It’s said that the middle child is ignored. As an automaker, you have to hope consumers don’t treat your mid-range models with such indifference. Land Rover and Mercedes-Benz have each added tweens to their SUV lineups, and neither company minds spending extra quality time promoting them. Trotted out in 2006, the Range Rover Sport filled the gap between the LR3 and the Range Rover. Looking a lot like a trimmer, more streetwise version of the latter, the Sport is available in our tester’s normally aspirated HSE trim or in Supercharged guise -- and yes, the Supercharged is supercharged. Daimler may have awoken to find Chrysler coyote ugly, but even after the gnawing, it’s apparent that SUV fever was transmitted in the hookup. So, which is the better middle child? We’ll evaluate each based on several categories and award weighted numeric scores, and in a perfect world, the perfect vehicle would roll away with a 100-point total.
Read on and to see the report cards. Hitting 60 mph in less than 7.5 seconds is credible for an SUV of 5,468 pounds, and the HSE does that thanks to the Jaguar-sourced V8. Give due credit to the six-speed automatic from Aston Martin with its adaptive logic and well-spaced ratios. The name-dropping doesn’t stop there: Brembo brakes slow the 19-inch (or optional 20-inch) wheels when the good times must no longer roll. This is still a body-on-frame, truckish vehicle -- with a surprising towing capacity of 7,716 pounds. Acceleration is decent, handling isn’t bad and braking is OK. Land Rover’s family styling elements are here, but in a contemporary, more urban package. The Sport especially resembles its big brother, Range Rover. Until the two are parked next to each other, you could mistake the Sport for a lowered, slightly pimped Rover. Understandably, “Range Rover Lightly Pimped” wouldn’t fly far with the marque’s faithful or look very good flanking the tailgate. Names aside, the Sport is nicely styled without any bushwhacking pretense.
Once inside, it’s a pity to get out so often to refill the tank. Granted, the Sport’s cabin appointments begin to resemble the lower-level LR3, but the execution is still reasonable. Fit and finish brought no real gripes, and the oak- or cherry-trimmed cockpit and center console convey a car-like setup for the driver. Passengers in the second row will be reasonably comfortable, but their vision is a little blocked by the front seats’ fat headrests. No third row is available, which is just as well. Those passengers would suffer discomfort and cut into the Sport’s 33.8 cubic feet of cargo room (or an even 71 cubes with the second row folded). What’s better than a 12-speaker Harman/Kardon entertainment system? A 14-speaker Harman/Kardon system. That’s what comes standard in the Sport, and we were pleased with its performance. An integrated Bluetooth-capable phone system and DVD-based navigation are standard fare as well. 2,500 rear-seat entertainment system, giving them headphone jacks and monitors mounted in the back of the front seat headrests.
Any of several vehicles can do what the Range Rover Sport does for a fraction of the price, so part of this equation accounts for the intangibles like comfort and desirability. The Sport holds its own in what it offers for the price, but doesn’t break new ground. In some ways, the Range Rover Sport is like a high-priced European sports car. Practicality cannot be the driving factor for ownership -- it’s more of an instrument to draw attention. Unlike a European sports car, it’s not an outright kick in the knickers to drive and it begins to feel a tad sloppy when pressed hard. Its exhaustive list of suspension and off-road features are admirable, but are hampered by street tires, which is precisely where the Sport belongs. For the demanding tasks of driving to the office, country club and spa, the Range Rover Sport feels right at home. If the itinerary doesn’t involve traveling unpaved roads, so much the better. Compared to the Range Rover Sport, the GL’s slightly brisker 7.2-second run to 60 mph didn’t really account for the edge here. Instead it was the overall feel at the wheel when extracting the numbers.
The GL performs smoothly and doesn’t lose its cool until well after you do. You sometimes have to watch the tach to know just when the seven-speed automatic (unique to full-size utes) changes gears. The unibody construction is also a first for this class, partially accounting for the nice ride, along with the Airmatic suspension. Airmatic is the air-bladder alternative to coil springs, controlling ride height and handling through a combination of automatic sensing and driver-controlled settings. Standard wheels are 18-inches, but 19s and 20s can be had. Another -matic, the 4MATIC all-wheel drive system regulates low-speed descent rates and prevents backward creep on uphill launches among its myriad of functions. On the off chance you’re serious about venturing into the boonies, the GL can be ordered with more appropriate wheels, tires and other hardware. In its most common form and in its most common environment, the GL behaves more like a jacked-up S-Class sedan than a big SUV. In stark contrast to the R-Class exterior design, which rubs us the wrong way in every possible way, the GL just looks right.
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