Despite the brand’s well-known history of creating capable off-roaders and what its latest marketing stunts suggest, most new Range Rovers spend their time in large cities rather than, say, on a mountain. Introduced in 2004, the Range Rover Sport aims to fill this exact primary role. It arrived as a sleeker take on the full-size Rover, which retained its off-roading prowess while introducing a more stylish aesthetic in a slightly smaller package at a lower price point.
Fast forward three generations and the Sport has made massive strides. Its range-topping engine is now a BMW-sourced twin-turbocharged V8 pushing out 523 horsepower in the First Edition, or a whopping 626 hp in the range-topping SV. Its styling is sleeker and more minimalist thanks in part to smaller lighting elements front and rear while it benefits from the suspension and luxury benefits trickling down from its full-size sibling.
As far as six-figure SUVs go, the Sport First Edition may have the power and look of a proper performer, but it remains very comfort-focused. It’s not the SUV for a spirited drive but very appealing as a high-power city crawler.
Quick Stats
| Engine | 4.4-Liter Twin-Turbocharged V8 |
| Output | 523 Horsepower / 553 Pound-Feet |
| Transmission | Eight-Speed Automatic |
| Trim Base Price | $122,975 |
| As Tested Price | $132,575 |
Compared to its predecessor, the new Sport wears sleeker exterior styling with softened lines flowing nicely from front to rear. Proportionally, it’s still instantly recognizable as a Range Rover with short front and rear overhangs and a shoulder line that rises steadily towards the SUV’s rear. This First Edition tester accentuates that feature with a two-tone Gloss Black and Firenze Red exterior, separating the roof and windows from this SUV’s lower section. This separation also highlights its slightly sloped roof, which extends via a roof-mounted spoiler.
Its headlights and taillights represent the most significant changes, however. Like the full-size Rover, the Sport’s lighting elements are significantly smaller than its predecessor’s, as is its front grille. While these were likely shrunken to create a more minimal aesthetic, they look tiny in a vehicle as large as the Sport. They’re made to look even smaller once you factor in this SUV’s sizable air intakes up front and wide rear diffuser and quad exhaust tips.
Its door handles shrunk too, and while they retract neatly into the bodywork, they’re relatively small for a vehicle this large. On the flip side, its wheels are larger than ever, now 23 inches on this First Edition model. Their simple design contrasts nicely against the two-tone paint adding to this SUV’s sporty look. In fact, the only chrome bits anywhere on the Sport are its quad exhaust tips, which stand out nicely.
Overall, the Sport retains a very aggressive stance which comes across as expensive and stylish. While I’m not a massive fan of some of its latest shrunken styling elements, it still looks like a Range Rover should. However, what it lacks in the looks department, it makes up for on the road.
Judging by how it looks and its name, it’d be easy to assume the Range Rover Sport to be an aggressive and athletic SUV, but it’s not, and I vastly prefer it this way. Like its closest competitors, this SUV features an active air suspension system with active dampers. However, unlike its rivals, it’s tuned primarily for on-road comfort rather than all-out performance. And it excels in crowded cities like Los Angeles, where the road infrastructure is nothing short of awful.
The Sport is fabulously comfortable no matter the circumstance. It soaks up the road imperfections like a Bentley Bentayga, even with its 23-in wheels. Opt for smaller ones with thicker sidewalls, and it can only get better. It’s only on twisty roads that the Sport starts to struggle. Like most Range Rovers, it has a high center of gravity and is eager to lean in the bends despite its active suspension trying hard to keep it in check.
That said, it’s a proper athlete in a straight line. Under its hood lives a BMW-sourced 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8, the same as in an X5 or X6, except it develops 523 hp and 553 pound-feet of torque in the Sport. That power makes its way to all four wheels via an eight-speed ZF automatic, which is quick and responsive to sudden changes. This First Edition tester gets unique drive modes as part of its Dynamic Response Pro system, which alters its throttle response, suspension stiffness, and power delivery.
BMW’s N63 is a rockstar with tons of low-end torque, immediate power delivery, and even a decent bark. However, it has big shoes to fill now that Jaguar’s supercharged 5.0-liter V8 is out of the picture. The older engine was animalistic both in how it delivered its power and the massive soundtrack with endless pops and bangs. And while the N63 is better suited to a quiet luxury SUV, the 5.0 made every Land Rover product it went into feel special in a way this BMW V8 doesn’t.
While I can judge this engine’s character, the numbers don’t lie. This First Edition Sport scoots to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds, a tenth of a second quicker than the outgoing SVR, and you can feel it on the road. What the N63 lacks in drama makes up for in raw speed, making this over 5,300-pound SUV feel very quick on the road. Its acceleration is so aggressive that you can feel its rear end squat considerably from a launch.
Like its suspension, its steering is tuned primarily for comfort, lacking feedback while remaining very light, which, combined with the Sport’s rear-axle steering system, makes maneuvering tight city streets a breeze. While adequate to keep an SUV this quick in check, its brakes have long pedal travel and little feedback. However, they’re easy to modulate around town.
While the Sport may not be quite as dynamic to drive as an equivalent Porsche Cayenne, I don’t want it to. This Rover excels exactly where you’d want it to be. It sidesteps the trend of overly stiff SUVs, being as plush as a Bentley and just as quick as the Porsche.
The Sport’s plushness continues inside with its excellent 22-way adjustable heated and ventilated seats. My tester featured the $1,400 full non-leather upgrade, which initially seemed expensive, given the material choice, but instantly won me over with their softness. While they’re not the biggest chairs in an SUV, you sink into them rather than sit on them. These, combined with the excellent air-suspension system, make the Sport a joy to commute in.
Sound isolation has improved significantly over the previous generation, with only marginal wind and tire noise intruding into the cabin. Add up all of the Sport’s luxury improvements, and you get an SUV that aligns closer than ever with its full-size sibling.
The rest of the cabin gets the same updated layout as in the full-size Rover, with a 13.7-in digital instrument cluster in front of the driver as well as a 13.1-in touchscreen on the center console running the latest Pivi Pro infotainment system alongside wireless Apple CarPLay and Android Auto connectivity.
While the native infotainment system is nicely laid out with a smartphone-style app layout, it’s in charge of many crucial adjustment features, such as the front seat’s lumbar support. The lack of a switch on the seat or the door panel, like the backrest adjustment, makes getting comfortable on the fly a slight hassle. You have to dig through menus before adjusting to your desired position.
Its AC controls have a relatively steep learning curve, as a single knob controls your temperature, fan speed, and seat heating/cooling. The rest of the center console features haptic feedback buttons, which may look sleek but lack the tactile feedback in the Sport’s predecessor.
Latest Range Rover News
For the 2023 model year, the V8-powered Range Rover Sport is only available in First Edition form, starting at $122,975, including a $1,475 destination fee. My tester included optional extras such as a $4,550 Meridian sound system, a $1,400 non-leather upgrade, and the $640 cold climate pack, bringing its as-tested price to $132,575.
The Range Rover Sport is now more luxurious than ever. It’s plush and quiet inside, which, combined with its stellar air suspension, delivers a driving experience that is supremely comfortable. While its looks didn’t grow on me, I was pleasantly surprised that it didn’t prioritize dynamic driving over everyday comfort. It still houses a monster engine under its hood with incredible straight-line performance. It may roll in the bends but is outrageously quick in a straight line.
It goes without saying that this test obviously lacks an off-roading component, but with 23-in wheels, this Sport is meant for the road. Thankfully, it combines all of the latest tech, some borrowed from its larger sibling, to create a quick and comfortable SUV, the best of both worlds.
