Range Rover Sport D300

FIRST UK DRIVE SUV blends dynamics and luxury to go straight to the top of the class

AE WHETHER buyers actually plump for the Range Rover Sport for its extra dynamic edge, or the difference in style compared with the new full-fat Range Rover, this latest Sport redesign isn't as radical as the one its bigger brother received. Instead, it's more of a concentrated, focused evolution of the breed, with the brand's 'reductionism' theme being successfully applied to the Sport's still vast but hunkered-down body.

In our opinion, at least. It's certainly a more luxurious look. Climb inside the beautifully trimmed interior, and the theme continues. Apart from the nasty plastic for the door-top speakers, the cabin is a mix of expensive-feeling materials and textures, while the driving position nicely balances the feeling of commanding vision and being ensconced in a world of privacy.

There's plenty of technology, too, with a 13.1-inch central touchscreen that boasts glossy graphics and much faster responses than any of Land Rover's last-generation infotainment systems.

It's joined by a 13.7-inch digital instrument panel, and there is the usual level of camera systems and off-road tech available to make progress that bit easier whether you're in town or on the rough stuff.

Despite the Sport's body not occupying quite the same footprint as the Range Rover on the road, there's no denying its body is still vast - but the predictable benefit of this is plenty of room inside.

Legroom is fantastic, and so is headroom despite this car's sportier roofline and our test model's full-length panoramic roof, which floods the interior with light.