A Tommy (British soldier) shepherding a drab green Landie (Land Rover) around the moors back in the late 1940s was a lucky guy. The British Army’s Land Rovers could go anywhere and do anything, and keep the lads in relative comfort doing so.
But I doubt that any of those soldiers would recognize what Land Rover has wrought these days – although they might love the matte gray paint scheme on our 2026 Range Rover Sport SE Dynamic. And I daresay this Rover could go over anything the Yorkshire Dales could throw at it, with heated leather seats and some moonroofs.
This is the almost top-tier luxury member in the venerable Land Rover clan. The fifth-generation Range Rover Sport is a tidier 194.7-inch version of the full-size (199-inch) Range Rover. This sleek aluminum-bodied shape was introduced in 2023, an aero-carved “sporty” size that lives on the big Range Rover’s same 118-inch wheelbase. The Sport is about two inches less in height, and a tad lighter: 4,506 vs. 5,240 pounds.
The wind-carved, tightly wrapped body design results in a pretty slick .29 coefficient of drag, despite its distinctive squared-off character. That begins with a slim black grille and thin slices of quad-element LED headlights with wispy DRL slashes that wrap around the blunt nose’s curved corners, lined up with the clamshell aluminum bonnet. There’s an aggressive lower grille and gaping intake over black-tipped air dam, with non-functional side intakes and more aero accents, LED fog light slits at the lower corners.
To prove the RR Sport can go off road, there’s minimal front and rear overhang, just right for a Rover with dreams of rock climbing. Tucked neatly (at least when suspension is lowered) into gently flared fenders are massive 23-inch Pirelli Scorpions that look more suited for on-road handling than off-road prowess. They ride on gloss black 10-bladed alloy wheels that neatly show off large disc brakes with Rover-badged calipers.
Faux black vents add surface tension to bonnet and fenders, with a bit of gloss on the matte paint job. It’s the only other shine on lower door sills that flare nicely under gentle side lines. Flush door handles pop out and light up when you unlock, although a frosty morning had me wonder if ice could thwart that in colder climates.
Above the beltline, glossy black rules the design. There are side mirrors with LED repeater turn signals with puddle lights that shine a Range Rover Sport sketch on the driveway, plus roof and pillars that shine. That roofline dips as it flows aft, while the beltline rises, tapering to join a sleek hatchback with long spoiler/shade. Slim taillights wrap tightly around rear corners, connected with a glossy bar with “Range Rover” in black. The lower bumper goes gloss black, tightly tucked with rectangular exhaust tips framing a brush guard.
The matte gray paint reflected back a gentle glow in the sun. Many liked the stealthy sci-fi look of the streamlined luxury mountain goat. When it dropped to its lowest (6 inches) height to ease onboarding, it did look a bit menacing.
2026 Range Rover Sport SE Dynamic Interior Is Sleek
Skinned it may be in aluminum, but the doors are substantial in weight. The bucket seats are supple, supportive, cocooning black leather with 22-way power adjust (controls on doors), heat and cooling. There’s stitched black leather on the dashboard, with smoked chrome accents, and black veneer wood on the doors.
The refined interior has a sleek, minimalist design with almost no real buttons bar start/stop and “Park” on a glossy black center console. The flat dash is split by thin air vents and the top of two glove boxes, plus two digital displays.
The thick leather-clad steering wheel has paddle shifters behind, and touch controls in front for audio, smart cruise, phone and more.
The new 12.3-inch interactive digital driver’s display behind it has configurable screens. There’s classic, with 170-mph speedometer and 7,000-rpm tach, the center showing navigation, audio, mileage, four-wheel-drive system and more. You can go widescreen navigation map with basic information, or a central digital speedometer with info displays left and right.
Dashboard center is a floating 13.7-inch touchscreen with navigation, audio, performance and mileage screens, apps, and more. A row of sliding touch-buttons on either side now adjust dual-zone temperature. More icons activate Drive mode, defrost and even volume control. But you have to use the Home icon to access most menus, then go a level or two deeper to access more, like vehicle height, auto-brake and auto-engine off.
Some icons take a tap or two to activate on start-up, like seat heating. The interface to handle radio station access and favorites is a bit clunky. But the 29-speaker, 1,430-watt Meridian sound system was superb.
Main screen graphics are clear, but wash out a bit in the sun. Say “Range Rover,” and the AI voice command easily handles most requests verbally, although I had to wait for a beep to start speaking. There’s also wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a Wi-Fi hot spot, HD radio and a phone charging pad under the sliding upper center console door.
The wide center console offers a stubby gearshift as well as cup holders under a sliding door aft of those. You can slide them to access storage underneath, with twin USB ports. There’s more storage under the wide center armrest. There’s also height-adjustable armrests that pivot down outboard of the console.
The rear bench has great head room under a second moonroof, after a slight duck under tapering roof line. There’s adequate knee space as well as power reclining seatback, full climate controls, and armrest with cup holders. The power rear hatch opens high to access a 31.9-cu.ft. storage area, with cargo area buttons to lower the 60/40 split seatbacks. And like a real off-roader, there are black rubber mats for human feet and the cargo area.
