While navigating conflicts with colleagues, acquaintances, or family members, it’s not always easy to find common ground and start on a positive note. First impressions of the Range Rover Sport were mixed, failing to fully gel with the vehicle. With its bulky appearance reminiscent of a Nissan Pathfinder from the rear, the vehicle in question exhibits handling characteristics more akin to an SUV designed for maritime use rather than terrestrial pursuits. While the cabin boasts lavish furnishings featuring cowhide and massage-equipped seats, it’s hard to appreciate these luxuries when the engine’s sluggish throttle response and rough ride quality are so pronounced. That was the V8-powered P530 model.
Though our initial expectations were centred on the plug-in’s capabilities, driving the P440e revealed that its hybrid features are better aligned with its natural strengths, much like how a quiet and serene zero-emission focus complements its inherent character. We’re putting the entry-level powertrain to the test, specifically the P400 model. This revised text maintains the original’s concise style while correcting minor errors: It’s an identical primary setup to the P440e, but with a 48-volt mild hybrid unit instead. Equipped with a potent 3.0-litre turbocharged inline-six engine that unleashes 395 horsepower through an intelligent 8-speed automatic transmission, this powerful machine can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in a mere 5.5 seconds.
The P400 stands out as an exceptionally refined model compared to the P530. While it may not boast the same potency as its high-end counterparts, this engine’s refinement is undeniable, boasting silky-smooth power delivery with understated yet effective throttle response. Acceleration is underwhelming below 3,000 rpm, leaving drivers feeling woefully inadequate on highways and in heavy traffic. However, switching to Dynamic mode injects a much-needed adrenaline rush, coaxing forth additional power from both engine and suspension. While this setup does provide a notable boost in performance, surpassing even the V6-powered Porsche Cayenne, it still trails behind the six-cylinder BMW X5 in terms of overall responsiveness? The exhaust produces a rich, throaty growl when unleashed at full throttle, its melodic reverberations announcing your arrival on the road. The P400 is surprisingly environmentally friendly in a gasoline-powered context as well. With a blend of metropolitan and highway driving, we recorded a respectable 10.8 litres per 100 kilometres, just a stone’s throw away from the impressive 10.2 L/100km achieved in the P440e with a fully depleted battery.
The Range Rover Sport glides effortlessly on its adaptive air suspension, earning praise from our passengers for its plush, cloud-like ride. The sport effortlessly glides across damaged surfaces, its ample suspension travel allowing it to navigate rough terrain with ease; it also flows smoothly over poor surfaces, exuding confidence in its handling capabilities. While it undeniably performed better over rough terrain compared to its P530 counterpart.
The envy of all who see it, any green on tan specs is a specs price praising. The sleek design of the Range Rover Sport is truly phenomenal, significantly enhancing its visual appeal from every angle. With subtle undertones of teal and blue, Giola’s iridescent sheen is surprisingly nuanced, departing from the conventional British Racing Green one might expect; however, its beauty shines when harmoniously paired with the rich, earthy hue of Caraway Windsor leather. While retaining its sleek aesthetic, the latest Sport iteration embodies a more refined appearance, drawing inspiration from the Evoque and Velar’s design cues. However, its rear profile falls short of distinctiveness, evoking a sense of familiarity with other models – the Nissan Pathfinder being a plausible confusion. While minimalism and unconventional shapes dominate current trends, we anticipate that sheet metal’s inherent conservativeness will make it difficult to stand out against other fashion styles without exception.
The Land Rover cabin, scaled down by 25%, yields the Sport cabin, a condensed version of its larger counterpart. Besides its size, the most striking differences lie in the tilted heart-shaped console and the smaller steering wheel, which seems remarkably compact when grasped. The interior design and luxurious fabric on this cabin showcase exceptional attention to detail, with rich, buttery leather wrapping nearly every surface in sumptuous comfort. The dashboard features a striking combination of a 13.1-inch curved Heart display and a 13.7-inch digital instrument cluster, creating a seamless fusion of form and function.
The rich brown leather interior adds a welcome pop of colour, showcasing its meticulous craftsmanship through features like the leather-wrapped airbag cover, plush sofa-style seats, and adjustable armrests that exude comfort. A notable improvement over its predecessor is the introduction of flat window sills, allowing for effortless armrest placement akin to those found in the full-size Vary, which previously featured acutely angled surfaces. The Land Rover’s cabin proves to be remarkably well-insulated against unwanted noise, effectively muffling wind and tyre sounds that are typically prevalent in this class of vehicles, setting a new standard for refinement and comfort.
This 2024 mannequin features several cabin adjustments that significantly impact consumer performance, allowing for personalized comfort and optimal results. To minimize clutter in the cabin, the central console is now dedicated to housing just the gear shifter and start button. The centre console appears to be missing the familiar array of buttons controlling driving modes and adjusting transmission settings. What about that auxiliary panel, responsible for regulating cabin heat and ventilation controls? No longer does the tactile experience of physical buttons get in the way, as the entire interface seamlessly transitions to the responsive 13.1-inch heart touchscreen. Alongside both sides of the display, intuitive quantity and cabin temperature control sliders await, allowing you to effortlessly adjust settings by simply swiping your fingers up or down.
On paper, that sounds like a promising start, but we need to drill down into the details to uncover any potential pitfalls. This technology is designed to streamline user interactions, and that’s exactly what the touchscreen is intended for. The full-size Land Rover now shares the same architecture. Unfortunately, the absence of swift access via dedicated and intuitive controls is indeed frustrating. Distracting yourself from the open road to manage high-traffic functions can be frustrating, and although various routes exist to achieve this goal through voice recognition and steering wheel controls, we question whether this added complexity brings genuine value to the experience. The cabin appears remarkably unchanged despite the absence of cluttered buttons and dials. As a harbinger of downfall, this pivot in the flawed trajectory will impact more than just Land Rovers. Volkswagen’s latest offerings are plagued by a far more severe consequence stemming from inadequate consumer ergonomics and an over-reliance on haptic touch sensors.
The P400 powertrain seamlessly integrates with the Range Rover Sport, boasting refined throttle responses that effortlessly transition between on- and off-throttle driving scenarios. While acceleration is impressive in the Audi Q7, its remarkable gasoline efficiency eclipses that of both the BMW X5 and Porsche Cayenne. Despite its unassuming exterior, a green-on-tan trim partially addresses that issue; when combined with supple leather seats and a top-notch infotainment system, the Sport gradually transforms into an imposing and alluring proposition, one that merely requires time to fully come alive. As we settle into this new normal, the absence of a quantity or temperature dial may start to feel equally jarring.
Land Rover’s 2024 Range Rover Sport P400 Dynamic SE: A Luxurious Performance Machine
Giola Inexperienced
$108,900
$127,275
2,997
4,945 / 2,047 / 1,821
2,309
3.0-litre turbocharged inline-six engine
A 3.8L V6 engine produces 395 horsepower within a power band of 5,500 to 6,500 revolutions per minute.
406 horsepower @ 2,000 – 5,000 rpm?
8-speed automated
Entrance engine, AWD
: 10.8
