Land Rover needs little to no introduction. Famed for their off-roading capabilities and the luxury offered, Land Rovers have gone from being the old go-anywhere SUV to more of a symbol for the elite. Land Rover has established itself to be the best when it comes to off-roading. Range Rover, on the other hand, is often mistaken for a brand, but in reality, is just a model in Land Rover’s lineup. While the luxurious utilitarian does offer unparalleled off-roading, very few people put them to the test.
The Range Rover Sport is the smaller and nimbler sibling to the regular Range Rover. With a less expensive price tag, the Sport comes with slightly better dynamics whilst offering similar levels of luxury.
Since Land Rover is largely afloat thanks to the Range Rover lineup that includes, Sport, Vogue, and the Velar; they do offer updates, more often than not. While most of these remain aesthetic and could largely go unnoticed, Land Rover makes sure they remain up to date.
With not a lot of prominent changes, the Range Rover remains a carryover model with a generation update expected in 2022. That said, here’s what we expect from the 2021 Range Rover Sport.
Engine And Performance
The 2021 Range Rover Sport comes with 5 engine options in total. The offerings range from gasoline and diesel variants to mild hybrids and PHEVs. The least powerful 3.0-liter V6 diesel makes 254 horsepower and 443 lb-ft of torque. A mild hybrid 3.0-liter turbocharged gasoline V6 is offered in two states of tune. The lower 355 horsepower version can be seen in the SE and HSE models with torque rated at 365 lb-ft. The more powerful version puts out 395 horsepower and 406 lb-ft of torque. This tune is in our regard the sweet spot in the Range Rover Sport lineup.
Moving up the trim ladder you have the Sport P400e plug-in hybrid which makes 398 horsepower and 472 lb-ft of torque from the 2.0-liter turbocharged inline 4 paired with an electric motor. The P400e can be exclusively driven under electric power for 31 miles which isn’t all that impressive but given the size of the Sport, it’s noteworthy. Top of the line HSE Dynamic and Autobiography gets the 5.0-liter supercharged V8 with 518 horsepower and 461 lb-ft of torque. The range-topping SVR on the other hand gets the same V8 but puts out 575 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of twist. The SVR is a whole different animal in the Sport lineup and delivers extraordinary levels of performance with 0-60 in 4.3 seconds. The P400e manages to hit 60 mph in 6.3 seconds while the entry-level V8 reaches the ton in 5 seconds.
Exterior Styling
Range Rovers have always known to be imposing and are pretty much unrivaled when it comes to curb appeal. The design is distinctive but is dated with respect to its competitors who are busy bringing updates every year. Now Land Rover has not been famed for revisions every subsequent year, however, as a sigh of relief reports float around an all-new Range Rover due in 2022.
Similar to its predecessor, the 2021 Range Rover Sport gets a similar design with signature LED headlights and taillights. The DRL resembles that of the JLR lettering and the bumper's house functional air vents versus the fakery seen amongst its rivals. The rear is typical Range Rover with the tailgate housing the distinct badge but unlike its sibling, the Sport does not come with the split-tailgate and makes do with a one-piece unit. The overall design has long been appreciated to be among the most distinctive across the board.
Interiors And Equipment
The interior of the 2021 Range Rover Sport is similar to the outgoing model with split-screen LCD displays dominating the center stack. The cabin exudes luxury and there is no shortage of space. Everything from the speaker surrounds to the dash tops are lined with soft-touch materials which are expected in a car of this stature. Fit and finish is top-notch and everything inside is made with a purpose.
The Touch Pro Duo infotainment is riddled with features but is a bit laggy as opposed to Merc’s MBUX system. HVAC controls are on the lower screen which is an innovative approach but isn’t the most intuitive. You have to take your eyes off the road even to adjust the fan speed and so on. That said, the interiors are one of the cleanest designs in the market and definitely is a step above previous iterations of Land Rover’s user experience.
Interior amenities include a panoramic sunroof, a power rear liftgate, rain-sensing windshield wipers, and customizable ambient lighting. Range Rover offers several convenience features like massaging seats, acoustic glass, and heated front and rear seats with 4-zone climate control. The icing on the cake would be the optional Meridian surround-sound system which is a treat to your senses. In essence, the Range Rover Sport comes with all that you’d expect from a car at this price point.
Sources: CarAndDriver, Wikipedia