In-depth reviews

Range Rover Sport owner reviews

Name: Range Rover Sport SUV
Brand: Land Rover

"The Range Rover Sport certainly isn’t cheap, but it offers most of the luxury of its big brother, while also being more enjoyable to drive"

by Carbuyer team

11 Nov 2020

Carbuyer Rating

3.6 out of 5

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Owners Rating

3.5 out of 5

58%of people would recommend this car to a friend.

Owner Rating

4reviews
9reviews
2reviews
5reviews
4reviews

Common Problems

Electrics (1 cases)
Other (3 cases)
Engine (1 cases)
Electrics, Engine, Other (1 cases)
Electrics, Other (3 cases)
Brakes, Electrics, Suspension (1 cases)
Brakes, Electrics, Engine, Gearbox / clutch, Suspension, Other (1 cases)
Suspension (1 cases)

Version

HSE SDV6 Dynamic

Year of registration

2019

Average annual mileage

5,000 – 9,999

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

Great looking car and many good design features but badly let down by poor reliability, especially in the software/electronics area. Dealers do not have fixes for many issues. My Range Rover Sport has been in the dealer workshop for problem fixes every month over the past four or five months. I would not recommend buying one.

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

3.0 V6 HSE

Year of registration

2014

Average annual mileage

5,000 – 9,999

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

Used

Review

A happy (very) owner of a new 2014 Range Rover Sport .Great car, no issues. I was almost going for a Cayenne, but when i saw the new RRS i just loved it. Beautifully finished, great comfort and good MPG. It's a head turner.

Version

3.0 d hse

Year of registration

2019

Average annual mileage

0 – 4,999

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

Great car but poor build quality. Car has glass roof which leaks and leaves a puddle in passenger side footwell. It’s been back at dealership for 2 months now.

Reliability

1 out of 5

Build quality build

Performance

5 out of 5

It performs well when I have it

Running Cost

5 out of 5

Good on fuel

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

2.7-litre

Year of registration

2008

Average annual mileage

5,000 – 9,999

Owned

1 - 2 years

Bought Car

New

Typical MPG

Review

I bought this vehicle just over a year ago with approximately 80,000 miles on the the clock. The vehicle had a full service history and I insisted on having it MOTd and serviced before taking ownership of it. The MOT went through without any issues. I did some research and found that there was a known fault with the suspension and had the company sort out the pump for the suspension which kept bringing up an intermittent error. I've used this vehicle so far for everyday running, both long and short distance, and the biggest issue was fuel consumption. To alleviate this, I had a stage 2 remap done after a full service and now clock 37mpg regularly, my wife gets 4mpg when she drives it. I've now put 11,000 miles on the vehicle and thought it wise to change the cam belt for piece of mind. To date, the vehicle has served me well through any weather system faced and have started every single time. Everything works as it should and a run from south UK to Scotland is actually a lot of fun, covering the trip with 3/4 tank of fuel. This vehicle is one that needs taking care of. Find one that has been loved and continue loving it and it will take you to anywhere under 1.1m of water :)

I would recommend this car to a friend

Year of registration

2015

Average annual mileage

0 – 4,999

Owned

1 - 2 years

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

Just completed 8,600 miles from purchase in March 2015 and the engine has self destructed, namely the big end has gone. It was never driven hard, honest! There was no warning signs to alert me that there might be a problem, it just stopped, unfortunately in the middle of nowhere over a hundred and 20 miles from home. It rather takes the shine off a car I thought was fantastic, but not anymore. The good news is that it was covered by warranty and Land Rover Assist were absolutely superb in every way, top marks for getting to me out there, recovery was excellent and a replacement car was provided to get me home. A brand new engine is being installed without any and if or buts, as it should be when you buy a car from new with this price tag. Top marks for customer service, no marks for engine build quality. This is the 6th Land Rover I've owned and everyone of them has had so many problems, why can't we British go that extra mile with our usual quality products and get it right and keep it that way?

Reliability

2 out of 5

No comment that could be made public

Performance

Superb, if it's not being repaired

Running Cost

For a vehicle this size it is excellent

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

SDV6 HSE

Year of registration

2015

Average annual mileage

5,000 – 9,999

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

This is an excellent car. Not as well engineered as my previous Porsche Cayenne, but more comfortable and has more options provided as standard. The car returns slightly better fuel economy and has better acceleration. The off-roading capabilities are second to none. The infotainment system is a little clonky and outdated but functions. The car has an electronic oil level gauge (no dipstick), which I find a little annoying. It has been extremely reliable to date. I would recommend this vehicle to anyone who is going to tow a trailer or caravan of any weight. It does this supremely.

