Make no mistake, the Range Rover Sport Supercharged is aimed at well-heeled urbanites. It is designed for those who want a vehicle that has the ability to get them to their destination safely through the worst weather and do it while traveling in luxury. It will take the family from Denver to Aspen in the dead of winter and get them there comfortably and safely.
On the inside, the dashboard, instrument panel, seats and door panels were all redesigned and upgraded in 2010. Most of the switches on the old model have been transferred to the 5-inch touch screen interface so there are fewer switches overall and the center stack is cleaner and easy to read and use.
The interior is what you would expect from the British carmaker, beautifully crafted with excellent fit and finish. Quality materials wrap every surface, including the fine leather on all the seats. The Anigre wood trim looks like something out of a British state room. Seats are heated both front and back as is the front windshield, outside mirrors, and windshield washer nozzles. All make for a quick thaw after spending a day on the slopes. The one thing missing is a heated steering wheel.
Its a little surprising that the Range Rover Sport doesn't come with cooled seats and a power liftgate in the back. Although there is a center console cooled box to keep drinks cold on a long trip. It can be a bit of a stretch and a tug to get the liftgate down. The rear hatch window does open separately though allowing smaller items to be loaded into the rear without lifting the whole tailgate.
Rear seat passengers get plenty of leg room with easy ingress and egress thanks to the four corner electronic air suspension. The slab-sided body offers extra cargo space behind the second row but for a vehicle that leads its class on several counts, the Range Rover Sport rates only average in cargo capacity with 71 cubic feet. Its sloping rear window can also hamper the loading of bulky items into the rear.
Overall the 2011 Range Rover Sport is a veritable house of luxury, and offers about as much pampered refinement as you will find in any luxury SUV. It is truly an exceedingly comfortable place to while away the miles.
Tomorrow we'll come back and take a look at all the options and features on the Range Rover Sport.