Range Rover Sport review: Engaging and luxurious elite SUV

The Range Rover Sport is a bit of an icon. The original model caused a real stir, and the second generation cemented itself as a desirable alternative to a BMW X5 or Porsche Cayenne. With this third-generation model, Land Rover has taken the ‘RRS’ to a whole new level.

Built on the same all-aluminium architecture as the latest ‘OG’ Range Rover, it boasts the same sort of advanced tech introduced in the British firm’s range-topper, but available at a more accessible price. As the name suggests, the focus on a more sporting drive is also in keeping with what many consumers are seeking – leaving the Range Rover itself to go and hunt the Rolls-Royce Cullinan at the very top of the luxury SUV market.

Although it’s derived from the Range Rover, sharing its indulgent interior, the Range Rover Sport has a more focused appearance. Its profile is more lithe and, at the rear, it has stance-enhancing horizontal tail lamps, rather than the more upstanding vertically-stacked lights of the full-size Range Rover.

There are three trims – SE, Dynamic SE and Autobiography – in an intentionally more focused choice than the Range Rover. There are also two plug-in hybrid powertrain options, either P460e or P550e, with the numbers reflecting the power output. Of course, there’s an indulgent options list for those who wish to go even further.

The Range Rover Sport plug-in hybrid is impeccable to drive. It is both refined and luxurious, yet sporty and swift. Its duality takes some beating, and it’s easy to see why these machines are in such demand – and why, for many customers, all it takes is a test drive.

As for the plug-in hybrid tech, a large battery gives a generous EV range, plus the sort of ultra-low CO2 emissions that will delight company car drivers. The Range Rover Sport really is several steps ahead of its key rivals in this regard, helping explain why it’s so popular.

I think it’s absolutely fantastic. Read on to find out why.

I spent a week with the Range Rover Sport, which included a day’s testing at the British firm’s off-road facility at Eastnor Castle. Far away from proper roads, its ability was astonishing – and the beautiful drive when back on the highway was also memorable.

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Independent rating: 9/10

The Range Rover Sport plug-in hybrid has a very generous 31.8kWh battery. That’s bigger than the battery you get in the pure electric Dacia Spring. It gives an EV range of up to 76 miles which, thanks to CO2 emissions from just 15g/km, gives a remarkably attractive company car benefit-in-kind tax rate of just six per cent for 2025-26. This alone makes it easy to see why the Range Rover Sport PHEV is so desirable.

The battery and 215hp electric motor are combined with a 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo petrol engine, offering two different overall power outputs – either 460hp or 550hp. It’s potent enough to serve up 0-62mph performance in 5.5 seconds and 4.9 seconds respectively. Notably, the electric motor is powerful enough to offer 0-62mph performance of 10.9 seconds even when driving in pure electric mode, along with an EV top speed of 87mph. This all means you really can drive the RRS on battery power alone for much of its 70-odd miles of engine-off range.

Intelligent all-wheel drive is standard too, which I experienced at Eastnor and can confirm helps the Range Rover Sport achieve remarkable feats off-road. When it snows, you’ll be the one keeping on moving as others fall by the wayside.

Standard air suspension gives a beautifully smooth and relaxing ride, while the Range Rover Sport’s switchable-valve air springs also make it dynamic and agile through the corners. The precise steering and stable feel mean it feels remarkably lithe and agile – and also help drivers manage its considerable two-metre-wide dimensions.

The P550e is even more agile, as it has four-wheel steering as standard. This can be fitted as an option to the P460e.

You probably won’t notice the engine, even when the battery is discharged, thanks to its smooth and vibration-free nature. Land Rover also reckons that, overall, Range Rover Sport customers are likely to drive in EV mode for 75 per cent of the time, which indicates the amount of low-speed electric running you’ll be able to achieve. Charge up at home on a cheap overnight tariff and your commuting costs could fall significantly compared to a non-hybrid.

