Currently in its third generation, the Range Rover Sport slots just below the flagship Range Rover SUV in the stable. This RR Sport has been on sale since 2022, with local assembly starting only last year. That alone has led to a price drop of up to Rs 24 lakh for some variants, making the luxury off-roader even more desirable. We will now break down three solid reasons to buy the Porsche Cayenne rival – and two that may give you pause.
Reasons to buy the Range Rover Sport
1. Range Rover's fastest-ever SUV
Specifically, the top-spec Range Rover SV Edition Two trim is powered by a 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol engine sourced from BMW's M performance division. An 8-speed AT sends the engine’s output – 635hp and 750Nm (800Nm with launch mode) – to all four wheels, punching the 2.5-tonne heavyweight from 0 to 100kph in just 3.8 seconds, and on to a top speed of 290kph.
2. Road presence
Compared to Range Rover Sports of the past – first and second gens, to be precise – the present model looks more ‘new money’ and flamboyant. While the silhouette is relatively familiar, minimalist design details and non-reliance on oversized grille or shouty bits work together beautifully. Despite ‘Sport’ meaning smaller in Range Rover speak, the nearly 5,000mm-long SUV is only about 100mm behind the standard wheelbase Range Rover. Both RRs even have an identical wheelbase and are underpinned by Land Rover’s MLA-Flex platform.
3. High-end and feature-rich interior
All Range Rover Sport variants sold in India, including the HSE and SV Edition Two, are well-equipped. The loaded-to-the-gills SV, for instance, gets 4-zone climate control, a large 13.1-inch touchscreen, 3D surround cameras, remote park assist and a HUD. The front and rear seats are equipped with heating, ventilation and reclining functions - features expected of an SUV from this segment. The SV also debuts JLR’s new ‘Body and Soul Seats' (BASS), which send sound vibrations through the front seats based on what’s playing on the 29-speaker Meridian system. As for safety, it has 6 airbags, an ADAS suite, and a lot more.
Reasons not to buy the Range Rover Sport
1. Busy low-speed ride
During our Range Rover Sport review, we noted that the low-speed ride comfort was half a step backwards. The ride was slightly choppy, coupled with some side-to-side movement; note that the test car rode on 22-inch wheels. We recommend speccing the Sport with a smaller wheel size and chunkier sidewall tyres for better cushioning over rough road patches. Due to the Sport’s soft suspension setup, it moves around a lot over bumps, too.
2. Expensive price range
Though the local assembly in 2024 brought the price down considerably, the range-starting Sport HSE trim is still expensive at Rs 1.47 crore. For reference, similar-sized SUVs like the Mercedes GLE and BMW X5 cost between Rs 1.01 crore and 1.19 crore, and Rs 97.8 lakh and Rs 1.13 crore, respectively. The top-spec Sport SV Edition Two, which is fully imported into India, costs Rs 2.95 crore.
ALL PRICES ARE EX-SHOWROOM.