2026 Range Rover Sport Offers Multiple Powertrain Choices
Range Rover Sports can be had with gas hybrid engines, a plug-in hybrid, or our tester’s BMW-sourced twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V-8 with 523 hp, 553 lb. ft. of torque, and an 8-speed automatic transmission. There’s multi-mode four-wheel-drive with low range, hill descent and dual locking differentials. And there’s Eco, Normal, Dynamic and multiple off-road drive mode settings as well as a Sport Shift mode.
Range Rover says the Sport can hit 60 mph in 4.3 seconds. In Eco mode, throttle dialed back for fuel economy, we moved off gently at first, then hit 60 mph in 4.9 seconds. In Eco the sporty exhaust note is muted. In Dynamic mode, with gearshift slapped into Sport shift, throttle tip-in was very quick, as were upshifts. The Range Rover Sport moved out quick to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds with a slightly meatier exhaust note. In Dynamic, it reared up, dug in all four Pirellis and whipped each upshift quickly. Downshifts were quick, a bit of throttle blip – sporty. We averaged as high as 22 mpg.
The 2023 First Edition Sport I previously tested launched to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds in Dynamic/Sport Shift. Eco saw 60 mph in 4.6 seconds, and an indicated 21 mpg. FYI: that plug-in Range Rover Sport hybrid can get 75 miles of claimed electric range from its 38kWh battery.
Platform architecture has up to 35 percent higher torsional stiffness than the previous model. It has an automatic air suspension with switchable volume air springs, twin-valve active dampers, active roll control, all-wheel steering and active differential with torque vectoring by braking. Even with low-profile 23-inch rubber, which could transmit bumps to your hands and seat in some, the Range Rover Sport was refined on almost all surfaces. Dynamically stiff, there was no body or frame rattle over bumps, the suspension soaking it up with quickly-damped rebound.
There was a bit of body roll in tighter turns when its on-road ground clearance is at 8.5 inches. But the Sport held on neutrally when powered around an expressway ramp in Dynamic mode, shifting power as needed to reveal a very stable handler. Push harder in a tight right-hander and the SUV showed up. We had more understeer, traction control nudging it in shape. Power steering had a very precise on-center feel in all drive modes, with a bit of buffering in Comfort mode. There was a nice, direct feel in Dynamic and a very tight turning radius. The big disc brakes offered decent pedal feel and real bite on hard braking from 60 mph, with some nose dive and a bit of fade after some hard use.
We know, many who own an Range Rover Sport may never head off-road, but we did. And the RR Sport retains its Land Rover heritage through Grass/Gravel/Snow, Mud/Ruts, Sand, Rock Crawl and Configurable off-road modes. You just have to delve down into some menus to get those.
2026 Range Rover Sport Rises To 11.1 Inches Of Clearance For Off-Roading
Maximum off-road height is 11.1 inches and is accomplished with a screen tap. Even with street-biased Pirellis, I tackled some rutted sand and bumpy grass and it went everywhere we pointed it with no slip. It had a refined ride over ruts. I’m told that it can also wade up to 2-ft., 8 in. deep. It raises from 8.5 inches of ground clearance to its maximum in seconds and does so automatically in some off-road modes.
A unique main screen option shows a simulation of what’s under the hood so you can “see” what you’re going over. There are displays for altitude, front and center diff lock status, steering angle, and roll angles. It also shows steering angle and hill descent control.
Safety systems include emergency braking, 3D surround camera with parking sensors, wade sensing and adaptive off-road cruise control that lets the driver set speed and comfort level over rough surfaces to focus on steering. Smart cruise maintains speed and distance from the car in front.
The base price of a Range Rover Sport SE with turbocharged 3-liter/, 355-hp inline-six mild-hybrid engine is $83,700; our Range Rover Sport Autobiography starts at $120,900 with Carpathian Gray alloy wheels ($1,750), 23-inch black alloy wheels ($1,850), rubber floor mats ($760), for a total $125,260.
Bottom line: Stealthy, sleek and luxurious, with decent tech and serious off-road ability. See you on the moors.
2026 Range Rover Sport SE Dynamic Specifications
Vehicle type – mid-size 5-passenger luxury all-wheel-drive SUV
Base price – $120,900 (as tested – $125,260)
Engine type – Twin-turbo V-8
Displacement – 4.4-liter
Horsepower (net) – 523 @ 5,300 rpm
Torque (lb-ft) – 553 @ 1,800 rpm
Transmission – 8-speed automatic with paddle/sport shift
Wheelbase – 118 inches
Overall length – 195 inches
Overall width – 81 inches
Height – 72 inches
Front headroom – 38.8 inches
Front legroom – 40 inches
Rear headroom – 39 inches
Rear legroom – 38 inches
Ground clearance – 8.5 to 11.1 inches
Cargo capacity – 31.9 cu. ft./53 w/3rd row folded
Towing capacity – up to 7,716 lbs.
Curb weight – 4,506 lbs.
Mileage rating – 15 mpg city/21 mpg highway
