Range Rover Sport – What you need to know

Hanker for a Range Rover, but one that's not as staid as the traditional luxury off-roader? The Range Rover Sport has your needs covered.

One choice to make, however, is which model line to pick.

The Range Rover Sport line up consists of seven models with power choices from petrol and diesel engines in four, V6, V8 configurations to a plug-in hybrid and prices ranging from $95,100 to $238,200.

Selecting the model, equipment and price to suit you is a complex process, but we've torn the specification sheets apart to make it easier.

At $95,100 (plus on-road charges) you can slide into the entry model Range Rover Sport S that comes standard with the following equipment.

In addition to the standard solid colour palette, there are seven metallic colours that add $2200 to the purchase price, three premium metallic colours costing $2420, an SVO ultra metallic pearl for $8670 and a single SVO special effect pearl for an equally special effect price of $14,890.

A Climate Comfort pack comprising panoramic roof, heated and solar-attenuating windscreen, heated steering wheel, a centre console fridge and four-zone air conditioning will set you back $12,390 on the Range Rover Sport S and SE, and $11,180 on the HSE, HSE Dynamic, Autobiography Dynamic and SVR variants.

A Cold Climate pack consists of a heated windscreen and steering wheel, plus four-zone climate control and costs $6360 across the board.

The Comfort and Convenience pack (SE only) features a powered, gesture-control tailgate and keyless entry for $5130, while the Drive pack offers blind spot and driver conditioning monitoring for $1080. The Drive Pro pack includes the above plus adaptive cruise control with queue and lane keep assist. On the Range Rover Sport SE, HSE and HSE Dynamic the pack costs $5910 and $5400 for the Autobiography and SVR variants.

The $3240 (S) and $2950 (SE) Convenience pack incorporates powered gesture control tailgate, load-through 60:40 rear seat, auto-dimming mirror, power adjustable steering column, soft door close and keyless entry.

An On/Off Road pack contains an active electronic differential with torque vectoring, terrain response 2 with dynamic program and dynamic response. This costs $20,210 fitted to the Range Rover Sport HSE and HSE Dynamic, or $17,040 for the Autobiography and a mere $11,240 for the Range Rover Sport SVR.

A Park pack is available on the Range Rover Sport S, SE, HSE and HSE Dynamic models. It adds a clear exit monitor, 360-degree park aid and rear traffic monitor for $1310, while the Park Pro pack brings in park assist and is available for $2840 specified for the Range Rover Sport S, SE, HSE and HSE Dynamic and $1530 for the Autobiography and SVR versions.

There's also the Signature Entertainment pack, which combines a 1700-watt 23-speaker Meridian system with CD/DVD player/Digital TV for $20,210 when you order it with the Range Rover Sport HSE and HSE Dynamic. For the Range Rover Sport Autobiography it will set you back $17,040 or $11,240 in the case of the Range Rover Sport SVR.

A Towing pack with advanced tow assist, an activity key and what Ranger Rover calls a two-hitch receiver costs $2000 for all models. Finally, the Vision Assist pack on the Range Rover Sport S and SE costs $2170 and $3940 respectively and includes auto high beam, auto diming interior mirror, head up display and surround camera system.

In addition to the mandatory anti-lock brakes, a brace of airbags, traction and stability controls, driver assistance technology in the Range Rover Sport includes low-traction launch, roll stability control, cornering brake control, hill launch and descent, gradient release and gradient acceleration controls. Also included are emergency braking, lane departure warning, cruise control, front and rear parking aids and a rear view camera.

To get all the safety tech – blind spot and rear traffic monitoring, clear exit monitoring, driver condition monitoring, a 360-degree camera, parking aid and lane departure warning, tick the box marked 'Autobiography Dynamic'.

Bluetooth connectivity for music streaming and smartphones runs through the 10-inch multi-screen infotainment touch screen that encompasses satellite navigation, Wi-Fi hotspot, voice activation plus an All Terrain Info Centre.

The entry model S has eight-way electric front seats and grained leather trim, but a step up to the SE gives you 14-way front seats plus the comfort of electronic air suspension and the convenience of auto-dimming power-folding and heated exterior mirrors, plus laminated side glass and a powered tailgate.

