2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport

The British Land Rover Brand segued from military operation gains during World War II to a consumer-focused stage in the late 1940s. It's a similar playbook to what the go-anywhere Jeep brand accomplished here in the States upon the War's conclusion. Both enjoy rough-and-tumble reputations with Land Rover weaving upmarket safari-like adventures into its backstory thanks to gorgeous interior styling and attention to comfort details.   

Some confusion exists this side of the pond between similar sounding Land Rover and Range Rover designations; so a quick recap may help. Simply put, Land Rover denotes the umbrella brand (aka the "make') while Range Rover constitutes an available model within the brand designate. Thus, all Range Rovers fall under the Land Rover domain while Land Rover encompasses more variety of vehicles than just Range Rover models.   

Think of the all-terrain Land Rover brand birthing three distinct offspring: Range Rover, Discovery and Defender. Within the mid-size, two-row Range Rover family, four all-wheel drive trims await including Range Rover Evoque, Range Rover Velar, our tester this week, Range Rover Sport and the posh flagship known simply as Range Rover.  

The Range Rover Sport offers multiple power sources including gas-electric hybrid powertrains, also known as Hybrid Electric Vehicles or HEVs and a pair of fuel-extending Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) choice adding an extra $5,000 or so to the bottom line.   

Four 2025 Range Rover Sport trims sporting mild hybrid variants include SE, Dynamic SE, Autobiography and the new for 2025 SV. Dynamic SE and Autobiography trims also offer the Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) technology promoting an EPA-estimated 53 miles of pure electric travel miles at speeds up to 87 miles per hour before the full HEV technology kicks into gear.   

The 53 miles of EV travel rates as one of the best EV range offered within any PHEV design of any size available in the States in 2025. Once the EV miles expire prior to the next charging session, the hybrid powertrain kicks in delivering an additional 450 miles or so of worry-free travel.   

The Range Rover Sport PHEV and plug-in hybrids in general offer a gateway into the emerging Electric Vehicle community without the added costs currently associated with committing full time to an EV lifestyle. In addition, the PHEV's onboard, gas-fed internal combustion engine offers relief concerning 'Range Anxiety,' a situation where an EV runs low on power with no apparent charge port in view.   

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport bases upon a third-generation platform introduced in the 2023 model year. This mid-size, two-row luxury crossover debuted in the 2006 model year sporting the choice of two conventional V-8 engines at that time. Since its inception, Range Rover Sport prioritized a soothing ride built upon a unibody, structurally ridged, MLA-Flex architecture. While a few rivals build from a truck-like body-on-frame design, with a bumpier paved road experience, Range Rover Sport provides a civilized glide thanks to standard air suspension and adaptive dampers with enough off-road cred to satiate weekend Midwest trekkers. Range Rover Sport checks in as one of the Land Rover brand's best-selling products.   

Our 2025 Range Rover Sport plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) combines a 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine with a single 105-kilowatt electric motor and 31.8 kilowatt hour Direct Current lithium-ion battery pack producing a total system output of 434 horsepower. It connects up with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Most mainstream PHEV models settle for a less potent four-cylinder internal combustion engine and less sporty Continuously variable transmission (CVT). The fuel tank holds a substantial 18.9 gallons of recommended premium fuel.  

As with all PHEVs, the regenerative braking process self-charges the on-board DC battery pack helping extend fuel economy by generating electricity during the mechanical braking process. Each time the foot brake engages, regenerative braking occurs without a second thought from the driver. All EVs, PHEVS and HEVs benefit from this technology, potentially adding additional miles during EV travel.  

Our dark Varesine (Blue/Grey) exterior Dynamic SE PHEV tester included a starting price of $95,100. As with many luxury brands, extras added to and padded the bottom line beginning with the premium Varesine Blue exterior paint costing an extra $710. In addition, a $1,200 tow package, $1,200 Meridian sound system, $1,100 Satin Grey wheels, $450 cold climate package, $300 heated/ventilated rear seats and $4,125 black exterior package brought the bottom line to $106,405 after factoring the $1,625 destination charge.   

Range Rover Sport includes smooth flush-mounted exterior door handles that power out in a narrow, rectangular fashion from all four side doors once approaching with the key fob on bod. Upon shutting, the handle motors back into place creating a smooth finish. At night, puddle lamps illuminate Range Rover stylized vehicle outline artwork to the pavement palate below. A high side belt line creates a well-planted look with narrow side windows with a roofline gently sloping down from the A pillar. Thin, visor-like headlight housing gently wraps to the side fender with a stout, narrow front grille with the oval, green Land Rover logo skewed to the left and 'Range Rover' stamped upon the hood's front edge.   

