Used 2016 Land Rover Range Rover Sport

From its iconic square-edge styling to its impressive off-road credentials, Land Rover’s 2016 Range Rover Sport luxury SUV is in a league of its own. The Brit’s ability to marry wood, leather and plastic produces an interior second to none, which may help justify the Range Rover Sport’s lofty price over a similarly equipped Audi Q7 or BMW X5. Land Rover knows exclusivity has its price, and those with adequate means don’t usually quibble over window stickers. While we know the vast majority of 2016 Range Rover Sports will never see anything but paved roads, it’s nice to know that this luxury SUV is an incredibly competent off-road vehicle, one of the best in the world, in fact.

What better place to test Land Rover’s 2016 Range Rover Sport luxury SUV than on its on home soil. The Sport’s 4-wheel-drive setup was pushed to the limit, venturing over rutted English back roads, through deep bogs and into water so deep we contemplated having to hold our breath while exiting through the sunroof (thankfully the Range Rover Sport pulled through with flying colors). The Brits were even so kind as to give us access to an active airport runway where we were able to achieve an impressive 145-mph straight-line speed, which the Sport handled with all the stability and calm of a vehicle at highway speed. The Sport’s ability to tackle extreme conditions was matched by its utter sophistication in around-town driving. Responsive and comfortable, it’s no wonder the Land Rover Range Rover Sport for 2016 has so many admirers on both sides of the pond.

Premium materials meet tasteful design inside the 2016 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 2016 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. One of our favorite little touches is the cool approach lighting that casts a wide beam in the shape of the Range Rover Sport’s silhouette.

TORQUE VECTORING
V8-powered Range Rover Sport models for 2016 feature a unique torque-vectoring setup that when turning provides more power to the rear outside wheel. The system permits tighter turns when off-roading and quicker, smoother turns on dry pavement.

3.0-LITER TURBODIESEL ENGINE
We know gas is cheap, but diesel engines are about more than fuel economy. With 440 lb-ft of torque, the Range Rover Sport’s new 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6 is a paragon of power, delivering superb acceleration while achieving a combined 25-mpg fuel-economy rating.

The 2016 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, Automatic Access Height (automatically lowers the vehicle’s air suspension when placed in Park), infotainment voice control, InControl Remote & Protect, dual USB ports, a hard-disk navigation system, and 14-way-adjustable front seats.

A fully loaded 2016 Range Rover Sport Autobiography tops out at more than $110,000 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, All-Terrain Progress Control, torque vectoring and Terrain Response 2 Auto. Other available niceties include a panoramic moonroof, a 3rd-row seat, gesture-activated power tailgate, and a 1,700-watt, 23-speaker Meridian audio system.

Land Rover’s 2016 Range Rover Sport lineup includes three supercharged engines and one turbodiesel V6, all matched to a responsive 8-speed automatic transmission. According to Land Rover, V6 gasoline models will run to 60 mph in 6.9 seconds, while V8 versions will do it in 5.0 seconds (the mighty 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. Opt for the turbodiesel and you’ll get all the power of a V8 with the best fuel economy of the bunch.

3.0-liter turbodiesel V6 (SE Td6, HSE Td6)
254 horsepower @ 4,000
440 lb-ft of torque @ 1,750 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 22/29 mpg

3.0-liter supercharged V6 (SE, HSE)
340 horsepower @ 6,500 rpm
332 lb-ft of torque @ 3,500-5,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 17/23 mpg

5.0-liter supercharged V8 (Supercharged, Autobiography)
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 (SVR)
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