Range Rover Sport

P510e plug-in hybrid

Range Rover Sport, 2023, front
Range Rover Sport, 2023, side
Range Rover Sport, 2023, rear
Range Rover Sport, 2023, interior
Range Rover Sport, 2023, display screen
Range Rover Sport, 2023, centre console, gear lever
Range Rover Sport, 2023, badge

If you have the cash to buy a luxury premium SUV the Range Rover Sport is hard to beat.

It offers a choice of power plants, superb comfort, a great drive and the ability to go anywhere.

A supreme off-roader, the Sport now offers improved technology and smarter styling as well as better fuel economy.

Next year will see the introduction of a fully electric model but until then buyers can select from petrol and diesel engines and a pair of plug-in hybrids.

The plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) come in two variants, the P440e and P510e - both of which use a 3.0-litre petrol engine alongside an electric motor. The numbers refer to the power on tap and I sampled the latter.

The P510e offers a fullelectric 69 mile range and an official fuel return of 326.9 mpg which will certainly never be achieved.

As most daily drives are short the Sport should still be economical to run as it will be able to do the commutes only on EV power, leaving the 3.0-litre petrol unit for longer trips.

With emissions rated at just 19g/km the plug-in hybrid will appeal to company car drivers as tax will be imposed at just five per cent.

A full charge from a home wall box will take five hours, while a public rapid charger will take you to 80 per cent capacity in just 40 minutes.

The Sport is only slightly shorter than the regular Range Rover but costs a good bit less and still offers all the luxury and off-road hardware in a neater package.

Performance is impressive with a top speed of 150mph and a 0-60mph time of just 5.2 seconds and is delivered smoothly via the eight-speed automatic transmission.

The Sport certainly looks the business and it also makes you feel special when you climb into the superb interior. The cabin is finished in quality materials and it boasts all the kit you could possibly want.

There is lotsof space, comfortable leather seats, a 13.1-inch touchscreen on the dash featuring Land Rover's latest Pivi Pro infotainment set-up as well as a digital display behind the steering wheel to provide you with all the information you need.

There isalso a head-up display and Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are included along with built-in sat nav and a wireless smartphone charger.

Out on the open road the Sport cruises silently along and the ride is smooth and balanced. For such a large vehicle it feels agile and well planted.

If you fancy taking your expensive vehicle off-road the Sport is up to the task. It boasts all the Land Rover tech like all-wheel drive, hill descent control, adaptive damping plus multi-mode terrain response.

With all the recent floods owners can take comfort in the fact that the Sport can also wade in depths of up to 900mm with he car's 3D surround camera featuring Wade Sensing letting the driver know when the water level is approaching the vehicle's maximum depth.

As you would expect for the asking price of £108,545 for this version - and a further £2,645 for a couple of options - the Sport also offers all the latest driver aids and safety equipment.

FAST FACTS

Range Rover Sport P510e plug-in hybrid

Price:£108,545

Mechanical:510bhp, 3.0-litre twin-turbo petrol engine plus 160kW electric motor driving four wheels via eight-speed auto transmission

Max Speed:150mph

0-62mph:5.2 seconds

Combined MPG:326.9 (69 miles electric range)

Insurance Group:49

C02 emissions:20g/km

Bik rating:5%

Warranty:3yrs/unlimited miles

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