Land Rover’s Range Rover Sport has been among a favorite of mine for exploring roads less traveled in the lap of luxury and style. The latest Range Rover vehicles retain their off-road prowess while they ever-so-slightly incorporate advanced tech but in a rudimentary way. However, when it comes to their proven powertrains, Land Rover is amid taking an even higher road by bringing forth their Diesel engine. With its remarkable 443 lb-ft of torque, the 3.0-liter V6 turbodiesel engine keeps the Range Rover Sport at its optimal capability level getting low-end grunt work done to conquer the most challenging terrain or road-going adventure.
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Keeping with tradition, the latest Range Rover Sport HSE Td6 trim level incorporates all of the goodies that make Land Rover vehicles the stately off-roading machines that numerous opportunists have grown to adore. The full-time four-wheel-drive system controlled by the unique terrain response system gives you a plethora of off-roading settings based on the type of surface you choose to travel. The 4-corner air suspension system plays a literal balancing act to keep the Rover at the optimal height rising to the occasion for the most challenging situations yet lowering into an access-height mode for easier entry and exit.
Settling on pavement, where most Range Rover’s will make their paths known, the Range Rover Sport HSE Td6 exhibits a familiar ride quality that never misconstrues its ultimate purpose. The body tends to roll about – hardly ever an assuring performer when it comes to taking sharp turns. There will be consequences and repercussions when you push the Range Rover Sport to its limit in the form of its 20-inch tire squeal and abundant amounts of uninspiring body lean. To the Range Rover Sport HSE Td6’s benefit, the gushing low-end torque surges the 4,883 pound SUV forward aggressively and gets it out of the way when needed. Though, pushing the Rover on longer stretches to reach interstate speeds from a crawl the Diesel engine gives out of breath as it is left to work with its modest 254 horsepower. Still, reaching 60 mph from a standstill takes about 7.4 seconds, which isn’t that bad.
What is most admirable about the new Diesel powertrain, which is mated to an assured-shifting 8-speed automatic transmission, is the level of efficiency. In this area, the new Range Rover Sport HSE Td6 excels remarkably to get an easily-attainable EPA-estimated 29 mpg on the highway, 22 mpg city, and 25 mpg combined. These numbers are virtually unheard of for such a vehicle, let alone, an SUV of its stature with well over 400 lb-ft of torque. I observed similar fuel consumption numbers to that of its EPA estimates getting nearly 30 mpg on the interstate and a consistent 23.5 mpg around town.
The traits of Land Rover’s latest Range Rover Sport HSE in the Diesel Td6 trim are present and do not differentiate any from what you expect. At a nice mid-level of the trim offerings, the Range Rover Sport HSE Td6 includes many luxury features, creature comforts and a few active safety features to virtually keep the Rover in its lane. The plushness of the cabin plays to the same tone that Range Rover vehicles have set to captivate an audience that’s conditioned to true luxury. While the seating areas are decent, and the leather wrapped cabin and climate controlled seats are part of the full luxury package experience, the shortcomings of Land Rover’s tech cannot be overlooked. Among the short list of shortcomings, the Range Rover Sport HSE Td6 still exhibits the traditional infotainment system with an 8-inch touchscreen interface that is slow to respond, seldom hangs onto some screens, and is visually dated. Some of the antiquated aspects of the infotainment system, even with it incorporating many expected features, carry over into the driver’s gauge cluster and its center color LCD information screen controlled through steering wheel buttons.
In the pricing area, you must still pay to play when it comes to Land Rover’s Range Rover vehicles. My nicely-equipped Range Rover Sport HSE Td6, the midsized level of the SUV line, brings an as-tested price of $79,797 including a $995 transportation fee.
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