2015 Range Rover Sport Review!

Range Rovers are as common as hatchbacks where I live, they are literally stacked sideways at Mosman Toyota's used lot and that is not even a Rangey dealership. My neighbour recently parked a brand new 2015 Range Rover Sport 4.4TDV8 in his drive, a close friend acquired one and simultaneously one briefly came through where I work. Both also the 4.4TDV8 guise. This bombardment has spurred me to pen a review of the current model after my experiences as driver and passenger.

I for one am still struggling to come to terms with something so quintessentially British as Land Rover now being owned by India's Tata. That somehow diminishes the appeal for me (It is like Mercedes not being German anymore) although I was very excited to be around the entirely new vehicle....until I wasn't. To start, the new Sport resembles an engorged Evoque, which already looks terrible and also had significant design input from Posh Spice. No that is not a joke. The whole appeal of Range Rover, to me anyway, was the boxy brute look that only the G-class and Wrangler seem to be holding onto. The size is still present but it's now curvaceous and resembles Kim Kardashian and/or a Hippo.

The interior of the vehicle felt even less bespoke with it's neuvo minimalistic approach. No woodgrain or lavishly appointed veneers and utterly cheap plastic lower door cards. In the vehicles defence it's seats are superb and it's stereo is pretty amazing. The gearstick is somewhat confusing at first but everything else and all the failings of the Sport fade away when you pop it into drive, at least for a short time. The engine is magnificent and surging with torque figures, around 700nm. Fuel economy is around the 9litre per 100km mark. 250 kilowatts at the drivers disposal and fuel consumption that won't break the bank will see you drive this large (I want to say tank but it did not feel solid enough) soft roader with a heavy foot.

Why did I call it a soft roader you say? Because in my honest opinion it is. 22 inch wheels wrapped in very low profile tyres are to large to do any serious off road work even though the sensational terrain response system is equipped in the Sport, they would scuff and puncture with the greatest of ease (Where do you fit the winch, snorkel and bull bar?).They are also to large to be sporty! They are probably the reason why the ride is rather harsh and unforgiving as well. Body roll was very well removed to the Sports credit and the 8 speed ZF gearbox was magnificent in both High and Low range. I thought having so many speeds it would be constantly hunting but it has obviously been tweaked to perfection.

Australian roads are notoriously bad and when buying a Range Rover, one would expect to be cossetted and shielded from their undulations, potholes and choppiness, unfortunately my 24 year old Mercedes S class does twice the job at this than the new RR sport. I loved the previous generation sport, I loved it's weight, it's intimidating brick like stance and the update interior on it was delightful. This Sport is just to futuristic to be a Range Rover for my taste. Range Rover means stately and old worldly and not one ounce of that can be found here. Yes I know it is the Sport. The heft and bank vault feeling has gone though and the boot is actually smaller than the previous model and is not a signature RR clamshell design either, disappointingly.

If your going to buy something from the Land Rover group, buy the big daddy Range Rover, snap up an old stock Defender or buy the Discovery 4. Leave this concoction to itself and quietly chuckle at the people who did buy it. I hate to write such a negative review as the Sports engine and gearbox are stunning, it is just the ugly design and the ride that let it down for me. For circa AU$150-180K I can think of better alternatives. That is not to say I would not take one if it was given to me and be thrilled. I'd just trade it in for something else. Maybe a slightly used Big Brother RR.

(I managed to snap the interior shots on my mobile, it was pouring with rain though so the exterior shot is a generic press release photo belonging to JLG.)