If you can't do without a gesture-control powered tailgate order the Range Rover Sport HSE that also brings a solar-attenuating windscreen and a more luxurious ambience featuring heated, 16-way front seats with position memory, trimmed in perforated Windsor leather and premium carpet mats. The Range Rover Sport HSE also affords head-up display, keyless entry, digital radio and intrusion sensors. Outside you benefit from the extra brightness of matrix LED headlights and DRLs, with 20-inch alloy wheels a one-inch step up from the wheels of the Range Rover Sport S and SE.

Do you like the idea of heated and cooled seats? Go straight to the Range Rover Sport Autobiography Dynamic and sink into 22-way, memory front seats with winged headrests, all draped in semi-aniline leather. The rear seat also has a heating function. Stepping in and out will always be an occasion with soft close doors adding to the upmarket feel. The roof is lined in suede and the audio system gets a boost to the tune of 825 watts and 19 speakers.

Want more flash with your Range Rover Sport? Tick the topline SVR box and let everyone see the red brake calipers peering through the spokes of the 21-inch satin polished alloy wheels. Enjoy the ride and handling provided by the sports electronic air suspension. Inside, 16-way SVR performance seats in Windsor leather with memory function await you, along with aluminium gearshift paddles on the SVR leather steering wheel and a tri-zone air-conditioning system to keep everyone happy.

All-wheel drive is standard across all Range Rover Sport models, as is an automatic transmission.

The S comes with a 221kW four-cylinder petrol engine.

The SE offers the four-cylinder engine plus a 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel producing either 183kW or 225kW and a 2.0 litre plug-in
petrol-hybrid developing 297kW in total.

Moving up to the Range Rover Sport HSE offers further choice, with a 4.4-litre turbo-diesel V8 as well as the V6 225kW turbo-diesel and 2.0-litre hybrid.

You can choose the 225kW 3.0-litre turbo-diesel, 250kW 4.4-litre V8 turbo-diesel or the 5.0-litre 386kW supercharged petrol with the HSE Dynamic.

The choices are less in the Autobiography Dynamic with just the 3.0-litre V6 225kW turbo-diesel and 5.0-litre 386kW supercharged petrol V8 offered.

Topping the line up is the SVR with its whopping 423kW 5.0-litre supercharged petrol V8.

Range Rover Sport S 2.0-litre petrol – $95,100
Range Rover Sport SE 2.0-litre petrol – $100,400
Range Rover Sport SE 2.0-litre petrol hybrid – $116,044
Range Rover Sport SE 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel 183kw – $105,400
Range Rover Sport SE 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel 225kw – $114,900
Range Rover Sport HSE 2.0-litre petrol hybrid – $146,600
Range Rover Sport HSE 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel 225kw – $134,700
Range Rover Sport HSE 4.4-litre V8 turbo-diesel – $150,200
Range Rover Sport HSE Dynamic 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel 225kw – $141,600
Range Rover Sport HSE Dynamic 4.4-litre V8 turbo-diesel – $157,500
Range Rover Sport HSE Dynamic 5.0-litre V8 supercharged-petrol 386kw – $173,000
Range Rover Sport Autobiography Dynamic 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel 225kw – $176,400
Range Rover Sport Autobiography Dynamic 5.0-litre V8 supercharged-petrol
386kw $204,300
Range Rover Sport SVR 5.0-litre V8 supercharged-petrol 423kw – $238,200

Most owners will never venture off road in their Rangies and therefore won't know of their brilliance when the going gets tough.

There is no doubt the SVR with that mighty supercharged V8 up front is my pick if I had money to burn and shares in an oil company. Being serious for a moment, it really is an epic vehicle to drive; blindingly fast, sumptuous inside and way more lively on winding roads than it should be.

But if I am watching my pennies with my purchase I can't go past the Range Rover Sport HSE with its turbo-diesel V6 in its more powerful guise. You still get the legendary off road capability, a pampering interior; plenty of kit and more than enough get up and go.