Land Rover Range Rover Sport verdict

Even though the range has grown since we road tested the D300 variant of the Range Rover Sport, it still feels a little as if the Range Rover Sport is still finding its place in the market. Even though there's a comprehensive line-up of versions, perhaps the most important (electric) version of the car has still to hit showrooms; so there are still things to prove for a car that must build its maker’s standing for reliability as much as anything else.

But in the forms we've tested it, this car seems ready to drive Land Rover forward and bring new buyers into the fold, while maintaining the integrity of the Range Rover brand. It does everything we expect of a luxury SUV, a proper off-roader and a big, enveloping driver’s car – and, thanks to electrification, potentially a whole lot more.

The car earns particular credit for its excellent mechanical refinement and smooth drivability; its rich and inviting interior; its uncompromising versatility; and its ability to engage and satisfy its driver. That's true even in the less powerful forms, in a way that rivals simply don’t.

Overall, the Sport doesn’t win an unqualified recommendation. In a handful of examples of its interior perceived quality, it leaves a little room for improvement; and we're not fans of the way that Gaydon is taking physical secondary controls out of its interiors at present, without giving enough thought to usability while driving.