The Indian car market has gone up by several notches in the past few years. The country has seen a huge growth in terms of buying power. Slowly and steadily even the luxury segment has seen a decent amount of swelling. The year 2018 turned out to be challenging given the Non-Banking Financial Sector scams that made lending for everyone difficult. However, the stability in government this year and imports challenges for the market leader, Mercedes, makes things interesting for the entire segment. Thus creating space for some new growth. Launched by British Leyland back in 1970, Range Rover has become an indemnity for luxury full-sized SUVs. The carline currently headed by the Land Rover, under the Jaguar land Rover, has over the years developed its fanbase and has become a symbol for rugged toughness meeting class. One of the key leaders of this identity of the car line is Range Rover Sport. A part of the extended Range Rover family, this vehicle was first introduced to the market back in the year 2005. Since then the car has had a strong run with its first generation. The second generation was launched 2013 and its facelift version was introduced in the year 2018. Let us take a closer look at the new Range Rover Sport and understand what does the car offer.
EXTERIOR
Range Rover line offers to dominate the stylish look. It is a signature style which this vehicle carries. The car has its own identity which it manages to retain both in terms of size and design. The company has added a new front grille, inspired from the one seen on the Velar. The grille, with the 'RANGE ROVER' badge on the bonnet, further adds to the power look. On both side of the grille are the Matrix-LED headlamps with signature LED DRLs. The car provides serious road presence with its 5-meter length. It is powerful and the large 21-inch 'diamond-turned' alloy wheels further give it a more dramatical look. The dual-tone blacktop above the shoulder line adds to the narrative making the car a spectacle. The rear has amazing and well placed LED lights. To add to the authenticity to its sports look the car also gets a spoiler on top. The Sport distinguishing itself from other cars of the line with its slightly sloping roofline, slimmer glass area and the squarish crease that runs between the two-wheel arches. Overall the car manages to leave an impressive look. The side profile comes across as the strongest and leaves a lasting impression. The car is bound to make head turns wherever it enters. The company has done an amazing job.
Interior
Range Rover Sport maintains is just as good as the previous models. Spacious and comfortable. The most talked-about thing of this car is the new infotainment system, the dual 10.0-inch touchscreen Touch Pro Duo. The system has been upgraded with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. However, it’s not the features offered but the interface itself that has created divided opinions on the set-up. The upper screen is adjustable for angle and controls the commonly accessed functions. The lower screen is focused on climate control and off-road mode settings. The upper screen obeys voice commands for the majority of functions and hence is get easy to use too. However, when you need things like adjusting blower speed, you will have to use way around the lower screen, and this causes discomfort. A luxury vehicle cannot afford something like this because the audience is essentially paying for comfort. Apart from this, the screens themselves are great. They have high-resolution and fantastic graphics. The digital dials are slick too and one will easily fall in love with the touchpads on the steering for the way they look. The rest of the car is almost the same as regular Range Rover models. They have a lot of space. The car gives the driver a commanding view and keeps a lot of space for comfort. An interesting move is to give up the third row for the Indian audience. The car also has all the regular features one would expect out of it. Most of the things are placed well. The car feels premium and sporty at the same time. Interiors have been done well.
Driving
The thing with such deluxe vehicles is that they need to offer everything starting from class to exciting riding. A car like Range Rover Sport needs to be capable of handling majestic riding as well as rough terrains for an adventure ride. If not do they end up tanking. The size at which this car comes in means even the handling needs to be taken extra care of from the car’s end. Let us take a closer look if the vehicle manages to live up to all of this or not. The power delivery is nice when the engine and 8-speed automatic gearbox are on their device. The build of speed is fair and is particularly great while riding in cities. The calmness to take care that the ride doesn’t go out of control in heavy traffic. The problem begins when you go for the punch. The press down on the accelerator to get the engine excited is particularly hard. That might not be the most desirable trait for a car that has Sport in its name. The engine sound has been taken care of very well. It growls when ordered and roars when expected. It suits well with the presence of the car and adds a layer to the vehicle. Whoever was responsible for this has done a great job. The car makes you aware that it’s an elephant that you’re riding. At the same time, it offers a sharp grip and smooth control. The vehicle also makes sure that it doesn’t feel way too heavy. Overall a nice riding experience.
Should I buy One
The target audience isn’t expected to price-conscious. The vehicle starts at 86.71 lakhs and goes up till over a crore. The car provides everything a buyer might want. It has a heavy gravity look which is complemented by a lot of swagger. It looks and feels royal. The driving is comfortable and ranges from slow to rugged. It is comfortable to ride in both in and out of the city. The infotainment system could have been placed better but otherwise, even the interiors are great. The car overall is without any doubt an amazing one. If you are a range rover fan, it’s worth it.
