2019 Land Rover Range Rover Sport

It's hard to find an area the 2019 Land Rover Range Rover Sport doesn't excel in. Like many of its competitors, the Range Rover Sport offers a luxuriously appointed cabin, a comfortable ride and sprightly acceleration. But it also boasts unrivaled off-road performance if you decide to escape the sprawl of suburbia and literally head for the hills. The same can be said of the standard Range Rover, of course, but the Sport's more attractive price point might give it the edge for many prospective buyers.

For 2019, the Range Rover Sport adds a new plug-in hybrid variant to its robust powertrain lineup. A turbocharged four-cylinder and electric motor produce nearly 400 horsepower combined, about the same power offered by other plug-in luxury SUVs. Land Rover estimates the plug-in can travel 31 miles in EV-only mode. If the EPA confirms this estimate, it would be about double the range offered by many rivals, including the BMW X5 xDrive40e, the Mercedes-Benz GLE 550e and the Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid.

The 2019 Land Rover Range Rover Sport is a midsize luxury SUV offered in six main trim levels: SE, HSE, HSE Dynamic, Supercharged Dynamic, Autobiography and SVR. Five-passenger seating is standard, and a power-folding third row that boosts capacity to seven passengers is available on all trims except the HSE with the plug-in hybrid powertrain and the SVR.

The Range Rover Sport is available with a wide range of powertrain options; all are paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission and feature four-wheel drive. The most common is a supercharged 3.0-liter V6. On SE and HSE trims, it produces 340 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque. On the HSE Dynamic trim, output is boosted to 380 hp. A fuel-sipping, diesel-powered 3.0-liter V6 (254 hp, 443 lb-ft) is available on SE and HSE trims.

The new plug-in hybrid powertrain is solely available on the HSE; it uses a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four and an 85-kW electric motor to develop a whopping 398 hp and 472 lb-ft of torque. Land Rover estimates the plug-in hybrid will achieve 31 miles of all-electric range before the gasoline engine kicks on. According to Land Rover, charging the 13-kWh battery takes 14 hours using a conventional 110-volt household-style outlet. A 220-volt power supply can also be used, but an estimated charging time has not been released yet.

The Supercharged Dynamic and Autobiography trims are powered by a supercharged 5.0-liter V8 (518 hp, 461 lb-ft). The range-topping SVR increases output to 575 hp and 516 lb-ft.

Standard features on the Range Rover Sport SE include 19-inch wheels, a self-leveling air suspension with automatic height adjustment for loading and unloading, LED headlights, rear foglights, power-folding and auto-dimming heated mirrors, puddle lamps, a hands-free liftgate, and keyless ignition and entry.

Within the cabin, you'll find dual-zone climate control, leather upholstery, 14-way power-adjustable front seats, 60/40-split folding rear seatbacks, driver memory settings, ambient interior lighting and a power-adjustable steering wheel. Also standard are a navigation system, a 10-inch touchscreen, and an eight-speaker sound system with satellite and HD radio and USB connectivity. Safety features include a rearview camera, front and rear parking sensors, lane departure warning and forward collision warning with low-speed automatic emergency braking.

There are two options packages exclusive to the SE. The Drive package adds a blind-spot monitor, a driver-condition monitoring system and traffic sign recognition. The Park package adds 360-degree parking sensors and rear cross-traffic alert.

The HSE includes both above packages, plus adds 20-inch wheels, front foglights, a fixed panoramic sunroof, perforated leather upholstery, an 11-speaker stereo system, 16-way heated front seats, and upgraded interior trim. The plug-in hybrid — dubbed the P400e HSE — features a 19-speaker audio system and the Off-Road package (optional on the SE and the HSE), which adds a low-range transfer case and selectable terrain modes.

The HSE Dynamic is powered by the upgraded gasoline V6. Additional features include the contents of the Off-Road package, 21-inch wheels, automatic high beams, sporty visual upgrades, a heated steering wheel with wheel-mounted shift paddles, additional leather interior trim, configurable ambient lighting, even better front seats (with 22 adjustments plus ventilation and airline-style headrests), heated rear seats, tri-zone climate control, a power-sliding sunroof and the 19-speaker audio system.

The Supercharged Dynamic uses a supercharged V8 and reverts to the HSE's level of equipment. However, it also includes the HSE Dynamic's 21-inch wheels, the Off-Road package, trim upgrades and paddle shifters. The Autobiography adds the HSE Dynamic's luxury features, along with power-closing doors and a 360-degree parking camera.

At the top of the Range Rover Sport lineup is the high-octane SVR. It adds unique wheels, sport-tuned suspension and steering, sportier transmission programming, special interior and exterior styling and trim details, and sport seats.

Many of the above options can be ordered on lower trims, though some packages are available on most levels. These include Drive Pro (blind-spot monitor, lane keeping assist, adaptive cruise control and high-speed automatic emergency braking), Park Pro (automatic parallel and perpendicular parking) and Climate Comfort (a refrigerated box in the front console, a heated steering wheel, and, for non-SE models, a sliding sunroof and four-zone climate control).

Stand-alone options include 22-inch wheels, a head-up display, a 23-speaker audio system, front-seat massage functions, ventilated rear seats, a dual-screen rear entertainment system, and the Wade Sensing system, which requires a 360-degree camera and blind-spot monitor and alerts drivers when the Range Rover Sport approaches its maximum wading depth. A third row of seating, for a maximum of seven passengers, is available on all trims except the P400e plug-in and SVR models.

Each vehicle typically comes in multiple versions that are fundamentally similar. We haven't yet driven the Range Rover Sport with the plug-in hybrid powertrain, but we have driven a gasoline-powered model of this generation. The ratings in this review are based on our full test of the Land Rover Range Rover Sport Supercharged (supercharged 5.0-liter V8 | 8-speed automatic | 4WD).

NOTE: Since this test was conducted in 2014, the current Range Rover Sport has received some revisions, including smartphone integration via Jaguar's InControl Apps application and additional safety systems in 2015, revised off-road systems in 2016, a new touchscreen interface in 2017, and a refreshed interior in 2018. Our findings remain broadly applicable to this year's Range Rover Sport.