Used 2019 Land Rover Range Rover Sport

The 2019 Land Rover Range Rover Sport combines two elements that couldn’t be more diametrically opposed: tenacious off-road abilities and uncompromising luxury. Unlike many luxury SUVs, the Range Rover Sport shuns a low roofline and sloping rear end in favor of the traditional British box, albeit with slightly rounded edges. As such, the Range Rover Sport offers excellent interior room in all directions, plus a commanding presence wherever it goes. Unlike an Audi A7 or BMW X5, Land Rover’s luxury giant can actually venture over some of the most unforgiving terrain on the planet without even breaking a sweat. A new plug-in hybrid version helps keep this iconic SUV up to date without surrendering any of its historic abilities.

We’ve had the rare opportunity to test both elements of the Land Rover Range Rover Sport in none other than England itself. An off-road trail let us push the Sport’s 4-wheel-drive setup to the limit as we ventured over rutted back roads, through deep bogs and into water deep enough to make us wonder if we’d be using the sunroof as an escape hatch; ultimately it was drama-free, with the Range Rover Sport pulling through with flying colors. With its off-road chops verified, we were turned loose on an airport runway, taking the Range Rover Sport to an impressive 145-mph straight-line speed, which it handled with all the stability and calm as if it were loafing down the Interstate. Around town, the Range Rover Sport impresses with its sophistication, responsive drivetrains and comfortable interior.

While some luxury brands pick colors and features for you, the 2019 Range Rover Sport gives great leeway to those writing the check, allowing customers to choose from a vast arsenal of colors, materials and trim. There’s not a speck of hard plastic or cheap knockoff faux appliques inside the cabin, just the best wood, leather, metal and carbon fiber money can buy. Seat sew patterns are simple yet elegant, mimicking the overall interior design that favors a clean, minimalist approach. Headroom and legroom are plentiful, as rear-seat passengers enjoy numerous amenities like heated seats, rear-seat audio, reclining lounge seating and ventilation controls.

There’s no mistaking the 2019 Land Rover Range Rover Sport for anything but a Land Rover vehicle. Its electric-razor style grille, slab sides and signature narrow headlights are both defining and yet modern, creating a mystique that exudes the British idea of luxury and good taste. Variations on the exterior depend on the trim. The Autobiography model, for example, has lots of shiny bits, whereas its 575-horsepower SVR counterpart tones it down a bit. While some paint color options can cost thousands of dollars, for us it’s the little things, such as the Range Rover Sport-shaped approach lighting beam, that make this SUV so special.

TORQUE VECTORING
V8-powered Range Rover Sports feature Torque Vectoring, a system that employs braking to regulate power to the outside rear wheel when the vehicle is turning. With more torque going to the outside wheel, understeer is curbed while both cornering and off-road capabilities are greatly improved.

PLUG-IN HYBRID
The Range Rover Sport P400e represents Land Rover’s first foray into the plug-in hybrid world, offering an electric-only range of 31 miles. Combining a 296-horsepower 4-cylinder engine with a 141-horsepower electric motor, the Range Rover Sport P400e can achieve 60 mph is just 6.3 seconds.

The base-model Range Rover Sport SE comes standard with a leather interior and 14-way-power front seats, air suspension, multi-mode selectable Terrain Response, 60/40-split rear seat, front/rear parking sensors, and new this year, the InControl Touch Pro Duo infotainment system with twin 10-inch touch screens. Also included are Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, remote-sensing unlocking and push-button start, and an Automatic Access Height lowers the vehicle’s air suspension when placed in Park. All that, along with dual USB ports, 14 total power points and a hard-disk navigation system, makes one wonder what else there is to add. Well…

There are multiple engine options from supercharged V6 and V8 engines to a turbocharged V6 diesel and gasoline/electric plug-in hybrid, as you work your way from SE, through HSE and P400e to Supercharged and ultimately Autobiography and SVR models. The top-line 2019 Range Rover Sport SVR comes with a 575-horsepower supercharged V8 engine, plus adaptive cruise-control, “automatic” parallel parking, advanced blind-spot monitoring, traffic-sign recognition, a surround-view camera system and a full LCD instrument panel. For off-road capability, there are a 2-speed transfer case, All-Terrain Progress Control, torque vectoring and Terrain Response 2 Auto. For luxury, consider a panoramic moonroof, 3rd-row seat and 1,700-watt, 23-speaker Meridian audio system.

The 2019 Land Rover Range Rover Sport offers a choice of four engines, all of them either supercharged or turbocharged. Toward the bottom end is a 340-horsepower supercharged 3.0-liter V6, which is also available in a more powerful 380-horsepower version. The 254-horsepower 3.0-liter turbocharged diesel V6 makes a whopping 440 lb-ft of torque, nearly as much as the V8 engines. The new plug-in hybrid P400e employs a turbocharged 4-cylinder combined with a powerful electric motor sandwiched between the gasoline engine and 8-speed automatic. The system is backed by a 13.1-kWh battery capable of taking the P400e 31 miles solely on electric power. At the upper end there’s a 518-horsepower 5.0-liter V8, or a high-performance version that puts out 575 horsepower in the Range Rover Sport SVR. All of the engines come with an excellent 8-speed automatic transmission, and all Range Rover Sport models come standard with 4-wheel drive. While the V8 engines obviously win on power, the V6 versions actually offer plenty of power.

2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 (P400e)
296 horsepower @ 5,500 rpm
296 lb-ft of torque @ 1,500-4,000 rpm
85-kWh electric motor
114 horsepower
Combined output: 398 horsepower @ 5,000 rpm, 472 lb-ft of torque at 1,500-4,000 rpm
EPA combined fuel economy: 42 mpg (electric + gas), 19 mpg (gasoline only)

3.0-liter turbocharged diesel V6 (SE, HSE)
254 horsepower @ 4,000 rpm
440 lb-ft of torque @ 1,750-2,250 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 22/28 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

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

5.0-liter supercharged V8 (Supercharged, Autobiography)
518 horsepower @ 6,000-6,500 rpm
461 lb-ft of torque @ 2,500-5,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 17/22 mpg

5.0-liter supercharged V8 (SVR)
575 horsepower @ 6,000-6,500 rpm
502 lb-ft of torque @ 2,500-5,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 15/20 mpg