2022 Land Rover Range Rover Sport

Range Rover Sport 2021-2022 Review

There hasn’t quite been a product as curious and interesting as the Range Rover Sport in a while, because it’s one that was developed without necessity nor to fill any particular niche – and yet it could easily be viewed as such. One could consider it a lucky mistake, perhaps, but since the first generation’s introduction back in 2009, the model has never been more popular.

One could postulate that the Range Rover Sport was created because Range Rovers had grown to astronomical proportions – something that every automaker is facing and struggling with as all of their products seem to have shifted by an entire segment size over the last twenty years or so. The alternative argument is that smaller, more compact luxury SUVs were seeing a rise in the early 2000s as German luxury automakers joined this long uncontested segment.

Both of these would be half-truths, but neither really explain the rationale properly. The average Range Rover owner or consumer isn’t going to be turned down by size – in fact, size can be viewed as a mark of prestige or wealth, which is why the Range Rover is still largely popular to this day, along with other massive luxury SUVs.

At the same time, even though the Range Rover Sport is smaller than a Range Rover, it doesn’t really compete on the same playing field as other luxury SUVs. There isn’t the cross-shopping that you would perhaps expect, despite the Range Rover Sport having relatively similar price points in the same way nobody cross-shops a Range Rover Evoque with similarly priced German alternatives.

The second generation Range Rover Sport was brought into the world in 2013 and has endured until today in this form. While there are technically two variants on offer locally, only one is currently offered and catered for as the SVR variant may be a special-order product that can be specified to a customer’s requirements.

Range Rover Sport 2021-2022 Specifications

While there are technically two variants of the Range Rover Sport available in Malaysia, the only one with listed specifications is for the 3.0L MHEV variant. The term MHEV isn’t often used in Malaysia, but essentially it stands for Mild Hybrid Electric Vehicle – and it really does mean mild. Compared to your regular hybrid electric vehicles that have an electric motor working in tandem with a conventional engine, an MHEV may charge and deploy electrical energy in different ways.

In the case of the Range Rover Sport, the MHEV powertrain packs a turbocharged 3.0-litre petrol engine that makes 360 PS and 495 Nm of torque. The electric component here doesn’t supply additional power, but instead comes into play by allowing the engine to shut off when coasting, coming to a stop, or starting off again. With this electrical assistance alone there is a significant increase in efficiency.

Power is spread across all four wheels through an eight-speed conventional automatic transmission. There’s also a twin-speed transfer box for high and low gear ranges – which shows that it’s really capable of going off the beaten path if you need it to, and do so in comfort and style.

The construction of the chassis for the Range Rover Sport is an interesting point. The first generation proved to be significantly lighter than a full on Range Rover not only because it was smaller, but because it began to incorporate monocoque elements in the construction, avoiding the extreme heft of a body-on-frame chassis like Range Rovers of old.

However, by 2013 both the Range Rover and the Range Rover Sport were constructed on an all-aluminium monocoque style chassis that really helped to shave weight in the case of the former. Don’t be mistaken though, the Range Rover Sport still weights over two-tonnes with the powertrain that’s offered locally. Dimensionally the Range Rover Sport measures 4,879 mm long, 1,803 mm tall, and 2,220 mm wide with a wheelbase of 2,923 mm. There is a wading depth of 850 mm thanks to electronic air suspension, and a whopping 104.3 litres large fuel tank.

Range Rover Sport 2021-2022 Exterior

You have three different wheel options to select from with your Range Rover Sport – a five split-spoke style silver 20-inch wheel, or two different  21-inch five split-spoke designs. Matrix LED headlights with daytime running lights and LED taillights complete the exterior package.

Range Rover Sport 2021-2022 Interior

There are three interior colour options you can select for the Range Rover Sport. The safetst option would be ebony seats with an ebony interior and cirrus headlining. Alternatives would be an ivory seat and ebony interior with ivory headlining, or espresso and almond interiors with ivory headlining. Beyond this it’s pretty par for the course with Range Rover’s design language and layout, although the front seats are sixteen-way electrically adjustable with heating functionality and all seats are trimmed in Windsor leather. Ambient lighting is always a nice touch for night time drives.

Range Rover Sport 2021-2022 Safety Features

The Range Rover Sport doesn’t quite have the advanced safety systems package that you might expect, but at the very least it comes packaged with Lane Departure Warning. Other items like front and rear parking aids, ABS with EBD and brake assist, and electronic stability and traction control are present.

Range Rover Sport 2021-2022 Strengths & Weakness

You might have fairly valid reasons for wanting an SUV. The higher hip-point makes it easier and more comfortable getting in and out, and the overall height helps with visibility and provides a commanding driving position. You may also want the space and lament the fact that we don’t have very many wagons on our market. You may want all of this with a luxury package, which is the whole point of luxury SUVs.

With all of this in mind, there’s no real reason to opt for something as large as a full-sized Range Rover – especially with the size of our parking spaces and our roads. The Range Rover Sport is a goldilocks size if you will – larger than an Evoque or Velar, but not quite so large as to be ultimately cumbersome.

Range Rover Sport 2021-2022 Price

There are two listed variants of the Range Rover Sport for sale in Malaysia. The higher specification SVR variant comes it at RM 1,620,800.00 – though it would be best to contact your nearest Land Rover dealer if you have any interest in this variant as it may be only available on special order and require option selection. If you want your Range Rover Sport right now, the 3.0L MHEV variant goes for RM 808,258.45 – inclusive of current sales tax exemptions, and a five-year, 150,000 kilometer warranty, as well as five-year or 65,000 kilometre servicing, and three years of roadside assistance.

Range Rover Sport 2021-2022 Features

Functionality and features in the Range Rover Sport are reasonable, with Apple Car Play and Android Auto being the most important in a modern car. A 12.3-inch driver interactive display is present, along with inbuilt navigation and the InControl Touch Pro Duo system to interact with the infotainment. Sound reproduction is executed courtesy of an eight-speaker, 250W sound system.

Range Rover Sport 2021-2022 Fuel Consumption

There is no manufacturer quoted fuel consumption figure for the Range Rover Sport in its 3.0L MHEV variant here in Malaysia, but the closest figure we can find is from the North American market which declares it as 9.2 litres per 100 kilometres, or 10.9 kilometres per litre. That being said, the powertrain is turbocharged which means hard driving and heavy acceleration is going to burn through fuel quicker than you might expect.