Land Rover Range Rover Sport

Range Rover Sport sits among JLR’s most athletic SUV offerings. It shares the luxury spotlight with the full-size Range Rover and the rugged Defender. Its sculpted, coupe-like silhouette signals intent the moment it enters your field of vision. The design blends muscular road presence with genuine luxury-cabin refinement. This is the Range Rover that wants to be driven, not just chauffeured. It made headlines when it was first assembled in India at JLR’s Pune facility in late 2024. The Sport cares as much about cornering composure as it does about off-road credibility. It would rather carve through a mountain highway than idle in a hotel porch.

How does it drive? With the Range Rover Sport, JLR wanted something that felt dynamic and involving behind the wheel. It has succeeded. It drives like a proper performance SUV should every day. The 8-speed automatic gearbox shifts smoothly and almost invisibly through the ratios. Braking feels progressive and confident in city traffic and stop-and-go jams. The 3.0-litre mild-hybrid turbo-diesel engine produces 346 bhp and 700 Nm of torque. It handles highway overtakes and city commutes with effortless authority. The 3.0-litre mild-hybrid turbo-petrol pushes out 394 bhp and 550 Nm. That punchy mid-range delivery makes spirited driving feel natural and rewarding. Step up to the 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8, and you get 530 bhp in the Autobiography. The flagship SV packs the same V8 tuned to a savage 626 bhp and 750 Nm.

The Range Rover Sport weighs around 2,360 kg in its base diesel variant. The standard 22-inch alloy wheels add a touch of firmness over broken Indian roads and potholes. On dynamic air suspension, the ride stays remarkably flat and composed overall. The air suspension raises ground clearance to 213 mm and adjusts continuously for varying road surfaces. All-wheel steering tightens the turning circle and adds agility in tight urban spaces.

Adaptive cruise control with steering assist works smoothly on the highway without jerky corrections. The 3D surround camera system helps in tight parking spots and off-road trails. Large windows and well-sized mirrors give excellent outward visibility everywhere. Navigating Delhi traffic or Rishikesh hill roads feels equally manageable

How comfortable is it? The Range Rover Sport rides with the refinement you expect at this price and then some. The cabin stays remarkably quiet, even on coarse road surfaces and at triple-digit speeds. Road noise and wind noise remain exceptionally well-controlled throughout most driving situations. NVH insulation is among the best in the segment, with only a faint diesel rumble audible under hard acceleration.

The driver’s seat offers a generous 22-way electric adjustment range with heating, ventilation, and massage. The second row feels genuinely spacious and well-appointed for a performance-focused SUV. Headroom, legroom, and shoulder room remain plentiful for tall passengers across both rows. The panoramic sunroof and large glass area create a bright, open cabin feel that belies the Sport’s coupe-like roofline. Air suspension lowers the ride height for easy entry and exit at a touch. Large doors with soft-close mechanisms and flush handles make access effortless and elegant. Getting into the rear is easier than the Defender 90 but the sloping roof still asks tall passengers to duck slightly.

Child seat installation in the second row is straightforward with ISOFIX mounts and power-operated child locks. The four-zone climate control lets each occupant dial in their own preferred temperature easily. The cabin air purifier keeps the interior fresh in Delhi’s polluted winter conditions. Semi-aniline leather upholstery and natural veneer inserts elevate the tactile experience noticeably.

How’s the tech? The Pivi Pro infotainment system looks sharp on a 13.1-inch curved touchscreen. The display responds quickly and feels free of annoying lag or stutter issues. However, the menu structure can feel complicated and sometimes frustrating to navigate at speed. Finding specific climate or drive settings requires too many taps and swipes sometimes. The minimalist dashboard does away with most physical buttons, which looks stunning but adds complexity. The 13.7-inch digital instrument cluster displays rich, detailed driving information with crisp graphics. The Meridian sound system, available with up to 23 speakers, delivers outstanding audio quality throughout the cabin.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connect wirelessly for seamless smartphone integration. Wireless phone charging keeps devices topped up without cable clutter on the centre console. The head-up display projects speed, navigation, and ADAS information with excellent clarity on the windscreen. Rear entertainment screens keep second-row passengers occupied on long drives. JLR’s software updates arrive over-the-air to improve features and fix issues over time.

How’s storage and cargo? The Range Rover Sport offers around 530 litres of boot space with seats upright. Fold the second row down from the boot itself, and you unlock a significantly larger cargo area. The rear seats collapse relatively flat and can be operated remotely, which adds genuine convenience. Air suspension can lower the vehicle for easier cargo loading at the powered gesture tailgate. The tailgate opens with a foot gesture, which proves genuinely useful with hands full of shopping bags. The low loading lip makes sliding in heavy suitcases and golf bags noticeably easier. Interior cubby holes, door pockets, and the cooled centre console box work well for everyday items. Rear passenger storage options are adequate but could still use one more large pocket for convenience.

The Range Rover Sport’s towing capacity reaches up to 3,000 kg when properly equipped. That comfortably handles a trailer, a horse float, or a small boat for weekend getaways. The 86-litre fuel tank ensures long highway runs between refuelling stops. The absence of a third-row seating option remains the one notable gap in the Sport’s practicality story.

Is it a good value? The Range Rover Sport starts at around ₹1.40 crore (ex-showroom) for the HSE variant in India. Prices climb to ₹2.35 crore for the range-topping SV Carbon with the twin-turbo V8. Key rivals include the Porsche Cayenne starting around ₹1.40 crore and the BMW X5 from around ₹95 lakh. A sensibly specced HSE diesel blends athletic road manners with genuine off-road capability. It justifies its premium over the BMW X5 with stronger road presence and superior all-terrain hardware. The aluminium-intensive MLA-Flex architecture feels rock-solid and tightly assembled from every angle. Panel gaps are tight and consistent, as you’d expect at this price point. It sits just below the full-size Range Rover in outright rear-seat luxury, though. But it offers far more dynamic driving engagement than its bigger sibling on twisting roads.

JLR India offers a standard warranty of three years with unlimited kilometres of coverage. Extended warranty packages are available through authorised JLR service centres across India. Some competitors like BMW and Porsche include complimentary service packages, but JLR does not as standard.

How’s the fuel economy? The 3.0-litre mild-hybrid diesel returns an ARAI-rated mileage of around 11 kmpl. The 3.0-litre mild-hybrid petrol delivers roughly 8–10 kmpl as per ARAI-certified figures. The V8 variants drop to around 6–8 kmpl depending on driving style and conditions. Real-world mileage typically falls below these official ARAI-certified numbers across all engine options. City driving with frequent stops and crawling traffic brings the figures down even further. The diesel engine remains the most practical and cost-effective choice for everyday Indian driving. It balances performance, refinement, and fuel costs better than the petrol and V8 options.

Personality matters a lot to the Range Rover Sport, and it delivers in spades. This third generation nails the balance between athletic aggression and Range Rover elegance perfectly. It looks imposing and desirable from nearly every angle on Indian roads. The flush door handles, slim LED headlamps, and crisp shoulder crease define its modern identity. The massive 22-inch wheels fill the arches and add genuine visual drama. The Sport drives with composure and poise on highways, yet shows real enthusiasm through corners. Its Terrain Response 2 system handles everything from wet tarmac to gravel and sand without drama. Electronic controls and all-wheel steering make manoeuvring seamless, even for drivers new to large SUVs. Purists might miss a more engaging steering feel and a touch more road feedback, though. Still, the Range Rover Sport’s effortless blend of luxury, performance, and capability is genuinely hard to beat.