2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport: Tilting more in the direction of grand tourers

Land Rover's third-generation Range Rover Sport goes on sale this fall in four models that ride on a new platform with a slew of high-tech advances.

The base P360 SE, equipped with a 355-hp turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine paired with a mild-hybrid system, starts at $84,350, up from $70,850 for the 2022 base model.

Two other six-cylinder models include the P400 SE mild hybrid with 395 hp and the P440e plug-in hybrid with 434 hp.

The top model — the P530 First Edition — is powered by a BMW-built twin-turbo 4.4-liter V-8 producing 523 hp. All models come with a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission.

The redesigned Sport is about the same size as the outgoing model and slots on the same MLA-Flex architecture used for the redesigned 2023 Range Rover. The mixed-metal architecture uses the strongest, lightest metals to reduce weight.

Designers and engineers, striving to improve fuel economy and refinement, have doubled down on reducing aerodynamic drag. Land Rover says the drag coefficient for the Range Rover Sport is 0.29, which is low for a high-riding SUV. The Sport also features flush door handles and neatly integrated headlights to drive further efficiency.

We've collected some early reviews of the latest Range Rover Sport.

" it is a humming, blinking, bonging, chuffing chalice of modern complexity. It has two cruise control systems, for goodness' sake, one for the on-road and another for trails. That the latter one is accessible only through a video-game-cheat code of button presses and switch throws means that a meaningful percentage of owners will never know the function even exists. The new Range Rover Sport deploys enough sophisticated chassis systems that even when it's equipped with the monstrous optional 23-inch wheels, it doesn't ride like garbage. Its ride is silken smooth, in fact. (That Land Rover chose the glass-smooth roads of Spain to conduct its first drive is probably a factor here though.) The most complex of the chassis arrangements, as seen in the top-level First Edition model, uses a bevy of electronically controlled systems including four-wheel steering, adjustable air springs and dampers, 48-volt active anti-roll control, brake-based torque vectoring, and an electronically controlled active rear differential. The vast potential for faults and failures that represents will give some buyers pause. Others just haven't owned a Land Rover before."

— Daniel Pund, Road & Track

"Starting with the V8, the Range Rover Sport feels powerful and unbothered on the road. But even this high-horsepower twin-turbocharged SUV is not exactly a visceral performance machine. Think of the Sport as an agile, more willing version of the full-size Range Rover on which it's based. It certainly feels more rigid and closer to the ground than its larger brother, for instance.

Still, the company avoided going full-bore on the adrenaline. The V8 provides strong, smooth power, but there is a delay if you stomp on the throttle as the dual turbochargers prepare to deliver their whooshing burst of acceleration. The steering also adopts a leisurely pace rather than immediate response to your commands, and the brake pedal — while clearly connected to powerful brakes — feels mushy and surprisingly vague. The Range Rover Sport is easy to drive, but it lacks the engagement and excitement of a BMW X5 M, for example.

To its credit, that smooth demeanor is highlighted to a greater extent in the plug-in hybrid version. We drove a Range Rover Sport 510e Autobiography, which is similar to the less powerful 440e Autobiography that will arrive on U.S. shores later this year. The two share a plug-in hybrid system, so we feel confident that 510e impressions will also apply to the U.S.-bound 440e. And our impressions are good. The Range Rover Sport PHEV supplies smooth and brisk electric power when it's needed most — particularly initial acceleration from a stop, filling in the power gaps during gear shifts, and helping to smooth out the on/off transitions from the fuel-saving engine stop-start system.

The additional weight from the onboard batteries and other components don't necessarily translate to a noticeable lower center of gravity compared with gas versions, but they also don't make the Range Rover Sport PHEV feel heavy or bulky. One pleasant surprise is that the brake pedal feels great and allows you to stop smoothly. On other PHEVs or EVs, the brakes can sometimes be overly grabby or hard to judge because of the combined nature of both regenerative braking and the regular friction brakes.

In short, the PHEV was the best version of the Range Rover Sport we drove."

— Ryan ZumMallen, Edmunds

"The one area the Range Rover Sport really trails its bigger sibling is, surprisingly, on the trail. The more aggressive body results in worse approach and breakover angles (33.0/26.9 degrees versus 34.7/27.7 in the bigger model), and the Sport trails the standard Range Rover's ground clearance (11.1 versus 11.6). The Sport's departure angle of 30.0 degrees is better than its larger sibling's 29.0 though, and it retains the same Terrain Response 2 off-road system and Range Rover's version of off-road cruise control.

It functions similarly to alternative systems, maintaining a consistent speed while negotiating off road obstacles and freeing up the driver to focus on their line. But four "comfort levels," adjusted via the adaptive cruise control's wheel-mounted distance button, give drivers control over how the Sport will approach obstacles it detects. With settings ranging from "full send" to "dirt is scary and bad" (not official names), Land Rover is doing its usual thing of giving consumers more adjustability than they might ultimately need. Unfortunately, my time testing it was so limited I can't give either endorsement or condemnation.

What I can speak more confidently on is how good the Range Rover Sport is on both the highway and around town. Every car at the event wore 23-inch wheels, but despite that, there's little road or tire noise. Even in central Madrid, where cobblestone streets abound, the Sport does a fine job of keeping the worst of the surface texture out. Engine noise at highway speeds is negligible too, and unsurprisingly the P440e plug-in is the quietest of the bunch.

Most importantly, though, the Range Rover Sport's ride quality and in-cabin experience is excellent. The same technologies that imbue the Sport with such impressive agility – the air suspension with the Sport-specific dual-chamber springs and active anti-roll bars – provide it with unshakable and predictable ride quality. Big, little, single-sided, or lane-spanning imperfections don't matter much because the Sport simply shrugs them off."

— Brandon Turkus, motor1.com

"Traditionalists will love the V-8; Its quick smooth power is always available under your right foot whenever you need it. Acceleration is prompt and unruffled, delivering just enough V-8 snarl to the cabin to seduce, not annoy.

The 6-cylinder plug-in hybrid has a different demeanor. While its horsepower numbers are generous, the added weight of its battery pack and motors affect acceleration; it doesn't feel as fleet, although it's still fairly quick.

This is especially true when attempting to pass another vehicle at highway speed. The flip side is better fuel economy: 21 mpg in combined city/highway driving, according to the EPA, vs 18 mpg for the V-8. While you might be tempted to go with the hybrid, the V-8 is far more fun.

The Range Rover Sport handles more adeptly than the larger Range Rover, which is no slouch itself. The Sport's best trait is its ability to be a comfortable, cossetting SUV you'd expect, or an athletic on-road conveyancer, or an off-road warrior, all with a twist of its Terrain Response dial.

Of all of the nannies fitted to the Range Rover Sport, it's the rear-wheel steering that proves the most transformative. While much is made of rear-wheel steering for street performance, it's surprisingly advantageous when traversing tight trails. Its primary benefit, tightening the vehicle's turning radius, allowing it to perform like a much smaller vehicle."

Larry Printz, The Detroit Bureau