2014 Range Rover Sport: Very few SUV can match it

The new Range Rover Sport pushes the boundaries of dynamics for an SUV, writes Faisal Ali Khan of MotorBeam.com

Different car body styles have different capabilities or so is what we have been made to believe.

Sports cars are known for their razor sharp handling while SUVs are famous for their imposing on-road presence and off-road prowess.

Mixing the best of both of these cars seems a far fetched thought but iconic British brand Land Rover went ahead and defied everyone's preconceived notions with their latest offering.

Enter, the new Range Rover Sport - the fastest, most agile and lightest Land Rover ever made, which is now on sale in India.

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The second generation Range Rover Sport maintains its resemblance from the same family by taking heavy inspiration from the flagshipRange Rover and the Evoque.

The vehicle has some serious presence and the traditional design cues have been maintained while modernising every bit of the exterior.

The lights for instance have heavy attention to detail and the front ones even go to the extent of resembling a high performance camera lens.

The clamshell bonnet, sloping roofline and a neat rear all give the Range Rover Sport terrific presence on every kind of road (on or off).

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Step inside and you are greeted by a cabin which oozes luxury. The fit and finishing is spot on and quality is of very high grade too.

The dashboard is appealing thanks to the Evoque inspired bits and although it bears heavy resemblance to the standard Range Rover, the Sport has more sporty ergonomics for a more involving drive.

There are multiple materials used inside the cabin and all very tastefully selected to give passengers the best of luxury from this premium SUV.

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Space inside the cabin is plenty although legroom at the rear doesn't match that of the standard Range Rover, although you will have little to complain as far as interior room goes.

The leather seats are soft and offer tremendous all-round support, be it for the front or rear passengers. The large panoramic roof gives the cabin a feeling of even more airiness.

The boot is large and you can also opt for secret seating which gives you 2 extra seats at the rear for use on short distances.

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The Range Rover comes with a plethora of features and the list is actually endless.

There are 5 cameras which give you a 360 degree view of what's around, twin 8-inch LCD screen for rear-seat passengers, mood lighting, three-zone climate control AC, cornering lights, xenon headlights with power wash and even a TV.

Optional equipment includes water level monitoring, ultrasonic sensors, 19-speaker Meridian sound system, close vehicle sensing, blind-spot monitoring and the likes.

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The Range Rover Sport is available with both petrol and diesel engines. The petrol is a rocket, the 5.0-litre V8 produces 510 HP of power and 625 Nm of torque, doing 0-100 km/hr in 5.3 seconds.

In India, the diesel is more popular which is a 3.0-litre V6 generating 292 HP and 600 Nm, taking 7.4 seconds to reach 100 km/hr from standstill.

All engines are coupled to a 8-speed automatic gearbox and you can shift gears using the steering mounted paddles or the gear lever.

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The diesel engine offers a lot of grunt with linear power delivery. Outright acceleration is impressive too and the motor feels alive throughout, with enough performance on tap to reach top speed without much effort.

The gearbox responds well and shifts gears effortlessly. NVH levels are excellent, you can barely hear anything from outside.

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The second generation Range Rover Sport is based on the Range Rover platform unlike the last gen model which was underpinned by the Discovery's platform.

The new aluminium underpinnings yield a massive weight saving which goes a long way in reducing body roll and making the car very agile.

The steering is crisp and this is a car you can actually take to the track and have a lot of fun.

Ride quality is excellent too and even though this vehicle is stupendous on the road, it can still go off-road and conquer almost any terrain.

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The new Range Rover Sport is without any doubt the best Land Rover ever made.

While it's expensive at close to Rs 2 crore (Rs 20 million) for the top-end model (on-road), it has a wide breadth of capabilities which few can match, let alone beat.

The new Range Rover Sport is a car which can help you cross the most treacherous terrain in utmost comfort while at the same time make you happy when you put it across a set of twisties.

The new Sport can do a whole lot of things and it does everything brilliantly.