Used 2015 Land Rover Range Rover Sport

Where many modern luxury crossover SUVs seem to share a familiar silhouette, there is no mistaking the elegant form of Land Rover’s Range Rover Sport for 2015. The story remains the same inside, where the British penchant for blending wood and leather has become an art form often copied but rarely successfully duplicated. While it is true the Range Rover Sport costs a bit more than a comparably equipped Audi Q7 or BMW X5, there is an air of exclusivity with this vehicle that seems to elude some luxury brands. We also acknowledge that while most Range Rover Sports will never see anything more menacing than a Macy’s parking-lot speed bump, it is, in fact, one of the most tenacious and capable 4-wheel-drive vehicles in the world.

As Land Rover’s 2015 Range Rover Sport is a true British luxury SUV, we found it only fitting to test the 4-wheel-drive off-roader on its home turf. During our stay across the pond, we ventured over rutted English back roads, bounded over muddy hills and forged into water so deep we were certain extrication by helicopter was inevitable (thankfully, it was not). We were even privileged to run our Sport down an active airport runway at 145 mph, a feat handled with all the calm and stability of vehicle moving at freeway speeds. Undaunted in the extremes, it was the Range Rover Sport’s ease of use around town and in everyday driving that most impressed us. Comfortable yet responsive, the fact that this luxury SUV can be so adept off road without sacrificing ride comfort on road explains why the Range Rover Sport has become the darling of the landed gentry.

Premium materials meet tasteful design inside the 2015 Land Rover Range Rover Sport luxury SUV, creating a passenger cabin that offers the modern feel of an Audi interior, but is perhaps a little more elegant in its simplicity. The Range Rover Sport’s infotainment offering isn’t as robust as what you’ll find in the Mercedes Benz GL or Audi Q7, for instance, but it has all the phone and audio connectivity we needed in our two days with the car.

The pictures tell the story: Land Rover’s Range Rover Sport luxury SUV for 2015 is pretty clearly the boldest, hottest-looking SUV in the segment. Still instantly identifiable as a member of the Range Rover family, the 2nd-generation Range Rover Sport better lives up to the promise of the Sport suffix, thanks in large part to its sleek and contemporary front and rear styling. Last year’s cool approach lamps that projected the Land Rover name have been updated this year. They now cast a wider beam in the shape of the Range Rover Sport’s silhouette.

TORQUE VECTORING
Land Rover equips its V8-powered 2015 Range Rover Sport SUVs with a torque-vectoring system that routes more power to the rear outside wheel while turning. This setup allows quicker, smoother turns on the road, and tighter turns when venturing off-road.

TERRAIN RESPONSE 2 AUTO
All off-road situations are not the same, which is why Land Rover’s Terrain Response 2 system allows the driver to choose the optimal power distribution for a given situation. When in doubt, set the system to Auto and its sensors will automatically determine the best way to get you to safety.

The 2015 Range Rover Sport SE includes an air suspension, multi-mode selectable Terrain Response, 60/40-split rear seat, front/rear parking sensors, an 8-inch touch-screen display, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, SiriusXM satellite radio, remote-sensing unlock and push-button start, infotainment voice control, dual USB ports, a hard-disk navigation system, and 14-way adjustable front seats.

A fully loaded 2015 Range Rover Sport Autobiography tops out at more than $105,000 with high-tech features like an adaptive cruise-control system that works in slow-and-go traffic, "automatic" parallel parking, advanced blind-spot monitoring, traffic-sign recognition, a surround-view camera system and a full LCD instrument panel. Performance-enhancing features include a 2-speed transfer case, torque vectoring and Terrain Response 2 Auto. Other available niceties include a panoramic moonroof, a 3rd-row seat and a 1700-watt, 23-speaker Meridian audio system.

Land Rover’s 2015 Range Rover Sport lineup includes three supercharged engines, all matched to a responsive 8-speed automatic transmission. According to Land Rover, V6 models will run to 60 mph in 6.9 seconds, while V8 versions will do it in 5.0 seconds (the new SVR is even quicker). The added power of the V8 is nice, but we found the V6 plenty of engine for the svelte Sport. Indeed, the automaker expects about eight in 10 buyers to go with a V6 model.

3.0-liter supercharged V6
340 horsepower @ 6,500 rpm
332 lb-ft of torque @ 3,500-5,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 17/22 mpg

5.0-liter supercharged V8
510 horsepower @ 6,000-6,500 rpm
461 lb-ft of torque @ 2,500-5,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 14/19 mpg

5.0-liter supercharged V8
550 horsepower @ 6,000-6,500 rpm
502 lb-ft of torque @ 2,500-5,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 14/19 mpg