V8、6 缸汽油和柴油、PHEV 驱动
► Poor relationship or real sports choice?
It's no secret that it was Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, and BMW that gave high-end SUVs on-road performance, but the Range Rover Sport, launched in 2005, brought the same performance to Land Rover. Finally, the Range Rover retains the super off-road capabilities of its big brother, but adds a ton of everyday utility and is slightly less old-school.
The extreme popularity has kept Range Rover Sport relevant, and it has actually brought a whole new audience to Range Rover – the brand estimates that less than 5% of Range Rover Sport buyers and those who opt for full-size Range Rover have crossed rates.
So it's no surprise that this one comes right next to the upgraded Range Rover – the latest Range Rover Sport. It's leaner, more powerful, cheaper, and environmentally friendly, with two hybrid models and an all-electric model coming next year. The Sport version is very similar to its big brother in many ways, but still retains quite a bit of its own – in fact, it may be the best of the bunch.
What's new in the 2024 Range Rover Sport?
Compared to the soon-to-be-discontinued Sport, almost all aspects have changed. It now uses the same MLA-Flex architecture as the full-size Rangey and is powered by the same engine array. It even has the same wheelbase as its larger sibling to provide a spacious cabin and cargo compartment, and has the same numerous tricks: rear-wheel steering and active anti-roll bars, which do an excellent job of deceiving physics.
Inside, there are plenty of screens, a variety of leather-free Ultrafabric interior options, and much more rear seat space than the previous generation car.
What engines can I use?
There's a lot of variety, and it's all great. The headline is of course plug-in hybrids – which Range Rover calls electric hybrids, suggesting that they can actually travel considerable distances on electricity alone.
Range Rover claims that the car can achieve 70 miles of silent electric driving on a WLTP cycle and about 50 miles in the real world, meaning the vast majority of journeys can be completed without having to go to a petrol station.
They are paired with an inline-six petrol engine instead of the four-cylinder engine of the previous generation PHEV. Both models (the standard P440e or the more powerful Halo P510e) are very smooth when switching power sources, and the new six-cylinder engine is so quiet when idling or driving in the city that you probably won't notice whether you're running on petrol or a plug-in hybrid unless you look at the tachometer.
They won't get out of trouble if you step on the throttle, with the P510e accelerating from 0-62 mph in just 5.2 seconds. The thing is, it comes with a 38.2 kWh battery (bigger than the battery of the Mazda MX-30 BEV or the Honda E!). And the electricity bill is still quite high, and it probably won't save you much money unless you take advantage of the reduced electricity rates during off-peak hours.
If you still want all the performance, but don't want to bother with plugs and cables, you can opt for the all-new BMW-developed 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 engine. The 530-horsepower engine was naturally the SV's most powerful engine before it hit the market, as evidenced by a 0-62 mph acceleration time of 4.3 seconds. But – whisper so that BMW doesn't hear – it's not as personal as the old 5.0 supercharged engine, and the driving experience isn't as good as the old one.
It did get out of the way, but it lacked torque in the low end and the boost lagged, resulting in some jumps at low speeds. The refined V8 engine sounds great, but we miss the furious roar of the old engine – and the whine of the supercharger.
The older engine also seems to work better with the eight-speed ZF automatic transmission, which made some stupid decisions at roundabouts and intersections during our test drive of the car, and was surprisingly reluctant to slow down, as if trying to harness a wave of torque that wasn't ready to break.
These issues could easily be solved with over-the-air updates – engineers happily told us that they could customize almost any aspect of the car without having to drive it down the ramp – but out of the box, the V8 left us with a bit of a cold feeling. A fully functional SV model might solve this problem, though.
For those with simple tastes, we've picked up inline six-cylinder petrol and diesel engines for you, with only the mildest hybrid configurations. The diesel engine is really perfect for this sports sedan, with a chassis full of thrust that is great for driving in the city and more than enough power for driving on the road. The fake engine sound is a bit cheesy, but it's not offensive – and it highlights the natural roar of the diesel engine that you can't hear in the cab.
But does it really live up to the "sport" in its name?
What do you mean by "can it be manipulated?" The answer is yes, but with strings attached. It may be a sporty SUV, but it's not a sports car – Land Rover's intention was never to make the next Cayenne, but simply to add sportiness to the luxury package.
Overall, it works. The RRS can change the laws of physics at will, and the car shrinks around you to such an extent that it's easy to forget that hybrid models weigh nearly three tons in most cases. Every model we drove came with a full suite of handling aids – especially rear-wheel steering and active anti-roll bars, which were undoubtedly good, but only standard on the top-of-the-line P530 and P510e cars. You can add them to the lower-tier models as part of the £5330 Stormer handling package, but we won't be judging cars that don't come with these devices before we test drive.
