Land Rover, long known as the logo that champions the off-roader, has deepened its on-road driving program for the all-new 2024 Range Rover Sport SV. The mid-size SUV features the responsive, sublime details that characterize the current generation of Rovers, as well as the ultimate complexity of generation and equipment.
From the busy, narrow and hilly streets of Lisbon, Portugal, to the narrow and winding streets of Melides and the Algarve Motorsports Park in Portimão, the Range Rover Sport SV Edition One proved to be a flexible and hospitable host.
It’s not a direct aggression with a roar that frightens smiling schoolchildren or a tremor felt in the kidneys like the products of the Dodge family of brands. The Range Rover Sport SV is a mix of functionality and luxury, toeing the line without getting caught up in the definition of either.
The control edition of the SUV was delivered fully equipped. Its exterior has been enhanced through the SV Carbon Fiber external package, a carbon fiber badge, SV Edition One lettering on the front splitter, and an active exhaust with 4 carbon fiber-wrapped exhaust outlets. The Carbon Bronze matte paint sets the right high-end earthy tone.
The 23-inch carbon fiber wheels were wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport All Season Four tires as standard. Buyers can opt for the newly formulated Michelin Pilot Sport Five summer tires, optimized for dry-weather performance, which will be available more frequently this year. The dealer-installed option is the same type of tyres as on the new Aston Martin Vantage, but with other tread attributes particular to the Landie.
Compared to the classic Range Rover Sport, the SV features new front and rear bumpers and redesigned lower sides.
The look is competitive but not unelegant. This car stays true to its roots, but amplified, without looking like a predator.
Under the hood is a 4. 4-liter twin-turbo hybrid V8 engine with 626 horsepower, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission specially tailored for the SV. Drivers have 553 pound-feet of torque, allowing the SUV to go from 0 to 60 miles per hour (mph) in 3. 6 seconds and reaching a top speed of 180 mph.
This is where the luxury functionality features shine, thanks to the SV Mode. The pressure on the turbocharged throttle does not cause take-off, but it does cause a constant build-up of force and, with enough pressure, adequate speeds are smoothly achieved. for Lamborghini on the track, in an SUV.
On the streets, even when you’re trudging with the local rider in a more classic riding mode, the pedal gives a moderate response, rolling just as well here as it does on the track.
Solid braking functionality is provided through Brembo carbon ceramic brakes that feature the world’s first X-shaped eight-piston caliper arrangement. Deceleration in the corners of the track is as fast as needed, with as much effort as expected.
The SUV’s 6D Dynamics hydraulic air suspension was the star of the show. With control of forward, backward, side-to-side, yaw and pitch movements, the Range Rover Sport remained pleasantly planted. Even on the track, sitting in the passenger seat alongside a professional rider pushing the style to the limit, there was no need to cover legs or arms. It was the same when you were given the steering wheel and drove with necessarily less exact movements.
Sure, there were some changes, but frame movements were remarkably limited in the hairpin bends of Portimão. Many low sports cars have a larger frame than this tall five-door.
Add to that those new-to-market tires and the Rover holds up to the asphalt in a really impressive way.
Portimão is also home to a slightly off-road track. While it’s not as challenging as some of the terrain Land Rover has subjected its cars to in Beyond-style launch tests, the terrain proved challenging enough to show just how smart the downhill car is. The control is (an application measured in a way that makes a Ford Bronco engineer fade away with jealousy) and the regularity of throttle control that allows the SUV’s torque to perform the task without the need for a case of two-speed motion.
Turning the SUV on a 31-degree incline showed just how stiff the car’s chassis is and how it behaves in overdriving situations.
Unimproved roads around southwestern Portugal put the dynamic formula to the test, and it missed virtually every opportunity to get passengers out of their comfortable seats.
The rear-wheel guide cements Sport styling as much more than just a family transport vehicle. Land Rover executes its maneuvers better than what’s found in many models with similar technology, adding the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV. Technology makes all-rounders. It’s easier, but at the end of the day, for most buyers, the trick lies in how the SUV can navigate a parking lot as it should or make a U-turn in traffic. It achieves this with impressive results.
The interior of the car is fine. Although not as sumptuous as the Range Rover SV, the Sport SV offers plenty of comfort and elegance. Among the biggest delights are the SV Performance front seats with 16-way heating and ventilation and massage capabilities. They hug freely and support without restricting, while offering a comfortable landing zone for the back.
The Body and Soul Seat (BASS) generation allows users to feel the pulsations of music in their bodies through physical movements rather than just spatial sound. This means there’s no need to turn up the volume to the maximum point to achieve visceral reverb, saving your ears without wasting Surround sound delights when paired with the SUV’s Meridian Signature audio system.
Users can opt for another five pulse points, combined with other rhythms, as the SUV’s reflective trim point.
Land Rover equips the model with its latest infotainment system, housed on a 13. 1-inch touchscreen. The screen rarely responds as well as you’d like, but the interface is one of the most aesthetically pleasing you’ll find.
The integrated navigation works perfectly, projecting onto the screen in front of the driver and on the centrally located touchscreen. This central display also serves all weather and adjustment conditions and is relatively easy to use on the go.
The heated seats are sturdier than those Subaru and Volvo have in their cars, and the temperature dial is accurate, unlike what you get, say, in a Nissan.
The Landie wins again for its adjustable degrees of protection sensors. Reducing sensitivity allows the driver to navigate the bridges and narrow roads that Europe is known for without having to pay attention to the constant, annoying beeps. If you’re in a particularly cramped spot and can’t see well due to the Rover Sport’s wide hips, you can navigate safely.
The Range Rover Sport SV is an SUV for buyers who want speed, luxury and off-road performance. But he’s perfectly satisfied as a parking princess. There is no other vehicle on the market that also operates in this line.
For $181,775 adding up destination and delivery costs, it’s better. That’s a big change.
If you need to, you will have to stand in line. This year’s allocation has already been exhausted.
Eileen Falkenberg-Hull leads the Auto team at Newsweek. She has written extensively about the automotive sector for U. S. News.