| The Range Rover Sport has been substantially revised for the 2010 model year with fresh styling, all-new engines, a redesigned interior, chassis refinements, and new technologies, including a surround camera system designed to aid towing and driving off road. The Range Rover Sport was added to the Land Rover product portfolio only a few years ago as a bridge between the top-of-the-line Range Rover and the Land Rover LR3 (previously called Discovery and for 2010 called the LR4). The 2010 Range Rover Sport and Land Rover LR4 are close cousins, sharing platforms, drive systems, suspension, and powertrain. The Range Rover Sport boasts more standard equipment, more upscale styling, and generally a more luxurious approach to the same mission: go anywhere, do anything, in any weather. The 2010 Range Rover Sport's exterior design is an evolution of its previous look, not all-new, but cleaner and more modern than the original, 2006-09 Sport. Range Rover Sport vs. the big Range Rover: The Sport is seven inches shorter in overall length than the big Range Rover, and more than five inches shorter in wheelbase. The Sport is slightly narrower and slightly lower to the ground, and the Sport is slightly smaller in human room, cabin volume and luggage space vs. the Range Rover. Overall, the Sport is smaller and sportier than the big Range Rover, which is more luxurious and more capable off road. Sport The 2010 Range Rover Sport interior shares much of its technology and some of its design with the Land Rover LR4, which we count as a good thing. The Sport seats five. All Range Rover Sport models are powered by a new 5.0-liter, 32-valve V8, the same engine used in the big Range Rover. The Sport engine is rated at 375 horsepower and 375 foot-pounds of torque in normally aspirated HSE trim, or 510 horsepower and 461 foot-pounds in the Supercharged model. All Sport models will use a ZF six-speed automatic transmission, and the drive system features a pushbutton low range for slogging through rough terrain. Each comes standard with full-time four-wheel drive. The Range Rover Sport competes in the midsize luxury sport utility vehicle segment with Acura MDX, Lexus RX 350, Mercedes-Benz GLK, Audi Q5, and BMW X5. |