- Doors and Seats
5 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
3.0DTT/35kW Hybrid, 6 cyl.
- Engine Power
285kW (comb), 170Nm
- Fuel
Diesel 6.4L/100KM
- Manufacturer
4XD
- Transmission
Auto
- Warranty
3 Yr, 100000 KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
Range Rover Sport Hybrid: sporty off-roader offers all the comforts
Hybrids are no longer just quirky machines for those that stand on a green-tinged soapbox. Nope, the proliferation of petrol-electric powertrains has spread across the automotive landscape, from city cars to supercars, as a result of tightening emission regulations.
Large, family SUVs are the most vulnerable to those encroaching fuel consumption targets, and car makers are out to protect their most popular models with a raft of hybrid variants that compensate for their size with the ability to run for short distances on electric power alone.
Land Rover, which only produces family-sized soft- and off-roaders, has joined the hybrid revolution with its first petrol-electric models.
What do you get?
The conventional Range Rover Sport family starts at a reasonable $92,600 (plus on-road costs) for the entry-level TDV6 and tops out at $218,500 for the recently released flagship, high-performance SVR variant.
In between, in price, performance and general philosophy – and also arriving in local showrooms recently – is the Range Rover Sport Hybrid, the company's first petrol-electric model.
Available only with the higher-spec SDV6 turbo diesel, and in either mid-grade HSE or the top-shelf Autobiography trim we're testing, entry to the hybrid starts at $146,900 (plus on-road costs). While that's a hefty premium to pay, (it's $21,500 more expensive than the equivalent, non-hybrid Rangie Sport), it isn't out of the ball park against the limited choice of petrol-electric SUV rivals from luxury brands such as Porsche and the imminent arrival of other alternatives from Volvo, BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz.
It comes fairly well equipped with full leather trim, keyless entry, dual-zone climate control, eight-inch colour touchscreen with Bluetooth, sat nav and an eight-speaker audio system, 21-inch alloys and a fully digital instrument panel.
The Autobiography, which costs $165,300 (plus on-roads) gets additional features such as higher-grade leather, 18-way adjustable front seats, an airconditioned centre console, adjustable ambient lighting, 825W Meridian sound system with 19 speakers and an automated high beam for the Xenon headlamps.
Both models have a swag of safety systems, including a myriad of off-road functions, as well as eight airbags, front and rear parking sensors and a reversing camera. Towing capacity is reduced over non-hybrid models, but its 3000-kilogram braked trailer rating is still more than adequate for most recreational uses.
All Range Rover Sport models are covered by a three-year/100,000km warranty.
What's inside?
There's nothing that screams "greenie" from inside the cabin of the Range Rover Sport Hybrid.
Instead, it's just as luxuriously appointed as the regular models with beautiful, soft-touch leather throughout the cockpit, comfortable, high-perched seats and plenty of space for five adults.
The stylish T-bar dash layout is well executed with all the controls in the most logical places – driving functions around the pistol-grip gear lever, simple aircon dials in the middle of the dash and the touchscreen at the top – and there's a decent array of cubby holes for small item storage while the chilled centre console will keep food fresh and drinks cool on long trips.
Back-seat passengers are treated to individual air vents, plenty of leg room and good vision, while the boot is more than adequate for full family duties.
The only giveaway to its petrol-electric propulsion underneath is the exclusive display on the standard 12.3-inch digital instrument pod, which has a green-tinted power meter instead of a regular tacho as well as a battery charge gauge alongside the regular speedo.
Under the bonnet
The hybrid models team the high-grade 3.0-litre turbo diesel V6 with an electric motor integrated into the gearbox to lift performance and reduce fuel consumption. Unlike other hybrids, the combustion engine retains its healthy 215kW/600Nm outputs while the 35kW/175Nm electric motor helps bring its maximum figures to 250kW at 4000rpm and 700Nm between 1500rpm and 3000rpm.
