Set against the picturesque backdrop of a luxurious villa located near the Spanish capital, Madrid, Australian motoring press were given the first opportunity to get behind the wheel of the New Range Rover Sport; a vehicle that redefines sporting luxury. 

James Want from Boss Hunting was pleased the Sport hasn’t lost its iconic profile, “maintaining a striking stance and physique. It looks calm but deadly serious”. He appreciated the ‘less is more approach’ to the design, which brings a sense of self-assuredness to the vehicle’s appearance, and he felt the rear design was a triumph. Trent Nikolic from Drive believes that the styling is a big reason buyers are attracted to the Sport in the first place and says the new version “cuts a striking figure on the road”. 

Inside the cabin, Want said it’s hard to explain the sense of serenity inside a Range Rover cabin, but in the Sport it has improved thanks in part to the active noise cancellation tech. He found the 22-way adjustable heated and ventilated seats “cosset you in a sublime driving environment, enhanced by a stunning, curved Pivi Pro 13.1-inch touchscreen powering an exceptional Meridian audio system”. Alborz Fallah from CarExpert thinks the Sport offers the best interior package of any SUV in its class, saying “it’s a big statement, but it’s simply true”. In terms of fit and finish, material use and cabin ambience, he feels it’s top-notch. 

Nikolic test drove the new 4.4-litre twin turbo V8 and found it “excellent on the road, even at speed on twisty sections…it has a sense of balance and poise that is beyond any previous Range Rover Sport we’ve tested”. He also found it incredibly capable off-road, “way beyond what anyone will ever expect their expensive SUV investment to tackle”. Across all the variants Fallah tried, he said “the Sport glides over things like Aladdin on his magic carpet”. Subjecting the cars to an incredibly and unreasonably tough off-road course, the Sport was “capable of roving over the toughest terrain”. Overall he felt confident in saying the Sport is the most capable luxury SUV in its segment.

After an overwhelmingly positive experience, Want concluded that “consistent, incremental innovations and subtle design refinements have resulted in a gorgeous new Range Rover Sport, which delivers a serene and secure drive, complemented by all the bells & whistles one could ever need”. Nikolic proclaimed the Sport has become an icon in its own right and that it’s difficult to find fault with the vehicle. Fallah could only agree, saying, “It’s a brilliant package that is best suited to suburban life and long country drives…it’s the best luxury family SUV in its segment”.