New Range Rover Sport Makes India Debut Deliveries Commence
The third-generation Range Rover Sport has been on sale for almost six months now. The manufacturer has also started accepting bookings for the same, with orders pouring in steadily. For customers who pre-booked the CBU-imported SUV, deliveries will begin today, and we’ll be the first to see it.
2023 Range Rover Sport: Price, Engines, and Variants
Where the flagship Range Rover is available with a staggering 37 variant combinations across two wheelbase lengths, three seating layouts, three engine options, and five trim levels, the new Range Rover Sport gets just five variants. for now.
There are just two engines on offer – petrol and diesel 3.0-litre mild-hybrid straight-six units – and four trim levels – SE, HSE, Autobiography, and First Edition. The P400 petrol produces 400hp and 550Nm, while the D350 diesel makes 350hp and 700Nm, and both are mated to an 8-speed torque-converter automatic gearbox with 4WD and air suspension. All the off-road hardware is there too, with All Terrain Progress Control off-road traction control, on and off-road drive modes, as well as 900mm of water wading capacity and up to 281mm of ground clearance.
The price of the new Range Rover Sport ranges from Rs 1.64 Crore to Rs 1.84 Crore (Ex-showroom India). For reference, prices for the flagship Range Rover go from Rs 2.39 crore to Rs 4.17 crore, while the locally assembled Range Rover Velar, positioned below the new Range Rover Sport, costs Rs 89.41 lakh. As for Land Rover’s other large, CBU-imported SUVs, the Defender has priced between Rs 91.80 lakh to Rs 2.29 crore, while the Discovery has priced between Rs 93.90 lakh to Rs 1.32 crore.
2023 Range Rover Sport: Gets More Distinctive Exterior
With so much price overlap in Land Rover’s large SUV model range, you could be forgiven for confusing the previous Range Rover Sport for a similar-looking Range Rover, but that won’t be the case this time around. Although about the same size as the standard-wheelbase Range Rover, with the same 2,997 mm wheelbase, the new Sport receives far more distinctive styling.
The headlamps and grille are slim, while the front bumper houses sporty air intakes. The nose is not as bolt-upright, and neither are the front or rear windscreens, while the roofline curves gently back.
What has been incorporated in the new minimalist profile, with door handles that sit flush with the bodywork and a window line that connects to the doors without any visible border. In India, the Dynamic Styling pack is standard and adds bronze accents all around, and the wheel sizes, up from 21 to 23 inches, are all very sporty designs.
The biggest difference is at the rear, though, with slim, horizontal, wraparound tail lamps in place of the cool new concealed vertical lamps on the big Range Rover. And of course, you won’t get the split tailgate or ‘event suite’ picnic seating that is reserved for the flagship, but you will get a full-size spare wheel.
2023 Range Rover Sport: Interior Quality Vastly Improved
The interior has also been given a more distinctive look from the Range Rover, and its sportier, rake-back dashboard is now more similar to the Velar. The center console is swept at a greater angle, the seats are set a few millimeters lower, and the steering wheel is a new three-spoke unit, all in the interest of providing a sportier feel. It’s still a relatively tall driving position, and not as low-set as an all-out performance SUV.
It also benefits from tech upgrades all over the cabin, such as the latest Pivi Pro infotainment software, displayed on a crisp 13.1-inch touchscreen and a sharp new digital dial. Intuitive context-sensitive HVAC controls also return, with a push to control fan speed and a pull to handle seat ventilation. It’s refreshing to have these and a few other physical controls at hand, but secondary operations like, for example, seat massage and lumbar support, are within the touchscreen.
It’s also impressive that the quality leaps we’ve seen in the new Range Rover have translated to this SUV as well, and it’s a huge step up from the previous Sport. Interior panels and trim pieces as a whole feel better built and finished, and the materials look expensive. The new dark chrome and forged carbon trim pieces in particular are unique to the Sport, and you’ll notice that the available options lean less toward classic luxury than the Range Rover.
Of course, you can still get the semi-aniline leather upholstery, but you can also swap that out for a leather-free interior that uses Kvadrat Ultrafabric, and like a good hi-fi audio system, the 800W Meridian system For 19 speakers are hidden under a layer of high-quality fabric. The rear seat is where you’ll notice the biggest difference between the Range Rover and the Sport, as the seats here aren’t as plush.
There’s a 37-degree powered recline, but that aside, it’s a pretty standard bench seat with comfortable cushioning. There’s a bit more legroom than before, thanks to a 74mm longer wheelbase, and there are now rear window blinds, but they’re optional and not even powered, which feels like a miss at this price.
The 2023 Range Rover Sport is Nothing Short of A Niche Player
With a clearer identity than previous generations and a consolidated variant line-up that won’t overwhelm the buyer, the new Range Rover Sport feels like it has a better-defined place in Land Rover’s growing luxury SUV line-up. It helps that the flagship Range Rover has moved up the luxury ranks and with it its price, competing firmly with the likes of the Bentley Bentayga.
This has allowed the Sport to break out of its ‘Range Rover Lite’ perception and develop into a compelling offering in its own right, a very capable luxury SUV that packs a lot of good stuff at a relatively sensible price. In fact, we expect Land Rover to consolidate more of its model line-up for India to reduce the huge overlap. Stay tuned for our review to find out whether this third-generation model does justice to the sports part of its name.
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