► The end of our Range Rover Sport test
► We live with one for half a year
► Read month 1 here
While my wife hasn’t been caught slashing SUV tyres, she reflexively dislikes luxury off-roaders – too heavy, too arrogant, too thirsty, she thinks.
So it says much about the Range Rover Sport that she loves it – the look, the way it rides, the effortlessness with which it gathers speed. And it’s so calming.
Such a complete car won’t be easy to replace. Ours was the D300 SE, the middle of three six-cylinder 3.0-litre Ingenium diesels with 296bhp. It’s a peach, humming gently at idle, easing off with a leisurely throttle tip-in and feeling muscular more than rapid. The sweet six even kept its dignity when really stretched.
It’s no gas guzzler. I’ve racked up a load of miles in the last month, getting within 10 per cent of the official 36.9mpg on the way. My biggest stint saw 561 miles between fills, with 12 litres remaining in the 90-litre tank. Sometimes diesel really does do it best.
Standard SE equipment includes a fixed panoramic roof, pixel LED headlights and Windsor leather (gorgeous smell, lovely squish as you settle in) and the Meridian stereo, which all took the sting out of long journeys.
The well-sorted fundamentals help here – the space, comfort, isolation from rushing wind or roaring tyres. German rivals just can’t do crunchy-gravel regal like this.
Our £83,620 car was bolstered by over £7k of options, including Firenze Red paint (£895), contrast roof (£950) and 22-inch SV Bespoke alloys (£1600). Along with the wheels, most significant for cost and handling was the £5330 Stormer Handling pack with its e-diff, rear-wheel steering and active anti-roll control.
Dynamically it’s very comfort-focused, and though it’s composed enough to hustle very quickly, it’s never nimble (it’s a tall SUV weighing 2390kg, after all). The ride could be more compliant still, and the lighter plug-in hybrid Velar I recently tried (fitted with the Dynamic Handling pack) struck a more pleasing ride and handling balance.
But overall this has proved hard to beat as posh daily transport. My wife’s converted. The kids think it’s the best car we’ve had. I’m reminded how satisfying a Range Sport can be. This car is going to make someone a cracking used buy.
Read month 1
Read month 2
Read month 3
Read month 4
Read month 5
Count the cost: Range Rover Sport depreciation
Cost new: £90,845
Part-exchange: £64,500
Cost per mile: 24.9p
Cost per mile including depreciation: £1.20
Logbook: Range Rover Sport D300 SE
Price: £83,620 (£90,845 as tested)
Performance: 2997cc turbodiesel six-cylinder, 296bhp, 6.6sec 0-62mph, 135mph
Efficiency: 36.9mpg (official), 33.9mpg (tested), 200g/km CO2
Energy cost: 24.5p per mile
Miles this month: 4074
Total miles: 24,946
Read more long-term tests by CAR magazine