Range Rover Sport review - Interior, design and technology
A striking exterior look, along with a luxury cabin and much improved onboard technology mean that the Sport really stands out against its premium rivals
With its flush fitting door handles and smoother body styling, the third-generation Range Rover Sport has a cool, minimalist look. Land Rover itself describes the new model as an evolutionary design, which means the Sport still delivers a strong feeling of luxury.
The attention to detail inside the Sport’s cabin underlines the luxury theme, with plenty of leather and soft materials used throughout – yes, you will find some plastics on show in less frequent touchpoints, but everything feels solid and well built. One small gripe we found during our time with the car, however, was that the steering column didn’t provide enough reach adjustment – a design point which may impact on the overall driving experience for some.
Despite offering lots of onboard technology, the cabin doesn’t feel overburdened with buttons and switches. A 13.1-inch touchscreen takes centre stage and is a huge improvement over the previous model’s infotainment system, boasting sharper graphics and quicker responses to inputs.
Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment
In the last couple of years, Land Rover has rolled out its Pivi Pro system to the entire range. It’s a vast leap forward over what came before, and is a match for the best systems in this segment.
The good news in the Range Rover Sport starts with the screen. At 13.1 inches, the display is vast, and it has a fantastic resolution to back it up. The menus are clearly laid out, with the main screen presenting all of the controls in simple rows of icons. It responds well to touches and, on the whole, the system loads quickly.
The one exception to this is that the satellite-navigation system can be slow at times. As a result, it can be a little bit further behind your actual location, which could cause confusion at unfamiliar junctions. Still, both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay fill out the glorious screen when they’re connected, so it’s no hardship to make the most of your smartphone’s tech instead.
