Is 2023 Range Rover is a new model?
 Show
The first new Range Rover Sport in nine years has arrived, with engines and technology that place it right up with the flagship Range Rover. More than simply an option for those who can't afford a Range Rover, the Sport has become an icon in its own right. Trent Nikolic samples a variety of new models at the international launch in Spain. What we love
What we don’t
2023 Range Rover SportWhen Range Rover first announced the imminent launch of a 'Sport' variant, the public were sceptical. So too were rusted on fans of the legendary Range Rover badge and everything it stood for. The thinking was it would water down the narrative that the world's first luxury four-wheel-drive had written. It's hard to believe now, but the naysayers genuinely thought it wouldn't work. Fast forward to 2022 and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say Land Rover can't keep up with demand, such is the popularity of the Range Rover's not so little sibling. Fans are many, and with competent on-road handling, matched by off-road prowess, towing capability and effortless long-haul touring, the Sport makes a lot of sense to a lot of Australian buyers. The new model is more closely matched to the flag-bearer than ever before, and as such, it looks set to impress on paper. A range of quality engines, plenty of power and torque, and Range Rover's signature attention to detail meet the luxury SUV brief to the letter. How much does the 2023 Range Rover Sport cost in Australia?On test at the international first drive in Spain, we're sampling an array of new Sports, on and off-road ahead of their arrival in Australia later this year. We'll be testing the First Edition 4.4 V8, the Dynamic SE 3.0 i6, the Electric Hybrid Autobiography 3.0 i6 and the SE D6H - quite the smorgasbord in other words. Our pricing and specification story lists in detail the models that will be available in Australia and the order they will arrive in. As ever with Range Rover, there's a dizzying array of options available, not to mention engines and trim grades. From launch, you'll be able to choose between five model grades, with up to seven engine choices, before you even get to the options list. Petrol, diesel and hybrid are all on the table, and in 2024 there'll be an electric Sport as well. The Range Rover Sport, like the big boss Range Rover, is a difficult proposition to pigeon hole in terms of what potential buyers cross shop it with. Are they looking at a BMW X5 or X6? Probably. A GLE or GLE Coupe? Maybe. Range Rover buyers have probably even perused an Aston Martin DBX or Bentley Bentayga brochure, but invariably, most people who want a Range Rover, buy a Range Rover. The Range Rover Sport's styling is undoubtedly a large part of the reason buyers are attracted to it in the first place, and the new Sport cuts a striking figure on the road, regardless of colour, or wheel choice. There's a new platform under the skin and according to Range Rover, nearly every panel is new. Wheels up to a whopping 23-inches are available, with all of them looking attractive inside the sleek arches. Whether or not you 'need' 23-inch wheels on your SUV, most buyers will want them. We even tackled some rocky off-road terrain with the 23s, more on that soon. Pricing for the range starts from just over $139,000 before on-road costs, and will head north of $200,000 for the most expensive Sport, with options. The most popular Range Rover Sport in Australia is likely to be the R-Dynamic SE D300 with 221kW and 650Nm, starting from $151,026 before on-road costs.
How much space does the 2023 Range Rover Sport have inside?The first thing you'll notice, is the insulated quality of the Range Rover Sport cabin. It's beautifully executed, but also a sumptuous place to spend a long drive. In fact, there's a lot about the Sport's cabin, regardless of trim grade to be frank, that separates it from the full-fat Range Rover. If this is a 'lesser' model it certainly doesn't feel like it from behind the wheel. Families buyers will love the amount of space on offer in the second row, but also the sense of luxury throughout the cabin. It oozes from every surface, every finish, and every detail. There's little wonder the Sport has been as successful as it has, and this new model is a new standard setter for the brand. Much of the switchgear and layout is similar to that of the Range Rover, and that's no bad thing given the quality of that new model, too. As ever with Land Rover product, there's a dizzying array of options and ways to specify your Sport, meaning you can really tailor the execution of the SUV to suit your tastes. The second row has leg and headroom befitting a limousine, and with 835L expanding out to 1860L, there's plenty of storage for the family too, even if you take regular long-haul road trips.
Does the 2023 Range Rover Sport have Apple CarPlay?The upgraded infotainment system is another factor that positions the Sport closer to the flagship than it's ever been. The standard Pivi Pro infotainment system is easy to use and comes with over the air updates as well as voice command software. The central 13.1-inch central touchscreen is clear, not overly prone to fingerprints, and is gently curved as well. It's easy to look at, even in direct light, too. You'll need to work out some of the complexity to the menu system in that there is a lot you can control and customise, but it's not difficult to work out, which is a good thing for anyone either new to the brand or new to an infotainment system of this capability. The response time was swift for us on test, and the maps especially were clear and accurate. We tested wireless charging, and Apple CarPlay and both worked well. I don't like the way my phone heats up when I charge it wirelessly, so I'd opt for the connected method, but the wireless system works well without glitches. As stated in our Range Rover review, we'll delve further into the infotainment system when the Range Rover Sport lands locally later this year. Is the 2023 Range Rover Sport a safe car?
Thus far, the new Sport is untested by both Euro NCAP and our own ANCAP safety body. As such, we're unable to rate its inherent safety against our scoring criteria. Sport does, like any Range Rover product, come with a full suite of safety equipment, and we'd expect it to score well once it is tested. Standard safety features across the range include autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control with steering assist, driver attention monitoring, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, automatic parking, and traffic sign recognition. There’s also a 360-degree camera with a 3D view and front and rear parking sensors, plus an automated lane change system activated by the indicators, and a remote parking function allowing drivers to move the vehicle forward or back from their phone while standing beside the car.