Back at the rear, one also finds narrow, red visor-like housing wrapping around to side fenders. The power rear hatch includes a top spoiler with hidden rear wiper swooping down to clear rather than up from the bottom to swipe. All wheel wells scoop out circular frames. Two outboard, oval, brushed aluminum exhaust tips frame the lower end.   

The charge port supporting electrical ion refills locates behind a small closable door on the vehicle's driver's side rear fender while the gasoline tank refuel lead resides on the right side rear fender. The flat, lithium-ion DC battery pack stows under second-row seating between the front and rear axle maintaining a low center of gravity and delivering optimal front/rear weight ratios enhancing handling.   

The clean, smooth interior does away with most knobs, dials and push buttons with the exception of the red hazard push buttons nested inside narrow, rectangular, upper dash air vents and two tiny push buttons immediately right unlatching the dual glove boxes directly forward of the passenger seat: one high-mounted and one lower mounted. The only other dashboard remote tabs locate left of the steering column opening the right-side fuel door and rear power hatch. Most other functions run through the flat, bright, narrow multi-function center screen resting in tablet form at a notable 45-degree angle.   

Between the front buckets one finds the electronic push button to start and stop the engine/motor backlit with white lighting, but would benefit with a green reminder button to confirm this quiet-running technology remains active. In addition to the dual glove boxes, Range Rover Sport PHEV includes multiple places to store all-important stuff including a shelf under the push-button start, dual side-by-side beverage holders aft of the start button and deep storage between front buckets below an arm rest top that flips up when needed via rear-mounted hinges.   

Our multi-colored interior included tan highlights with black, gray and brushed aluminum interplay incorporating a 'minimalist luxury' template. The electronic transmission shifter also locates between the front buckets in the form of a stout palm-sized knob moving from reverse to neutral to drive with a gentle push or pull. Park engages from a button just left of the knob.   

Comfortable outboard row two backseats tilt back delivering extra comfort from power buttons located on the door with heated/ventilated comfort as an option. The back arena also includes a third-zone of HVAC commands (not run through any screen) between the lower back portions of the front buckets. Stand outside by the open power hatch and row-two seatbacks conveniently power down with a 60/40 split via power buttons on the far-right side. Range Rover Sport's air suspension allows the cargo area to raise and fall several inches with power buttons in the same right-side area to ease loading of larger items.   

A 13.7-inch, deep-set digital instrument panel situates under an extended brim top. Bumped higher than the rest of the straight-across dash this information remains completely separate from the multi-function center screen. This cluster arrives highly customizable via steering wheel command buttons on the three-point wheel's 9 o'clock's wing.   

The square, flat, 13.1-inch, tablet-styled center screen checks with high-definition graphics works in tandem with Pivo Pro version 4.0 software. This touch-sensitive, slightly elevated from its base screen enjoys several levels of tactile push sensitivity when swiping and scrolling through multiple commands and tasks. The screen divides into three vertical sections with words, pictures and graphics and swipes left to reveal three additional choices. Drivers can continue swiping left or right to reveal continuous selections including an HVAC page monitoring direction, fan speed and blower direction. A vertical menu frames both sides of the interior screen allowing for short cuts to popular choices (including an icon-heavy home screen view) although finding the nested fan speed control proved frustrating.   

A home icon nestled in the lower left summons a screen with smaller icons allowing a quicker glance at the multitude of options. Summoning the three-stage front bucket seat warmers through the screen (both the cushion and seatback) proved simple, but as with the rest of the many commands, allow practice time to learn the ins and outs.   

Additional sub menus include a handy EV page where drivers can manually change from 'EV' to 'Hybrid' to 'Save' selections depending upon road situations. If Range Rover Sport has any electric miles remaining upon starting, the system defaults to 'EV.' However, if drivers wish to defer all electric driving until later, one simply selects the 'save' option and the under-hood technology switches to 'Hybrid.' Optimally, the 'EV' mode works best during around town during stop-and-go traffic. If merging onto an expressway with EV miles left in the bank, choosing the 'hybrid' selection makes driving sense as the hybrid option maximizes highway miles.   

During the week together a wide swath of drive mode selections got tested. In addition to EV, Save and Hybrid drive modes, a number of off-road selections offer up (Mud Ruts, Sand, Rock Crawl, Gravel/Snow) through a separate off-road icon.   

