Shivaum Punjabi test drives the 2021 Range Rover Sports.
Unless you have been living under a rock or a doomsday bunker, you will know that this is a Range Rover Sport. A kid with access to a phone and the internet knows that. But somehow, if this monolith of a car seems to have gone unnoticed by you (which is impossible, then you need to get your vision checked). Let me introduce you to the Range Rover Sport.
Its here.
Very few people can differentiate between the pre and post facelifted car. What gives it away for the facelifted car are the new headlights with the Matrix headlamp setup. A completely new front end, including a new grille, front bumper and new rear taillights. The overall look is upright, sculpted and masculine.
The car has a lot of road presence which is something I always enjoy. I took the car to a Porsche 911 meet, and everyone wanted to check out the RRS while drove by the 911s. I personally love the Firenze Red the press car came in.
What’s new?
Since the Sport has been around for a long time, you will be wondering what’s new? Well, let me give you the lowdown on that.
Land Rover has made few changes to its mid-size Range Rover Sport for 2021. A revised in-cabin air ionizer, the HSE Silver Edition and the HSE Premium Black Pack. Both are cosmetic updates.
There are quite a few options to choose from in the RRS, from the base SE to the top of the line supercharged V8 SVR. Even in engine options, there are loads of choices with petrol, diesel, MHEV and PHEV.
Does it deserve to have sports in its name?
This particular car has an inline six-cylinder turbocharged+supercharged mild hybrid system. Depending on where you live, other engine options available are a four-cylinder, diesel, PHEV and V8. Since I am in Dubai, we do not get diesel cars here, and I doubt anyone would like to buy the four-cylinder vehicle here. I predict the inline six-cylinder and the MHEV version, which I drove to be the best sellers.
This particular engine puts out 395 Hp and does 0-100 in 5.9 seconds. It is mated to an 8-speed gearbox. Gearshifts are fast enough but not the fastest around. I found myself using the aluminum shifters on the steering wheel quite often.
For a two-tonne SUV, that is quick enough. The RRS feels most comfortable for long-distance cruising and sweeping bends. Do not expect it to corner like a sports cars.
I found it agile sufficient to push around, and steering is quite accurate. It gives a lot of confidence to this car. The view outside the driver’s seat is excellent, and you can place the car exactly where you want it.
The RRS sport is comfortable. There certain external elements that are felt in the cabin, but that would be because of the massive 22-inch wheels, which are the biggest size you can spec on the RRS.
Offroad
The Range Rover Sport has a proper off-road capability and pedigree. All the features are accessible via the lower touch screen on the centre console. However, I did not have the guts to take a top of the line RRS off-roading. Taking the car off-roading is not an issue but make sure you spec it correctly. You can even spec the RRS with the highly advanced Terrain Response 2 system.
What’s it like on the inside?
The interior is an excellent place to be in. You can spec the car with seven seats as well. I think the 3+2 option is the best. The driving position is excellent, with all-around visibility. I love the captain seats.
Let me just talk about the steering wheel here. It is covered with this premium feeling suede, and I love the texture of that. Another thing I enjoyed was the thin rim steering wheel. I have smallish palms, and at times, I find steering wheels from few other brands extremely chunky and fat.
The quality of the materials on the inside is top-notch, and so is the build quality. I enjoyed using the ergonomically designed gear lever. Space is enough for five adults. The seats are supportive, and you can spend hours and hours driving the RRS around. You will be forgiven for taking the long way around just to enjoy the car.
The infotainment system is outdated on the RRS. It begs for the new PIVI-PRO system, which debuted on the new Defender. Ergonomically the button placements and system design of the infotainment can be improved. There is quite a steep learning curve to understand and figure out what screens and buttons do. I find the AC fan speed adjustment the biggest annoyance. Even the steering mounted controls have a learning curve.
Is it worth buying?
Overall it is challenging to top the Range Rover Sport in terms of drive, handling, luxury and performance. It is a handsome looking vehicle with loads of road character. I would spend my money on this.
Price
Starting price of the Range Rover Sport is USD 95,000 or AED 356,000. This optioned car USD 140,000 or AED 523,000.
Text and images courtesy Shivaum Punjabi / The Cornea Impression.
