The 2023 Range Rover Sport breaks cover along with a new sleek, dynamic design and a slew of innovative technologies including intelligent air suspension and rear-wheel steering. This sporty luxury SUV that carries a quintessentially British design aesthetic now packs a BMW M sourced 4.4-liter V-8 along with a new plug-in hybrid model that packs a large battery pack with a longer-range. An all-electric model will debut by 2024.

Overview

The full-size Range Rover is by far Land Rover's most recognizable vehicle, however, the Range Rover Sport is the British automaker's most popular one. Despite its age, the outgoing model that has been around since 2014 sold in bigger numbers than other models in LR’s portfolio including the Disco, the Evoque,, and the Velar.

The first generation Sport was introduced back in 2005} and was based on the then-discovery. The second-generation model debuted in 2013 and was derived from the larger Range Rover. This model as you may fondly remember was spectacularly unveiled at the New York Motor Show in the presence of the legendary Daniel Craig. Well the RR Sport has over the years received but as they like to say in the auto world, it was a little long in the tooth. It is now time to pass the torch to the third generation, which showed off its capabilities by driving up on an Icelandic dam that had a massive drop right at the end.

Exterior

Okay, I’m once again going to use yet another cliché here. The design is evolution rather than revolution. Despite the updates, the profile remains instantly recognizable and this is unmistakably a Sport. A lot of Velar and the latest full-size Range Rover have come through into the design of the latest Sport.

Compared to its more stately big brother, with its steeply raked front and read windscreens, the Sport has a profile that is far more streamlined and low-slung. The SUV has some that have managed to be both powerful and understated at the same time, thanks to a reduced number of lines on the bodywork and elements like the flush door handles.

Let's break down the design in more detail. The tiny overhangs, charismatic front end with sleeker LED headlights, and the clamshell hood means there is an uncanny resemblance to its flagship sibling. Thankfully, in this day and age of excessive and over-the-top grilles, the sport has a more modest-sized grille.

Speaking of its bigger brother, the side profile on the Sport is more curved and rounded, especially at the back, where the design features narrow lighting elements. Perhaps the most dramatic change is at the rear, with the lisence plate now moving further down. Overall, the designers have managed to modernize the earlier aesthetic rather than completely abandoning it.

Moving onto the dimensions, the new performance SUV is 3 inches longer wheelbase than the outgoing model, and it is 10% wider with greater legroom and cargo space behind the rear seats. As the new Sport is built on the latest MLA-Flex - Flexible Modular Longitudinal Architecture, the chassis is up to 35 percent stiffer than before. This should certainly help in the way the new spot handles in the bends.

Interior

Stepping inside, you’re greeted by an even more upmarket cabin.

This is a Range Rover at the end of the day and comfort takes precedence over everything else. The front seats include cockpit-style heating and ventilation. They provide 22-way adjustment, climate control, and massage functions.

Thanks to the longer wheelbase, the legroom for rear passengers has increased by 31mm over the previous model. The rear seatbacks fold flat, and the panoramic roof floods natural light into the cabin.

As for tech, many of the controls, including the air conditioning and center screen, are derived from the larger Range Rover. The 13.1-inch screen features the manufacturer's Pivi Pro infotainment system takes center stage and includes wireless communication with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and even Amazon Alexa. The instruments are all digital and customizable.

To further elevate your experience, a premium 29-speaker 1439 watts Meridian Signature sound system is equipped with four speakers in headrests. They provide noise cancellation by sound suppression, but also give background sound in dynamic driving mode, depending on the settings.

Powertrains

Powertrains

Now it wouldn’t be a Sport unless it's got the GO under the hood. Thankfully, the new Range Rover Sport will be available with a variety of powertrains, including mild hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and V8 twin-turbo engines, albeit the V8 will be limited to the P530 First Edition. The Sport SVR has been spotted testing in Dubai and an all-electric version should join the lineup in 2024.

Both mild hybrids pack an all-electric range of up to 70 miles. The plug-in hybrid on the P440 Autobiography model packs a 31.8 kWh battery and a range of 50 miles. Regardless of the Sport you choose, an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission will come as standard.

Ride & Handling

Now it wouldn’t really be a Sport, unless it packs the extra hardware that makes it a hoot from behind the wheel. The new RR Sport packs a revolutionary all-wheel steering, which allows the back wheels to turn up to 7.3 degrees. This shortens the turning radius at slow speeds. As for ride and handling, 48-volt electronic active roll control and an electronically controlled limited-slip differential with torque vectoring will offer superior dynamics that the Sport is synonyms for.

The Air suspension, referred to as Dynamic Air Suspension is standard with adjustable air spring volume. The settings are automatically adjusted to the driving situation and is coupled with the nav. It prepares the system in real-time and contains the body roll to offer a superior drive.

Off-Road Hardware

With the sport element taken care of, the other aspect of what makes the new sport a true LR is its superior off-road hardware. Land Rover has come with a new intelligent iAWD system with a new 'Off-Road Cruise Control,' which adjusts propulsion in four selectable modes, that can be toggled straight from the steering. which adjusts propulsion in four selectable modes, that can be toggled straight from the steering.}}

Of course, it has the award-winning and patented Terrain Response system, which applies a variety of settings optimized for the terrain on which it drives. The Off-road-friendly Cruise Control also further assists the driver in navigating perilous circumstances by taking into account the terrain and making steady progress. The Range Rover Sport is capable of climbing 45-degree grades and navigating streams up to 35 inches deep off-road.

Pricing

Pricing

Conclusion

Although the Sport has always lived in the shadow of the full-size Range Rover, it has managed to carve a niche for itself and capture a loyal fanbase of folks looking for a spirited drive from their Range Rover. The latest Sport will see it continue to carry the flag of the most dynamically capable model in Land Rover’s lineup.

One thing that clearly distinguished the Sport from it its chief rivals including the likes of the Porsche Cayenne Coupe, the BMW X6, the Mercedes GLE Coupe, and the Audi Q8, is the Land Rover’s ability to go far off the beaten path, out into the wilderness, without breaking a sweat. }