Land Rover Range Rover Sport

Model Overview

The Land Rover Range Rover Sport is a sporty luxury mid-to-large SUV from Jaguar Land Rover's (JLR) Range Rover line-up, inheriting the Range Rover family's luxury DNA alongside more than half a century of Land Rover's off-road pedigree, standing out with its "modern luxury" design philosophy. On 26 March 2026, the 2026 Range Rover Sport was officially launched in China with a four-variant line-up, with official retail prices ranging from RM898,000 to RM1,950,000. The specific variants comprise: the entry-level 360PS S (RM898,000), 400PS Dynamic SE (RM988,000), 400PS AB (RM1,198,000), and the flagship 4.4 V8 SV (RM1,950,000). In terms of dimensions, it measures 4,946 × 2,047 × 1,820 (1,814) mm in length, width, and height respectively, with a wheelbase of 2,997 mm. Configured with a 5-seater layout, its chief rivals include luxury mid-to-large SUVs such as the Mercedes-Benz GLE, BMW X5, and Porsche Cayenne.

Design Language

In terms of exterior styling, the 2026 Range Rover Sport carries forward the iconic design language of the Range Rover family. The front fascia features the signature inverted trapezoidal grille with a black honeycomb mesh, flanked by darkened headlights integrated seamlessly with the grille. Hallmark cues such as the floating roof, clamshell bonnet, and sleek proportions have been retained, which, together with flush deployable door handles and intelligent digital LED headlights, achieve a low drag coefficient of just 0.29 Cd. Around the back, the SUV is fitted with slim, smoked taillights and a dual-sided dual-outlet exhaust setup.

Inside, the cabin features a minimalist T-shaped dashboard layout housing a 13.7-inch fully digital instrument cluster and a 13.1-inch curved floating touchscreen infotainment display. Premium materials include high-grade leather, natural wood trim, and eco-friendly Ultrafabrics™ upholstery. The AB variant gets Semi-Aniline perforated leather seats and illuminated Autobiography front treadplates as standard. A 30-colour ambient lighting system comes standard across the range.

Powertrain and Performance

The 2026 Range Rover Sport is offered with three powertrain options:

• 360PS S variant: Powered by a 3.0-litre turbocharged inline-six engine paired with a 48V mild-hybrid (MHEV) system, producing 360 hp and 550 Nm of torque.

• 400PS Dynamic SE/AB variants: Features a higher-output tune of the same 3.0T engine, delivering 400 hp and 550 Nm of torque, completing the 0-100 km/h sprint in 5.5 seconds.

• 635PS SV variant: Powered by a BMW-sourced 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 engine with a 48V mild-hybrid system, pumping out 635 hp (467 kW) and 750 Nm. The 0-100 km/h century sprint is completed in just 3.6 to 3.9 seconds, on to a top speed of 290 km/h.

All models are paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission and come standard with a permanent all-wheel drive (AWD) system. In global markets, a P460e plug-in hybrid (PHEV) variant (3.0T + 160 kW electric motor) is also available, offering a WLTP electric-only range of around 126 km.

Chassis and Handling

The chassis extensively uses premium aluminium alloy, with 80% aluminium construction resulting in a 35% increase in torsional rigidity. The suspension setup comes standard with dual-chamber twin-valve air suspension and Adaptive Dynamics. The AB variant and higher trims add All-Wheel Steering (with up to 7.3 degrees of rear-wheel steering), an Electronic Active Differential, and Torque Vectoring by Braking. The range-topping SV variant benefits from the 6D Dynamics hydraulic suspension system, integrating hydraulically linked dampers with pitch control, eliminating the need for conventional anti-roll bars.

Off-road prowess is underpinned by Terrain Response 2 with selectable drive modes. Key off-road geometry figures include an approach angle of 33°, a departure angle of 29.8°, a ramp breakover angle of 25.2°, a ground clearance of 278 mm, and a wading depth of 900 mm. All-Terrain Progress Control (ATPC) and Hill Descent Control (HDC) come standard.

Cabin and Equipment

The cockpit runs on the InControl OS 2.0 infotainment system (Pivi Pro 4.0), supporting 5G connectivity and over-the-air (OTA) updates. The system also supports dual-zone voice control and wireless Apple CarPlay connectivity. For audio, the S variant features a Meridian™ Sound System as standard, while the AB variant offers the option of a Meridian™ Signature Sound System with 3rd-generation Active Noise Cancellation.

In terms of convenience and comfort, standard equipment across the range includes four-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats, power-adjustable rear seats, and keyless entry. The Dynamic SE variant adds 22-way power-adjustable front seats (with heating, ventilation, and winged headrests), heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel, soft-close doors, and deployable side steps. The AB variant gains a front centre console refrigerator compartment. The 2026 model year also sees a trim realignment—adding 23-inch alloy wheels and powered deployable side steps, while dropping front fog lamps, the digital streaming rear-view mirror, and wireless smartphone charging.

Safety and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems

On the active safety front, the 2026 Range Rover Sport comes standard with a Level 2 ADAS suite. Key features include Emergency Braking, Blind Spot Assist, Lane Keep Assist, Driver Condition Monitor, Traffic Sign Recognition, and a 3D Surround Camera system. It also comes with front and rear parking sensors and Rear Traffic Monitor. Selected higher trims offer optional Navigation Pilot Assist for highway and urban driving. Passive safety features include front airbags, front side airbags, and a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). Electronic Traction Control (ETC), Roll Stability Control (RSC), and Trailer Stability Assist (TSA) are standard across the board.

Market Performance and Verdict

Ever since its debut, the Range Rover Sport has carved out a formidable niche in the luxury performance SUV segment, thanks to its distinct dual personality of "on-road performance combined with genuine all-terrain capability". The 2026 update sharpens its competitive edge with a streamlined variant line-up and revised equipment specifications. However, the omission of several tech features in this model-year refresh (such as the digital rear-view mirror, wireless smartphone charging, and a reduction in speaker count from 16 to 11) has drawn some controversy.

Against its segment competitors, the Range Rover Sport's key strengths lie in its blistering 0-100 km/h acceleration of 3.6 seconds (SV variant), go-anywhere prowess backed by a 900 mm wading depth and the Terrain Response system, as well as engaging on-road driving dynamics courtesy of its sport-tuned chassis. On the flip side, its shortcomings include trade-offs in certain tech features and fuel economy (with a kerb weight exceeding 2.5 tonnes). Land Rover has confirmed that an all-electric Range Rover Sport EV will arrive in 2027. As a quintessential benchmark for all-round luxury sports SUVs in the internal combustion engine era, the 2026 Range Rover Sport continues to define the segment standard with its muscular powertrain line-up, cutting-edge chassis technology, and peerless all-terrain capabilities.