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The Range Rover Sport is a delight to sit in. The regal, high-set driving position gives a marvellous view out, and the seats are sublime. The driving position is multi-adjustable and I like how close you can position the steering wheel. While it’s a tall machine, the door sills are designed to make it as easy as possible to step in and out, which shorter drivers will really appreciate.

The cabin is gorgeous. Obviously, being a luxury car, there’s an endless choice of colour and trim options. But the fundamentals are shared across all models, with a large-format touchscreen, digital driver display and perfectly-shaped steering wheel. 20-way electric heated front seats are standard, with ventilated seats a £500 option.

Those in the rear are well catered for too. The £500 front seat option includes heated, electrically-reclining rear seats, and for £1,000, the rear seats can be ventilated too. Your passengers will love you for it; needless to say, there’s also regal amounts of space and comfort.

The Range Rover Sport PHEV also has a massive 647-litre boot, which expands to 1,491 litres with the rear seats folded. This is no smaller than a regular RRS, thanks to the battery being located underneath the floor.

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The Range Rover Sport has a 13.1-inch centre touchscreen, combined with a 13.7-inch driver display. The infotainment is a large-format display running Land Rover’s superb Pivo Pro operating system. It’s a pleasure to use, with crisp, gorgeous graphics, a flat, logical menu structure, and a helpful haptic click to confirm each tap and press. Some other car companies could learn a lot from it.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included, but you’ll prefer using the built-in system, because it’s such a delight. Sat nav mapping is ultra-precise and even the air quality sensor is fascinating to use. Land Rover connects it to your smartphone with a dedicated app.

The stereos are outstanding, too. Meridian tech features across the range, with the entry-level setup being a 400W 15-speaker system. For £1,200, you can choose a 3D Surround system, with 800W and 19 speakers, while the £5,500 Signature Sound system offers 1,430W and a remarkable 29 speakers. Needless to say, sound quality is breathtaking.

A clever piece of plug-in hybrid-relevant tech is Predictive Energy Optimisation, which uses geofencing to serve up EV-only driving only where suitable. If you set the sat nav, it will use electric where it’s most effective, helping maximise the range and minimise overall fuel consumption.

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Range Rover Sport prices start from around £90,000. That’s reassuringly luxury-grade, but also around £25k cheaper than the most affordable Range Rover plug-in hybrid. For some, this will make the Sport appear a bargain. You don’t have to try too hard to take the price into six figures, mind, with the top-spec P550e Autobiography landing at £114k, plus further options and customisation.

That large battery is key to why the Range Rover Sport may be cheaper to run than you might think. Many owners are likely to have a driveway, enabling them to keep it regularly charged, which will give plenty of pure electric motoring, rather than guzzling expensive petrol.

As mentioned, Land Rover expects Range Rover Sport owners will spend 75 per cent of the time driving in EV mode. This will dramatically cut fuel consumption and, as a result, time spent at the pumps.

Insurance is going to be expensive, of course. Land Rover believes it has tackled the theft issues that plagued the Range Rover brand in recent years, but this will take time to filter through to the car insurance industry. Only when claims data shows an improvement will car insurance prices begin to fall.

The Range Rover Sport plug-in hybrid can use DC rapid chargers, which take the large 31.8kWh battery from empty to 80 per cent in about 30 minutes.

The Range Rover Sport is expensive, but not as pricey as a full-fat Range Rover. The Range Rover Sport plug-in hybrid line-up starts from around £90k, which is £25k less than the cheapest plug-in Range Rover.

The Range Rover Sport has a six-year, 60,000-mile plug-in hybrid battery warranty. This seems a bit mean compared to the eight years and 100,000-mile cover offered by many rivals.

Our team of motoring experts have decades of experience driving, reviewing and reporting on the latest EV cars, and our verdicts are reached with every kind of driver in mind. We thoroughly test drive every car we recommend, so you can be sure our verdicts are honest, unbiased and authentic.

The Range Rover Sport is my perfect Rangie. It has all the luxury of the range-topping model, along with a bit more dynamism and, crucially, more accessible prices. Sharing the same plug-in hybrid tech means its EV range is generous, which helps boost everyday fuel consumption as well as lowering emissions.