Range Rover Sport HSE Dynamic Diesel First Drive Review

If you want all the trappings that come with a Range Rover but don't want it as the full-cream cheesecake, then this is the lighter version for you. It's got the looks, cabin space, and feature list, but is lighter both in terms of pricing and footprint. As a model year update, there are no noticeable exterior changes, apart from some new colour options. This is not a bad thing at all, as the car was already pretty good-looking and high on presence - 'if it ain't broke, why change it'.

Given that this is basically a model year update, not much has changed with this version over its predecessor in terms of layout, but the displays for the touchscreen and the infotainment system have gotten bigger (now 13.1 inches) and have improved graphics. The automaker has now also added a new HUD with really crisp graphics and easy-to-read information. But whilst this is all good, we should point out that Range Rover, like many of its European compatriots, has decided to go for a minimalist philosophy when it comes to its design language, and one of the places this is most evident is the dashboard. They have done away with most of the physical buttons in favour of a massive screen that sits right in the middle. It's really nice to look at, but the minimalism means they have had to cram a lot of the functions into the display, and that can become really cumbersome when you have to change settings.

As a package, the cabin is really spacious and actually a very comfortable place to spend long amounts of time either driving or being driven around. They have added new caraway and Ebony semi-aniline leather upholstery as well as a natural black veneer to the design package, and this has really upped the overall luxury quotient of the cabin. You get more than enough space for five occupants across both rows, and thanks to the double-pane sunroof, the ambience is always airy and light. NVH insulation is fantastic, and in fact, the only note you get in the cabin (in this case) is the rumble of the diesel engine when you push hard.

The boot is massive and easy to access thanks to the low loading, and you can collapse the second row from the boot itself for a significantly larger cargo space in terms of overall volume. The overall package on offer is quite replete in terms of space, features, and comfort, but lacks the option of a third row, especially in this 'load-hauling' locally assembled diesel version that is expected to make a bulk of the sales for the Range Rover Sport family.

This Range Rover Sport that we have driven is powered by a 3.0-litre diesel putting out 346bhp and 700Nm. It's mated to an eight-speed AT with the automaker's patented Terrain Response AWD system—basically the entire big guns package that Range Rover has to offer for its luxury SUVs.

Big car, big diesel engine sounds like the perfect combination, and this being a Range Rover, you are not short of excitement as it offers the performance to back up the numbers. On the go, you don't feel the weight of the vehicle, with the diesel engine efficiently masking this quite well. In fact, if you lay pedal to the metal, the rear end hunkers down and sets off at a quick rate of progression with a muted but rorty growl. It's not G63 or Porsche Cayenne quick, but for a diesel, it is more than enough to put a smile on your face.

The star of this show is the ZF eight-speed, a tried and tested RR commodity and one that's smart enough to do its thing properly in the background without much intervention. Put simply, if you leave the car in D, it will respond with enough punch in any scenario without offering much room for doubt.

Another big hitter for this car is its air suspension. Even over the most pothole-filled roads littering Greater Mumbai's infrastructure this monsoon season, this RR Sport rode flat, giving you an almost distinct impression that you weren't in contact with the road. In fact, the only reason to exercise caution is to ensure you don't scrape the sides of those massive 22-inch wheels if you are going through a particularly jagged-edged pothole. Finally, the steering is accurate but offers very little feedback, though it does well to mask the size of the car, a fact that will come strongly into play in tight urban conditions when you have to parallel park or make U-turns in heavy traffic.

Let's be honest, most people who will buy the car will get a chauffeur, and the package on offer means you never have to instruct your driver to tone it down when it comes to making quick progress, either in urban scenarios, on highways, or even the road less taken.

The car makes quite a case for itself if you are looking for a large SUV. It's got presence, performance, and a vastly roomy cabin with a sufficient number of toys to keep you entertained. Adding to this is the premium appeal carried by the Range Rover badge and the fact that the automaker (at the time of writing this drive experience) has slashed Rs. 10 lakh off the price of the car, bringing it from Rs. 1.47 crore to Rs. 1.37 crore in the wake of the GST reforms.

On the other hand, you don't get this with three rows of seating, the colour options for the Indian market feel muted, and there are far too many functions crammed into the touchscreen infotainment system. The latter would have been an issue had this been a smaller car, where real estate is an issue. However, in something as opulent and large as this car, creating more physical buttons should not have been an issue at all.

Photography: Kapil Angane