Reliability

Only had the car for 5 months but extremely reliable so far.

Performance

5 out of 5

This car accelerates like the proverbial off a shovel!!!

Running Cost

5 out of 5

For such a large workhorse, I find the running costs as good as you are going to get.

Version

HSE

Year of registration

2014

Average annual mileage

5,000 – 9,999

Owned

1 - 2 years

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

29.8

Review

This is my 2nd RRS HSE (63 and 64 plate) and the story is the same for both. A superb ride with great performance and economy. I do a lot of long distance driving to Germany and back and it is very comfortable even after 600 miles (on par with new 5 Series). The vehicle has been made from high quality materials but slapped together in true British fashion. The first one had a number of issues to include poor boot and bonnet alignment, steering alignment was off, a wear mark on leather seat on delivery, annoying resonating/vibration from dash which was amplified by speakers, scratched centre console veneer finisher and a loose/incorrectly fitted vanity mirror. The standard sound system is poor for a vehicle of this price and the sat-nav/media touchscreen system is very poor with an annoying delay. It isn't the easiest system to use either (take a hint from the BMW professional system LR). The second RRS I have taken delivery of recently has alignment issues with the two rear doors. Rubber trim has been poorly fitted around windows and the centre console finisher was again delivered scratched, as were the exterior black satin finishers. The leather on the drivers and rear seats appears loose and ill-fitted with dent marks and LR have now opted for a lower quality rear centre arm rest probably to save them money. Customer service is poor but that could vary from dealer to dealer. Good residuals currently and looks fantastic but it cannot compare to German build quality. I won't buy again.

Reliability

3 out of 5

Yet to break down but poorly put together.

Performance

5 out of 5

Superb performance from the 3.0 SDV6 considering the size of the vehicle. Definitely the engine choice to go for. There is little difference in acceleration between the V6 and V8 diesel.

Running Cost

4 out of 5

Economy is very good but insurance is steep.

Version

SVR

Year of registration

2019

Average annual mileage

5,000 – 9,999

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

Waited over 10 months for my second Sport. The first was disappointing with a number of issues, one being damaged on delivery and attempted handover with this visible damage. So I thought let’s go for the SVR version in Madagascar Orange with all the trimmings including carbon bonnet! Well after 6 months the paint started to peel around the bonnet air intakes, the back door misaligned, small paint defects on rear. Must have been a Friday car. Marshall Bedford have had the car three weeks, no offer of courtesy car. Now been told air intakes replaces but bonnet starting to peel!! I would avoid this brand altogether.

Version

Autobiography

Year of registration

2015

Average annual mileage

10,000 – 14,999

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

The car drives very well - better than an X5 (I've had 2 of these) and is fast when you need it. It is luxury on wheels and has some technological features that are excellent - the problem is they don't always work! I paid £85,000 for this car and it is badly designed AND is in the garage with a number of faults I am very disappointed with the car. 1 - the panels rattle and make a vibrating noise - especially the cheap cup holder (poor) 2 - the engine has failed with gearbox error messages and now a part has inexplicably cracked and the engine won't work - I have not driven the car hard at all - it's just unreliable 3 - the sensors for reverse and forward parking failed and I have driven into an object 4 - the tailgate tow bar is too close to the car so if you fit a Thule bike rack the pedals touch the body work I've had to make a sponge cover for one of the bike pedals! 5 - the sat nav is absolutely USELESS, slow and the maps very unclear - SLOW 6 - the dashboard computer is not user friendly and is SLOW - the design of the screens is just awful, a 12 year old school boy could have done better 7 - the controls are not easily reachable on the left side of the dashboard and screen very poor ergonomics In summary overrated, overpriced, badly designed and unreliable. The service at Range Rover is excellent and they have the car to fix. I have been looked after as a valued customer but never ever again will I buy a JLR car. Overall 1 star - don't buy !

