Your next Range Rover Sport will either be a hybrid or a hot rod, with a minimalist interior.
- Land Rover brings the 2023 Range Rover Sport into its third generation.
- The 2023 Range Rover Sport features either a 3.0-liter I6 mild-hybrid powertrain, a 3.0-liter I6 plug-in hybrid, or a turbocharged 4.4-liter V8.
- The 2023 Range Rover starts at $84,350.
On the heels of the new Range Rover, Land Rover is showing off its small sibling: the 2023 Range Rover Sport. It joins the Land Rover family as the third installment in the nameplate and replaces a quickly aging second-generation model. As you’d expect, the Range Rover Sport follows the larger Range Rover nearly in lockstep, with a similar design and an updated engine array. While this is generally good news, the updated Range Rover Sport does ax one of its coolest second-generation features.
If you’re wondering what’s missing, it’s under the hood. The 5.0-liter supercharged V8 won’t join the updated Range Rover Sport, just like it’s moving away from the larger Range Rover. The top engine is a 4.4-liter turbocharged V8. While it probably won’t have the ridiculous exhaust note of the outgoing 5.0-liter, the new mill does make good power: 523 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque. If you want less power—at a lower price—Land Rover is also offering a 3.0-liter inline-six that’s assisted by either a mild-hybrid system or a plug-in hybrid system.
The base mild hybrid 3.0-liter Range Rover Sport makes a combined 355 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque. That number shoots up on the P400-badged models to 395 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque. Plug-in hybrid Range Rover Sports send 434 hp and 619 lb-ft of torque to the wheels. Managing power from all of these engine options is an eight-speed ZF automatic that feeds Land Rover’s intelligent all-wheel-drive system. Land Rover also promises a Range Rover Sport EV, but that’s not scheduled until the 2024 model year.
Of course, the Range Rover Sport has more to offer than just new powertrains. The styling takes the minimalist approach, like the full-sized Range Rover. Flush-mounted door handles and stealth-inspired styling help the Range Rover Sport slice through the air with a relatively low 0.29 coefficient of drag.
This sleek design language carries over to the interior as well. Land Rover stuck with its new Pivi Pro infotainment system, which is controlled by a 13.1-inch curved touchscreen that’s affixed to the middle of the dash. Below the infotainment screen, you’ll find Land Rover’s digital climate controls, the dynamic controls, and the gear selector. Sitting in front of the driver is a 13.7-inch digital instrument cluster that’s dubbed Interactive Driver Display4. Wireless Apple CarPlay is standard, as well as a 15-watt wireless device charger.
The Land Rover Range Rover Sport carries its minimalist design into the interior.
Land Rover
Supporting the new Range Rover Sport is the standard Dynamic Air Suspension, which changes the pressure in the air springs relative to the vehicle’s drive mode. On the top-tier Range Rover Sport First Edition, you’ll find the more sophisticated Dynamic Air Suspension Pro, which gives you all the dynamic control you’d see in the standard suspension but adds increased roll control.
Joining the new tech is an optional all-wheel-steering system, which can kick the rear wheels out 7.3-degrees to help make the Range Rover Sport easier to maneuver. Joining this all-wheel-steering system is torque vectoring and an Electronic Active Differential, which should provide sharp directional control over the Range Rover Sport.
If you’re interested in snagging your own Range Rover Sport, the folks at Land Rover say it’s available to order now. The base model starts at $84,350 including destination charges. If you want to jump into a V8-powered Range Rover Sport P530 First Edition, it starts at $122,850. Though, don’t rush: First Edition models will be available for the entire model year.
Keyword: The 2023 Range Rover Sport Keeps the V8