Those numbers are an identical match for the larger 4.4-litre turbo diesel V8.
The new components add around 350 kilograms to its kerb weight (which counteracts the weight loss achieved by the Range Rover Sport's new aluminium architecture), but with the electric motor mounted within the transmission and the compact lithium-ion battery housed under the floor between the axles, it doesn't compromise its off-roading ability or interior packaging.
On the road, the electric engine is powerful enough to shift its mass away from the lights and in slow-moving traffic jams. It doesn't take much of a dip on the throttle to ignite the diesel engine with a noticeable whirr from its starter motor.
The two engines do however, work well in combination to smooth out the power delivery, with plenty of low-rev surge that builds into serious shove above 2000rpm. At the other end, it cruises effortlessly at highway speeds, sometimes on battery power alone.
As a conventional parallel hybrid, it is relatively efficient for its size with Land Rover claiming an average fuel consumption of 6.4L/100km, but unlike its plug-in rivals it can't travel as far on electric power and therefore doesn't have a headline-grabbing claim. It's a figure that is easier to replicate more closely in the real world: on a mixture of urban and freeway driving, we recorded figure of 7.2L/100km.
On the road
Aside from the engine stopping and starting while on the move, there's very little difference in the way the Hybrid drives from the regular Range Rover Sport. Which is a good thing, as the latest low-roofed Rangie is close to a dynamic benchmark.
It is certainly the most capable off-roader among its sporty rivals, with its multi-mode Terrain2 system adjusting the electronics to handle different surfaces, and the electric motor and battery pack having no effect on its abilities to get off the beaten track.
Riding on air suspension, it is also one of the most comfortable, soaking up most of the road irregularities without bothering the occupants, while also delivering decent dynamic qualities through the corners. It cannot mask the fact it is a heavy car with a high centre of gravity, ensuring it leans and scrubs the front tyres wide when pushed hard in tight bends, but it has a fairly sure-footed and predictable nature with decent feedback through the light steering.
The most unique character trait it has is in the braking department, where it initially uses the drag from the electric motor to slow it down while recharging the battery. Because of that, there is a rather wooden feel through the pedal on the initial application, which takes a while to get used to and modulate smoothly.
Verdict
There is a lot to admire about the Range Rover Sport Hybrid, particularly the nearly seamless integration of the petrol and electric motors and how it hasn't compromised the car's luxurious character, its all-round driving capabilities or its flexible packaging too much.
But I can't help think this car has been created specifically for cities such as London and Los Angeles, which offer incentives for lower-emission vehicles, and until the Australian government does the same its price premium over the regular Rangie Sport is hard to justify.
2015 Range Rover Sport Hybrid Price and Specifications
Price: $165,300 plus on-road costs
Engine: 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel/electric motor
Power: 250kW at 4000rpm
Torque: 700Nm at 1500-3000rpm
Transmission: 8-spd automatic, all-wheel drive
Fuel Use: 6.4L/100km
The Competitors
Porsche Cayenne S e-Hybrid
Price: $140,800 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 3.0-litre V6 supercharged petrol/ electric motor
Power: 306kW at 5500rpm
Torque: 590Nm at 1250-4000rpm
Transmission: 8-spd automatic, AWD
Fuel use: 3.4L/100km
Our score: Not yet rated
Volvo XC90 T8
Price: $122,950 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo petrol/ electric motor
Power: 300kW at 7000rpm
Torque: 640Nm at 2200-4500rpm
Transmission: 8-spd automatic, AWD
Fuel use: 2.1L/100km
Our score: Not Yet Rated
BMW X5 M50d
Price: $148,400
Engine: 3.0-litre six- cylinder triple-turbo diesel
Power: 280kW at 4000-4400rpm
Torque: 740Nm at 2000-3000rpm
Transmission: 8-spd automatic, AWD
Fuel use: 6.6L/100km
Our score: 8/10