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

SDV6 HSE

Year of registration

2014

Average annual mileage

5,000 – 9,999

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

Terrific piece of kit. Gorgeous inside and out. Well built with lots of clever little design touches. Had a Discovery 4 and tried the Cayenne and the X5 before selecting the Sport. It is not quite as tight to drive as the Cayenne, isn't as rugged as the Disco and doesn't have the X5s technology - what the touch screen does is brilliant but how it does it is clumsy. So there are cars that do things better than the Sport but couldn't find anything that does as many things so well. Best features: amazing sound system (go for the Meridian up-grade), up-together handling, planted and stable off or on-road, unashamed luxury. Not so best features: infotainment system lacks refinement, rear seats don't go completely flat like in the Disco, a little bit of turbo-lag from a standing start when the Eco-system is engaged. I know people have had reliability problems with LR models but I wouldn't let that put people off. I'm on my third and I haven't had a problem with any of them and living in Australia, they get a fair work out.

Reliability

5 out of 5

So far so good and no problems with previous Land Rovers.

Performance

4 out of 5

Terrific off and on road.

Running Cost

3 out of 5

Not cheap but then it is a big beast.

Version

Autobiography

Year of registration

2014

Average annual mileage

5,000 – 9,999

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

Waited 18 months for my new RRS Autobiography, after owning the previous RRS. The old one had major build quality issues so I had high hopes for the new "improved" version. It's an amazing car, probably the best I've ever owned, but sadly it was same old when it comes to build quality. In the first 8 weeks of ownership I only had the car for 13 days. It had to go back to the factory twice and even now there's a constant stream of things going wrong. I'm fed up to be honest, and feel conned by Land Rover. Do yourself a favour and buy a Cayenne.

Reliability

1 out of 5

Appalling. Will never buy any Land Rover product again.

Performance

5 out of 5

When it's working, the car is amazing. I've had an Aston Martin, BMW M5 and Jaguar XKR-S that are less satisfying to drive. It's such a shame that all this is made irrelevant by the poor build quality and shambolic after sales service.

Running Cost

5 out of 5

To be fair, it's extremely economical and the 5 year service pack is great value.

I would recommend this car to a friend

Bought Car

Used

Review

I had the Range Rover as a swap when my friend saw my G Class and he loved it so I said to him I will have your Range Rover for the week and you have this Now I had just drove it home and I loved it I had do so much in it so that year I went out and chose to buy on and I said to my wife that when we get it we will be able to do my off roading more like my dad did and then we love to race the equipment is the best I do it a lot

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

4.2 V8 Supercharged

Year of registration

2005

Average annual mileage

0 – 4,999

Owned

1 - 2 years

Bought Car

New

Typical MPG

Review

Always wanted to experience what it would be like to drive/own a first generation Range Rover Sport. I bought one that was relatively well looked after, and what can I say, it's an absolutely fantastic car to own! That V8 roar and whine from the supercharger always put a smile on my face, plus they're really not that bad on petrol as people make them out to be. The ride quality for the Sport model is excellent, you feel as though you are floating along, and for a big car it really does take windy country roads in its stride. The interior is a lovely place to be, especially with it's own mini fridge, it's like being in your living room, the driving position is fantastic as you have an excellent view of the road ahead. This really is a car where you feel like you've arrived before you even set off. Since owning the car I've had it serviced including 3 new coil packs and a fluid change, new wheel bearings and brake pads. As with most British cars the electrics can be a bit temperamental, one minute a warning light or several come on and then you never see them again. Overall I would definitely own another one.

Reliability

4 out of 5

V8 engine is bulletproof providing its been serviced properly. Temperamental British electrics.

Performance

5 out of 5

For a car that weighs a shade under 3 tonnes that 4.2 supercharged V8 really hurls this beast up the road to a point where it smokes a few of it's smaller and lighter german rivals.

Running Cost

3 out of 5

At 12MPG it certainly isn't my daily driver. Budget up to £1000 for wheel bearings and brake pads, £500 for a thorough service and the same again if the front suspension bushes go.

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

3.0 HSE

Year of registration

2016

Average annual mileage

5,000 – 9,999

Owned

3 - 5 years

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

It might sound unusual, but I have had absolutely no problems with this car from new. The infotainment is from another era, which is lamentable but the car is effortless to drive, comfortable, rapid, reasonably economical and subjectively looks good... and so far completely reliable.

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

HSE Black Edition

Year of registration

2013

Average annual mileage

10,000 – 14,999

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

New

Typical MPG

Review

After owning lots of 4x4’s over the years, I can honestly say that this Range Rover Sport SUV is the best one I have had. It’s fantastic to drive, worth the extra running costs to keep myself and family safe! This is the last model before they went plastic and lost build quality.

