Louth Motors: Range Rover Sport 3.0 PHEV SE brings excellence on and off the road

I got to drive the Range Rover Sport and Range Rover at the Irish launch recently and my memory was that if I was able to buy either I’d be leaning towards the Range Rover Sport.

I reached that conclusion based on a relatively short spin around the backroads of Co. Kildare and in hindsight I may have been a bit hasty. I would surely need the experience of a real test in both to come to a proper decision.

Well, as it happens, I am diving the Ranger Rover Sport this week and the Range Rover itself next. So, over the next two reviews I’ll arrive at my pick.

But as of now, after my time with the Range Rover Sport, I can say it was the most luxurious riding car I’ve driven in a long, long time. And that’s after being in the best our German luxury car makers have to offer.

The All-new Range Rover Sport design has been finessed and has avoided a radical looks overhaul. Unsurprisingly as it is already a winning look so why mess with it?

From every angle it is unmistakably a Range Rover Sport but the front and rear have seen the most change. The lights are a lot tidier, and sleeker having been reduced in size.

Those tweaks make the car look so much sharper - like the difference between a designer suit and a good one from M&S.
Inside the permeable sense of luxury is everywhere. It looks fantastic and every time you use your hands they are rewarded in terms of feel, feedback and function.

The dash layout is wonderful. All digital for the driver that’s customisable with a 13-inch curved display in the centre with brilliant touch menu software that wasn’t a chore, was easy to use and more importantly easy to figure out.

The materials used compounded the luxurious feel of the car and there are few cabins on offer elsewhere that trump the Range Rover Sport.

Being the Sport model, it has to have a bit of oomph, and it does. My model was a PHEV version with a combined output of 440PS from the electric motor and 3.0 litre six-cylinder petrol engine.

Sounds a lot, and it is, and the car can shift when asked to with a 0-100km/h time of just 5.8s, helped by 620Nm of torque to get the 2.7tonnes of car moving.

Range Rover would always have scored below par for green credentials (big 4x4s using petrol/diesel would always be a green challenge) that is now addressed with PHEV technology across the range.

That battery has an all-electric range of 113kms which means the so-called Chelsea Chariot, in its most popular territory (city/urban), will be using battery power most of the time.

I did not charge the battery every time it depleted so my return of 9.2l/100km is probably under representative of what could be achieved.

When all the drivers who drove the car before me are factored in, this climbed to 11l/100km, looks like others were not charging the battery either.

The joy of this car is the level of comfort offered. It really is luxurious comfort, and the cabin is a lovely place to be and every journey is looked forward to with anticipation.

We all seem to like being up high now and the commanding position in the Range Rover Sport is one of the best around and range Rover were one of, if not the, first to give that to drivers.

Up high presents challenges in terms of dynamics but the Range Rover Sport banishes these and the car corners beautifully.

It is a very stable car to be in and yes it is a substantial car but behaves like a luxury car should and cossets all passengers. And in such quietness, it’s eerie. It is only available as a 5-seater and three in the back is not a bother.

With no 7-seater the boot size is quoted at 835litres to the roof. During the launch we got to see the car’s off-road ability which is awesome which is a shame as a lot of these cars won’t ever see a speck of muck.

I’d also baulk at taking a car that starts at €111,400 into a field with rocks, mud and briars.

My entry SE model rose swifty to €123,785 when tasty options like sliding panoramic roof, excellent heads-up display and heated washer jets, no less, are added.

There are diesel models as well and a sportier 4.4l, 8-cylinder petrol version that you will need to find €220,267 for starters with in all 11 models to choose from.

Right now, if I had the where withal to buy a Range Rover Sport I would.

It’s an exceptional car and if I had to find a flaw, I’m sure I could but that would be doing the car a disservice as it is excellent in every department.

Price would be my main crib because it is awfully expensive but remember the Range Rover Sport is a such compelling package.

Find out next week if the bigger Range Rover is better.