Land Rover Range Rover Sport 2009 Review

Sand. Can't eat it, can't drink it, can't swim in it.

Actually, I'm wrong. You can swim in it.

I did just that while wearing the latest fashion item, a Range Rover Sport.

In my defence, it was a stinking hot day and the sand was on fire. The corner of the track was in a depression and had been churned up by countless 4WDs in the past.

Of course, what could stop a V8 turbo-diesel Range Rover Sport? It comes with air suspension with height adjustment, a low-range gearbox with deep ratios, fat 19-inch tyres and 650Nm of torque driving through various diff locks.

What stopped it was the driver failing to properly survey the route.

The near 3-tonnes of English-made 4WD just hit the sand pit with its 40-plus pressured front tyres turned just enough to bite two holes in the dirt.

Yes, it eventually was dug out after the tyres were deflated to 16psi.

This was the only event in the testing of the big wagon and, notably, happened at the same place three weeks prior that a Land Rover Discovery turbo-diesel just idled through.

For all other tests, the Range Rover Sport trod some demanding trails with consummate ease.

Its long-travel suspension and unceasing diesel engine thump pulled it across a beach, later up through eroded gravel patches and on highways between small towns.

On the road it is a limousine with surprising comfort and even more staggering handling.

It is quiet, smooth and the plush cabin trim impresses with its quality and sense of expensive cost.

Crank up the 11-speaker audio and bask in Bach, if you like, while silently taking in the passing scenery.

It will also seat five adults and envelope their luggage and can tow up to 3500kg.

The fact that it has all this saloon-car luxury in a wagon body with a low-range gearbox and the sophisticated Land Rover Terrain Response system — more on that later — makes it one huge step ahead of its more road-oriented rivals.

And that's the key. This can be a family wagon for cruising the streets or something that — aside from powdery sand — will go anywhere an adventure beckons.

Pricing and engines

It's also not overly expensive. Sure, $118,900 isn't cheap but it's value for the money against its rivals that include the Mercedes ML500, BMW X5 4.8, Audi Q7 4.2 and Porsche Cayenne diesel. Only the Porsche, by the way, has a low-range gearbox.

The Sport gets a choice of four engines with prices spanning $90,900 for the 2.7-litre V6 turbo-diesel through the 3.6-litre V8 turbo-diesel tested here, the 4.4-litre V8 petrol and 4.2-litre V8 petrol with supercharger that asks $144,900.

Subjectively, the 3.6 suits the task better than the rest.

It has a modest diesel clatter at idle though, like most good oil burners, softens to become inaudible while cruising.

Power is generous and it's only the bit of lag off the mark — more to do with the auto transmission than the engine's urge — that at first concerns the driver.

Transmission

Like its sisters, power goes through a ZF auto with sequential shift to a constant 4WD system. Safety equipment includes electronic stability control which enhances the all-weather grip of the four wheels.

The low-range box has the neat Land Rover Terrain Response which, basically, allows the driver to select an off-road program to suit the conditions.

It's a twist dial on the dash and, spelt out in kindergarten graphics, is a selection of sand, rocks, slippery grass and bitumen.

That works with another switch for height adjustment; another for the secondary gearbox's low or high range ratios; and a press button for hill descent to automatically control downhill speeds in slippery conditions.

It seems like a switchboard for a WWII tank driver but in practice is simple, effective and fast.

Packaging

Land Rover designers have some sensitivity to bus drivers by retaining, for decades, big steering wheels. There are times when you feel like guiding a Foden through city streets and others, notably in the bush, where the big wheel minimises steering kickback and softens the blows of harsh offroad bumps.

It is the only indication that you're in something big. Even the size of the Sport is diminished by the airy feeling of its cabin, the squared body shape and the helpful parking sensors.

It's not difficult or threatening to drive and even though it can lift its skirts and really turn on the performance, the engine is reasonably frugal.

It's a top machine but, after playing in the sand pit, there may be more interest for the offroad enthusiast in the Discovery.

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Specs

LAND ROVER RANGE ROVER SPORT TDV8

Origin: England

Price: $118,900

Engine: 3.6-litre, V8, quad-cam, turbocharger, intercooler

Power: 200kW @ 4000rpm

Torque: 640Nm @ 2000rpm

0-100km/h: 9.2 seconds

Top speed: 200km/h

Fuel: Diesel

Fuel tank: 105 litres

Economy (official): 11.1 litres/100km

Economy (tested): 12.6 litres/100km

Greenhouse: 294g/km (Corolla: 175g/km)

Transmission: 6-speed auto, sequential; 2-speed electronic transfer; constant 4WD

Weight: 2710kg

Towing (max): 3500kg