However, with these tyres, the Range Rover Sport's ride and handling balance is unmatched anywhere else. It's 90% as comfortable to ride as its older brother, and even with 23-inch wheels, it can easily navigate most potholes and reduce bumps in rough terrain. However, it leans surprisingly small in corners, has a strong grip, and rear-wheel steering helps the rear end maneuver around tighter corners at high speeds, unlike its big brother who only turns when maneuvering at low speeds.
The winding road really highlights that this is still a huge car, and occasionally you'll be reminded that even Pirelli's finest rubber (and a lot, wrapped around 23-inch wheels) can't do wonders in the face of more than two tons of roast beef. It also doesn't play rogue games like the Cayenne, but turns the speed back to eighth, and it's a car that's perfect for a fast drive.
Is it still good to drive this way to be less silly?
That's great. As mentioned above, the ride comfort is excellent for a car with such excellent handling, and the interior is very refined thanks to the combination of active noise cancellation and traditional sound insulation.
Hit the highway and no matter what kind of engine you're using, the mechanical noise will disappear without a trace. The tire noise was also very well suppressed, leaving only a hint of wind and rustle – to be expected for such a large, rugged car – that broke the silence. In any case, you can easily mask out these noises with a Meridian stereo.
It encourages people to take a different approach than the Cayenne or X5, where the steering never really weights up, even in the most dynamic driving modes. But the thin-rimmed steering wheel is very precise and accurate, albeit a bit aggressively egocentric, and at times it feels almost like (immediately disabled) lane keeping assist is controlling us. It's a car that can be driven at your fingertips, not frantically clutching something thick and Alcantara-wrapped, as seen on the most powerful Cayenne.
And what about off-roading?
While Range Rover Sport's performance on tougher roads outside of the Ascot parking lot may be completely inconsequential to the vast majority of buyers, it's good to know that it still dominates on the back roads. It's not just because it can handle rough terrain – and it really does – but also because it makes off-road driving so easy.
The full-view 360-degree camera keeps an eye on the position of the front wheels and even provides an "invisible" hood effect, while various off-road modes are just a matter of rotating the dial. You even get Adaptive Off-Road Cruise Control (an evolution of the previous generation of All-Terrain Progress Control), which lets you traverse almost any terrain, giving you the freedom to maneuver.
Wading mode senses the depth of the water, and if you want to try wading, you can easily wade through the shallower parts of the River Severn despite having a maximum depth of 900mm, and although the Defender is still a Land Rover workhorse on rough roads, it can handle very few difficulties to beat the Sport.
What about the interior of the Range Rover Sport?
Compared to the full-size Range Rover, the Sport version has a more comfortable ride – with a lower seat position, a higher waistline, and higher-positioned controls on the centre console. However, the construction and layout are more or less the same.
In all the models we test-drive, the seats are extremely adjustable and covered with interesting Ultrafabrics fabrics. These fabrics feel more like grippy leather, but they don't contain cowhide at all. In any case, leather has become quite outdated since Kia started using leather as a premium material – and there's no doubt that these alternatives feel very luxurious, and very comfortable.
The biggest improvement over the previous generation is the space. While the trunk space is still mediocre (although this is partly thanks to the very practical full-size spare wheel compartment), the adult space in the second row is now comfortable, while the previous model did not. Our 6ft2" tall testers can sit behind themselves. Considering that both cars have the same wheelbase, this car feels just as spacious as the full-size Range Rover in the back, which isn't entirely surprising.
Back on the front, you'll find a beautiful and well-laid out 13.7-inch driver information display and a 13.1-inch infotainment touchscreen. Both work well, are responsive, and have a well-laid out control, albeit a bit of a strenuous.
conclusion
The latest full-size Range Rover has definitely blown our minds away and we have high hopes for the Sport model. It lives up to expectations.
The word "sporty" may refer more to the car's suitability for leisure activities than to its absolute characteristics on windy roads, but it 100% fulfills its requirements to be more attractive than its flowing big brother. And, with a starting price of almost £20,000 less than the full-fat model, the 2023 Range Rover Sport offers a surprising value for money, as there is little difference between the two cars when it comes to luxury.
Still, from a Range Rover perspective, it's well worth the money. It's still an expensive car, and it's even more expensive to run. The entry-level X5 or Cayenne offers significant cost savings and probably doesn't require much time at the dealership either.
As always, the main attraction is the base engine. The i6 petrol or diesel engine is what you really need, but it's hard to ignore the wide range of features that the plug-in hybrid has to offer.
Regardless of the engine, this is a luxurious, well-equipped cruising car that is equally suitable for driving at home, whether navigating winding asphalt roads or speeding through the mountains without letting any obstacles stand in its way. The latest Range Rover Sport is a great model.
| New price: | £116,190 |
| Available in the UK: | Right now |
| Engine: | 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 |
| Disseminate: | Eight-speed automatic, all-wheel drive |
| Manifestation: | 4.3 seconds 0-62 mph, 155 mph, 25.2 gg, 254 g/km |
| Weight/Material: | 2505 kg |
| Dimensions (length/width/height in mm): | 4946 / 2209 / 1820 mm |