It wasn’t too long ago that we saw the bigger 2022 Land Rover Range Rover make its debut with the reworked luxury SUV shaking up how Range Rover loyalists envisioned style and luxury. Land Rover has just revealed its second act with the all-new 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport, which is sleeker, smarter, and even greener than ever before.
Range Rover Sport Takes A Different Approach To Style
The 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport still has a mouthful of a name, but like other Range Rover Sport models, the exterior styling is still a unique exercise. The core elements from the traditional Range Rover are still present, but the Sport goes about a few things in its own way. Minimalism still plays a key role here, with the entire exterior being smoothed out while certain features like the door handles were made to be as flush as possible with the body.
The front fascia is where the first signs of its personality are found, with the more prominent front grille, and the slender headlights (the sleekest on any current Land Rover model) are found. The side profile has a more dynamic look to it and leads the eye to the rear of the SUV, where the controversial vertical taillamps of the traditional model have been replaced with a horizontal light bar that runs from one end to the other and incorporates the model’s name in the central part of the bar. The Dynamic trim (more on that later) adds copper accents and features unique front and rear bumpers that enhance its sporty look.
Range Rover Sport Interior Still A Posh Place To Spend Time In
The 2023 Range Rover Sport interior also follows the theme of adding more to an already established formula with the core look very similar to the traditional Rover. However, drivers geat a massive 13.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system and a larger 13.7-inch digital instrument array. The touchscreen is more sharply angled, and the lower climate controls are arranged slightly differently versus its more luxurious cousin.
The Sport also gets a model exclusive storage pass-through for specific items, thanks to the reworked center stack. The seats also offer more bolstering, especially if a customer chooses to upgrade to the range-topping Dynamic trim. These subtle changes add personality and continue to do an excellent job of making the Sport appeal to buyers that might want the best that a Range Rover offers but in a youthful and more dynamic package.Â
PHEV Version Makes Its Debut In The 2023 Range Rover Sport
The performance here for the 2023 Range Rover Sport is where things truly branch out from what we have seen previously, with a strong focus on going green. The base engines are a pair of turbocharged inline sixes that make 355 and 395 hp respectively. An all-new PHEV variant makes 435 hp and is the first time a green-focused PHEV model has ever been offered on the Sport, with this model’s inline-six being paired with a 105 kW electric motor. Land Rover claims that when the motor is combined with the 31.8 kWh battery pack, the Sport can go 48 miles on pure electron power. While this might not seem like much, it’s more than what you get on a similarly equipped Volvo XC90 and allows the Sport to be a viable commuter in city traffic before the six-cylinder takes over on longer journeys. It also doesn’t;t hurt either that it can make the sprint to 60 mph in 5.5 seconds.Â
Rounding out things is the V8 powered Dynamic model, which makes 523 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque. The 4.4-liter BMW-sourced twin-turbocharged V8 may seem like a throwback to older Range Rover models at first glance, but this is an entirely different animal capable of launching the Dynamic version to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds and benefits from the latest in modern engineering techniques and materials. An eight-speed automatic is the lone transmission in the entire lineup, and all Sport models get a standard all-wheel-drive system.
Handling has also been tweaked, with the Sport’s MLA-Flex platform being tuned to be 35 percent more stiffer than before while also incorporating goodies like rear-wheel steering, an adaptive air suspension, and torque vectoring. The launch-only First Edition can be equipped with a “Stormer Handling Package,” which adds all the standard kit plus an all-new Dynamic Pro Response system which significantly reduces high-speed roll in corners.Â
When Can I Buy One?
Land Rover is not quite ready to talk about when the 2023 version will enter dealer lots but did confirm that ordering for the model is now open, with the base Sport starting at $84,350. The small trim ladder only goes up in value from here, with the P440e Autobiography and the P530 First Edition crossing the $100,000 barrier at $105,550 and $122,850, respectively.
With such a high entry price, it should be no surprise that the luxury options here on the Range Rover Sport are immense, with the standard equipment onboard also being first-class. That’s due to goodies including standard Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa support, as well as an impressive suite of safety and driver assistance tech with lane, keep assist, automatic emergency braking, and an extensive roster of cameras providing an encompassing view from all angles.Â
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.