How much does the 2023 Range Rover Sport cost to maintain?Ingenium engines are covered by Land Rover's five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty and you can also opt for a five-year capped price servicing plan, which covers you out to 130,000km. Services are required every 24 months or 26,000km, but Land Rover explains that it has a 'condition-based servicing' system whereby the vehicle will notify you if it needs a service sooner.
Is the 2023 Range Rover Sport fuel efficient?Surprisingly yes, in terms of the claim. Land Rover quotes 11.8L/100km on the combined cycle, and we'll report back once we spend more time with the Sport around town in our own local conditions. The live figure on the highway was as low as single digits on our launch drive, but expect the figure to climb if you're enthusiastic with your right foot. Given the response of the engine, it's fair to assume you will be.
What is the 2023 Range Rover Sport like to drive?Starting out our launch sampling with the new 4.4-litre twin turbo V8 is something of an unfair beginning, given the thumping 390kW and 700Nm shove in the back it delivers. No other engine variant will match the sheer force and pace of the masterful V8. Get it while you can too, you know the future is going to be a lot quieter. Back to more serious matters, there will be numerous engines available, as per the Land Rover brief of late. They include a 3.0-litre inline six turbo diesel with 48-volt mild hybrid, a 3.0-litre inline six turbo petrol with 48-volt mild-hybrid, the aforementioned V8 (now supplied by BMW, replacing Land Rover's outgoing supercharged V8) and a 3.0-litre inline six turbo petrol with plug-in hybrid technology. Plenty to choose from, and the engines will come in different states of tune, too. There's so much to dissect from what was a short launch drive. First up, the Range Rover Sport is excellent on road, even at speed on twisty sections. Yes, it's heavy, and you need to be aware of that if you need to pull it up quickly, but it has a sense of balance and poise that is beyond any previous Range Rover Sport we've tested. The brakes work well, but you do need to use them with some muscle at speed, and the steering isn't tuned to tight switchbacks at ten tenths either. Is it putting more 'sport' in the Sport badge though? Almost certainly. It's also capable off-road, way beyond what anyone will ever expect their expensive SUV investment to tackle. So much so, that you wince every time you clamber over a low-range challenge, but that's part of Land Rover's non-negotiable DNA. According to Land Rover, huge amounts of work has gone into refining the new platform, injecting some of that sporting DNA, and ensuring the new Sport was a fitting successor to the incredibly popular outgoing model. This is no badge-engineering exercise then, rather a specifically tuned model designed to do certain things well. One of the things the V8 does well is get cracking. A 0-100km/h run in the mid 4-second range, and powering on beyond 200km/h with ease, all with the rumble of a V8 engine from the nose, ensure you're never left wanting for more grunt, on any road. As you approach redline, the accompanying wail is intoxicating. Forget the six-cylinder version, as good as it is, you know you want the V8. We all do. That said, and triviality aside, the inline six (diesel or petrol) is a thing of beauty in an engineering sense. The diesel is fuel efficient, and the petrol has a beautiful throaty note as the revs rise, and is still capable of delivering a sub 6.0-second run to 100km/h. it doesn't tail off as the revs rise either, with beautiful linear power delivery to match the exhaust note. Inline sixes are fantastic engines and the Land Rover version here, is a good one. The trick that Land Rover engineers had to master here, was tying the Range Rover Sport down enough to feel, well, sporty – but also allowing for that insulated, cosseted ride that Range Rover buyers expect. One again, I think they have nailed the brief, perhaps better than any other manufacturer can. It's not a Porsche Cayenne, but a Cayenne doesn't ride with such sumptuous insulation either. I know what I'd prefer in my luxury SUV. It's interesting how the rear-wheel steering works. More aggressively tuned than the system in the big sibling, you can actually feel it working, even at speed, and it does take a little getting used to. You expect to notice it tightening the radius at low speed in traffic or when parking, but you don't always feel the rear wheels working at pace. With the Sport, you can.
Should I buy a 2023 Range Rover Sport?It's difficult to find fault with the new Range Rover Sport, such is the competence of the all-round package, regardless of the engine variant. Getting the model you want might be hard. And working out which options to pay for, is also difficult. This is an accomplished luxury SUV, that you can have some fun driving though. And it comes with a serious dollop of street presence and credibility. It's also better than any Sport that went before it, too, and as a potential farewell to the old ways of powering a vehicle, it's a fitting swan song. Editor's Note: Due to the international launch drive, we're holding off scoring this vehicle until it arrives in Australia for local testing. Trent Nikolic has been road testing and writing about cars for almost 20 years. He’s been at CarAdvice/Drive since 2014 and has been a motoring editor at the NRMA, Overlander 4WD Magazine, Hot4s and Auto Salon Magazine. Read more about Trent Nikolic Will the Range Rover change in 2023?Freshly redesigned for the 2023 model year, the Range Rover Sport will come to the US in two forms: a V8-powered P530 First Edition starting at $122,850 and a range of hybrid inline six-cylinder-powered models starting at $83,000.
Is Range Rover coming out with a new model?THE NEW RANGE ROVER – 50 YEARS IN THE MAKING
The fifth-generation Range Rover makes its debut for 2022 in standard – or long-wheelbase form in SE, Autobiography, or First Edition trim.
When can you buy 2023 Range Rover?The 2023 Range Rover Sport release date was May 10, 2022. This brand new model starts at $84,475 for the lowest trim, while the highest First Edition trim will start at $122,975.
What year is the newest Range Rover?New Range Rover Sport 2022.
|
