The third-generation Range Rover Sport, launched in 2022, sits just below the flagship Range Rover in the luxury SUV specialist’s line-up. At nearly 5,000mm long, the Sport is only about 100mm shorter than the standard-wheelbase Range Rover; both even share the same wheelbase and are underpinned by Land Rover’s MLA-Flex platform. The sportier sibling does most things as well as the Range Rover, but for relatively less money. Here, we break down three solid reasons to buy the Porsche Cayenne rival and two that may give you pause.
Reasons to buy the Range Rover Sport
1. Fastest Range Rover of all time
The top-spec Range Rover SV Edition Two trim is powered by a 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol engine, sourced from BMW’s M performance division. An 8-speed AT sends the engine’s output – 635hp and 750Nm (800Nm with launch mode) – to all four wheels, punching the 2.5-tonne heavyweight from 0 to 100kph in just 3.8 seconds, and on to a top speed of 290kph.
2. Road presence
Compared to Range Rover Sports of the past – first and second gens, to be precise – the present model looks more ‘new money’ and flamboyant. While the silhouette is relatively familiar, minimalist design details and non-reliance on oversized grille or shouty bits work together beautifully.
3. High-end and feature-rich interior
All Range Rover Sport variants sold in India, including the HSE, Autobiography and SV Edition Two, are well-equipped. The loaded-to-the-gills SV, for instance, gets 4-zone climate control, a large 13.1-inch touchscreen, 3D surround cameras, remote park assist and a HUD. The front and rear seats are equipped with heating, ventilation and reclining functions – features expected of an SUV from this segment. The SV also debuts JLR’s new ‘Body and Soul Seats’ (BASS), which send sound vibrations through the front seats based on what’s playing on the 29-speaker Meridian system. As for safety, it has 6 airbags, an ADAS suite, and a lot more.
Reasons not to buy the Range Rover Sport
1. Busy low-speed ride
During our Range Rover Sport review, we found the low-speed ride comfort to be half a step backwards. The ride was slightly choppy, coupled with some side-to-side movement; note that our test car wore 22-inch wheels. We recommend speccing the Sport with a smaller wheel size and chunkier sidewall tyres for better cushioning over rough road patches. Due to the Sport’s soft suspension setup, it moves around a lot over bumps, too.
2. Expensive price range
The Sport’s range-starting HSE variant is priced at Rs 1.37 crore, which is still expensive despite its local assembly and the revised GST rates on cars. For reference, similar-sized SUVs like the Mercedes GLE and BMW X5 have respective price brackets of Rs 98 lakh-1.15 crore and Rs 95.4 lakh-1.1 crore. On the other hand, the higher-stacked Autobiography and SV Edition Two versions, both of which are full imports, cost Rs 1.97 crore and Rs 2.75 crore, respectively.
Ex-showroom prices mentioned above are as of March 5, 2026.