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

Autobiography

Year of registration

2017

Average annual mileage

10,000 – 14,999

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

New

Typical MPG

Review

Great car. Big inside, not too big outside. Powerful and great suspension. The dynamic option makes a big difference in corners. Meridian sound is good option and sliding pan roof too. Super comfy and iPhone app to warm car in morning is a great idea. Overall, best car I have had so far.

Reliability

5 out of 5

Totally reliable so far.

Running Cost

Fuel consumption for such a fast and big car is great. Be careful with the 22’s, those alloys are easily kerb damaged.

Version

3 litre diesel

Year of registration

2016

Average annual mileage

10,000 – 14,999

Owned

2 - 3 years

Bought Car

Used

Review

I Like the car when it's problem free but have had 2yrs 8 months of stressful motoring with no fewer than 29 recorded incidents. It's currently back at the dealer again and with no loan car immediately available so I'm car-less. It's been 'fixed' three times within the last three weeks alone. I thought I would be proud to buy British but regret it badly. You can look online to see the numerous problems people have with their Range Rovers. I feel a little sorry for the dealers who have to deal with all the problems.

Version

HSE Dynamic 3.0 TDV6

Year of registration

2018

Average annual mileage

15,000 – 19,999

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

This is the 4th RR Sport that I have owned but, in common with so many of the reviewers, will alas be my last. I love the cars but the built quality in places is simply shocking and I can’t understand how my latest version made it out of the factory with so many obvious issues. Among other things the doors were visibly misaligned, the driver’s door pours stored rain water on you when you exit (like an old Defender but more volume) and after 20 miles the electronics packed in. The old diesel tank slosh is still orchestrally loud with no fix available. My car was taken back and I await a replacement in a few months with extreme trepidation. I have a courtesy Velar R while I wait. It’s stylish if a bit small but has horrific wind noise on the motorway. Quality control at JLR need a wake up call.

Reliability

3 out of 5

Poor due to so many warranty visits to the dealer.

Performance

4 out of 5

Excellent.

Running Cost

Ok.

Year of registration

2016

Average annual mileage

10,000 – 14,999

Owned

2 - 3 years

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

This is the 4th Range Rover I have owned but it will be my last. It has had numerous problems but what finally convinced me was the how the leather on the driver's seat had badly worn even though the vehicle had less than 20,000 miles on the clock. The technical team were not prepared to correct this under warranty even though none of my previous cars had shown any wear and tear.

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

3.0 litre diesel HSE

Year of registration

2015

Average annual mileage

10,000 – 14,999

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

New

Typical MPG

Review

First range rover I've had and the whole family loves it. 7 seats is a pricey extra on new models but are very practical. Smooth drive and very nippy. the exterior i cannot fault and the same goes for the interior.

Reliability

5 out of 5

so far so good

Performance

5 out of 5

fab

Running Cost

3 out of 5

little fuel tank, frequent fill ups

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

3.0 V6

Year of registration

2014

Average annual mileage

10,000 – 14,999

Owned

1 - 2 years

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

This is easily the best car I have ever owned, including Mercedes, BMW, Audi and Volvo. The aluminium body is a game changer, much lighter and a lower centre of gravity. Reliability has so far been 100 % in 20,000 miles. It is always a great pleasure to drive - the novelty just doesn't wear off.

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

Autobiography 5.0 Petrol S/C

Year of registration

2013

Average annual mileage

5,000 – 9,999

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

New

Typical MPG

Review

Fantastic car , very fast , great driving position, very well equipped, brilliant suspension, can not fault it. Cant wait for the snow.

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

SDV6 3.0

Year of registration

2014

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

Used

Review

Very pleased with RRS, bought as family car. Comfortable, good handling, quiet on highway and has that special feel. Better than previous X5 3.0D bought new in 2007. Not disgraced by my daily driver 2006 Porsche 911 C4. Some reservations re LR reliability record, but no problems so far.

Version

2014 HSE Dynamic

Year of registration

2014

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

Great car but rather expensive to run but 0-60 in 6.8 with a 3 litre engine in a car that weighs ... Alot is fantastic. Slight problem with the electric suspension and it felt like we was in a boat but new Range Rovers always have their little niggles...

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