The Range Rover Sport arrives with a driver's side Combined Charging System (CCS) Port, welcoming both Level One and Level Two at home AC charging in addition to away-from-home DC fast charging through EVgo, Electrify America and Charge Point franchises located in shopping malls and busy expressway interchanges. This design differs from the Tesla 'Supercharger' network of North American Charging Standard ports of DC fast chargers.   

Third-generation Range Rover Sport remains one of the few PHEV vehicles from any manufacturer to accept commercially available, Direct Current (DC) fast charging; a key differentiator from most other PHEVs tooling around the road. However, its battery management system and small DC battery size (compared to conventional EVs) accepts a rather paltry 50-kilowatt maximum from DC charging ports. Conventional EVs with 300 miles plus of range now digest DC fast-charging capacities in the 350-kilowatt maximum speeding up ion delivery to the storage battery.   

This translates to a painfully slow DC recharge rate. Expect a complete recharge in about one hour to reach the 53 miles of pure electric travel. Contrast this with recharge figures from the latest generation of pure EVs available to recharge from a zero state of charge (SOC) to 80 percent SOC in under 45 minutes with optimal ambient air conditions and a 350-kilowatt DC fast charger. If road tripping and time is a factor, it's much quicker to fill up with conventional premium gasoline which takes about 5 minutes to obtain 300 plus miles of hybrid engine travel.   

Range Rover Sport includes a 16-foot Level One yellow cable stowing under the flat cargo floor when charging at home. The cable includes a standard 120-volt common household three-pronged AC plug at one end and a five-pin J1772 housing head (resembling the blower end of a hand-held hair dryer) that clamps into the Range Rover Sport PHEV port with a gentle push on the other. Estimated time to charge up the 31.8 kilowatt hour DC battery pack with a conventional 120-volt AC outlet is 15 hours. Invest in a Level Two wall unit and time shaves significantly to five hours thanks to a potent 7.2-kilowatt, single-phase onboard charger.   

Costs associated with a 'Level Two' 240-volt wall unit also come into play. The unit itself costs between $350 and $900 depending upon the amperage selected while labor rates vary widely depending upon several factors including the home's circuit breaker box location. The closer the circuit breaker is to the garage, the lower the labor cost. Generally, factor between $400 and $1,700 for a certified electrician's handy work. In February of 2024, Com Ed announced a $5 million EV Charger and Installation Program awarding up to $3,750 per household to offset costs to implement at-home 'Level Two' wall units. More information is at ComEd.com/clean.  

Full disclosure. My personal daily drive vehicle parked in the garage and ready to go at a moment's notice, is a 2017, second-generation Chevrolet Volt PHEV. I've enjoyed a decade first-hand experiences with PHEV ownership. During time together, the 'Level One' plug/option proved more than adequate at delivering enough charged electrons during evening/overnight time frames. 'Level One' and its 120 voltage/15 amps provides about four miles of electric travel per hour. Investing in a 240-volt Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) wall unit delivering higher amperage is probably not needed for Range Rover SE PHEV. However, pure-electric EVs with larger battery packs/capacity benefit greatly from the faster charging times an at-home 'Level Two', 240-volt wall unit provides.   

Back in 2008, both Land Rover and its sister company Jaguar (JLR) merged into a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Motors Limited, a major Indian auto manufacturer, when Ford Motor Company sold the pair after eight years of ownership. In keeping with its stiff upper lip/British heritage, Land Rover assembles Range Rover Sport PHEV in Solihull, U.K.  

Luxury mid-size 2025 Eurasian rivals include the BMW X5 and Lexus RX crossovers (both available in PHEV versions).   

Six Land Rover dealerships dot the Chicago area including Land Rover Schaumburg, Land Rover Naperville, Land Rover Northfield, Land Rover Orland Park, Land Rover Hinsdale and Land Rover Chicago.  

At a Glance:  2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport PHEV
Price as tested: $106,405  
Engine: 3.0-liter inline six  
Electric Motor Output: 105 kilowatts  
DC Battery Pack: 31.8-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion  
Total Horsepower: 454  
EV range: 53 miles  
Wheelbase: 118 inches  
Overall Length: 194.7 inches  
Overall Height: 71.7 inches  
Overall Width: 80.6 inches  
Curb Weight: 5,860 pounds   
Lithium-Ion Battery Warranty: Six years/60,000 miles  
Assembly: Solihull, United Kingdom