats, heated rear seats and steering wheel, twin blade sun visors, adaptive Xenon headlights with automatic high beam, auto-dimming exterior mirrors, Blind Spot Monitor with Closing Vehicle Sensing and Reverse Traffic Detection, and 60/40 rear seat with load through.
The Vision and convenience Package is $1,600 and adds configurable interior mood lighting, soft door close and surround cameras.
The Driver Assistance Package is $2,900 and adds Lane Departure Warning with Traffic Sign Recognition, perpendicular and parallel park, 360-degree Park Distance control, head up display, and Wi-Fi pre-wire.
The 825-watt Meridian premium audio system is $1,100.
California emissions fee is $100. Delivery fee is $995 bringing the grand total to $79,445.
