Guillaume Fournier Photographe-GFV_4340

Automotive journalist from Montreal, AJAC-member, and owner of claveyscorner.com

With a total of just over 5,000 SUVs sold in Canada in 2022, Land Rover is not what one would qualify as a mainstream brand. To put things into perspective, Mercedes-Benz sells more than six times as many vehicles in this country.

But within its niche market, the renowned British-born, Indian-owned builder of adventure-ready luxury SUVs still has its own superstars. One would assume that the brand’s best-selling vehicle would be its flagship, the almighty Range Rover. Yet, it isn’t.

The best-selling Land Rover is actually the retro-inspired Defender, with 1 630 units sold in Canada last year. And right behind it, is this one: the Range Rover Sport (1,166 units), which gets a complete overhaul for the 2023 model year.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-176740" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Guillaume-Fournier-Photographe-GFV_4336.jpg" alt="2023 Range Rover Sport" width="2080" height="1387" />

Undeniably Pretty

One area where this new Rover Sport betters the competition and, arguably, every other Land Rover in the lineup, is in looks. Designed by Gerry McGovern, the Range Rover Sport looks all business from all angles. It is properly stanced, aggressively raked, beautifully streamlined, and both elegant and purposeful all at once. This is arguably one of the most attractive SUVs I’ve ever driven. Most of the people I passed during my time with it agreed.

My model, a P400 SV-Dynamic, is right in the middle of the lineup with a hefty starting price of $108,450. Of course, as these press units typically are, mine was packed with a few optional packages totalling $18,000. The Ostuni Pearl White Range Rover Sport you see in these pictures carried with it a $131,641 sticker price, including freight and other fees.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-176741" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Guillaume-Fournier-Photographe-GFV_4331.jpg" alt="2023 Range Rover Sport" width="2080" height="1387" />

But of course, a high price tag comes as no surprise coming from this nameplate. Range Rovers were always designed to attract high-dollar consumers looking for something considerably more exclusive than, say, a Cadillac Escalade, or a Porsche Cayenne.

Powering my example is JLR’s now familiar turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine. It’s good here for a healthy 395 horsepower and 406 lb-ft of torque. It’s equipped with a 48-volt mild hybrid system for reduced emissions and fuel economy and is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Of course, this being a Land Rover means all-wheel drive and an adjustable air suspension all come standard.

Leather and Tech

I had driven the standard Range Rover about a month before driving this Sport, so I was able to compare the driving dynamics of both. If the bigger one felt a bit too much like a wallowing boat, leaning considerably more towards comfort, this Range Rover Sport presented a much more formidable blend of comfort, sophistication, and athleticism. Granted, this has always been the Sport’s promise, but it didn’t take me much time at its helm to realize why consumers love it so much.

Mind you, it’s not like I was missing out on creature comforts. My tester’s white leather interior was sublime to say to least, with thick, infinitely adjustable seats that offered both great comfort and support during spirited driving. Land Rover adds an extra armrest inside between the seat and the center console. It’s a nice touch, but this author’s larger frame felt a bit cramped with them in place. Luckily, they can be tucked.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-176735" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Guillaume-Fournier-Photographe-GFV_4354.jpg" alt="2023 Range Rover Sport" width="2080" height="1387" />

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-176734" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Guillaume-Fournier-Photographe-GFV_4357.jpg" alt="2023 Range Rover Sport" width="2080" height="1387" />

Leather in a Range Rover Sport doesn’t end on the seats. It covers the door inserts and the dashboard, further adding to the sense of exclusivity. Just like the truck’s styling, the cabin has a clean, modern, and uncluttered theme. It’s very minimalistic, with a 13.1-inch screen resting at the center of it all, acting as the main command screen and infotainment system.

In typical JLR fashion, the system’s interface is generally quick to react, beautifully presented, and generally easy to operate, but some basic functions, like removing the vehicle’s start-stop feature do require a few unnecessary steps. It’s the same story for accessing the heated seats. Yes, the fact that one needs to push the HVAC buttons to unlock them is a cool touch, but it’s one step too much when it’s -20 degrees outside and the darn thing decides to lag.

Finally, while a centre console acting as a fridge is definitely one of the coolest features an SUV can have, it did compromise the Range Rover Sport’s available storage solutions. If one chooses to shove a few cool drinks in that box, there’s basically nowhere left to stow anything else.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-176732" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Guillaume-Fournier-Photographe-GFV_4361.jpg" alt="2023 Range Rover Sport" width="2080" height="1387" />

General build quality and fit and finish in this Range Rover Sport is exquisite and rear seat comfort is never an issue, even for tall passengers. Cargo space is also class-competitive at 1,492 liters when those rear seats are lowered flat.

But is it Sporty?

In this configuration, the Rover Sport isn’t exactly fast, but it’s not slow either. Its performance is what I like to call adequate in the sense that once it picks itself up and goes, it does it in a swift, no-nonsense sort of way.

There is some delay in the drivetrain’s response, however, and it feels like the result of too much stuff going on underneath the hood and, well, too many gears. Even in its sportiest Dynamic setting, the Sport doesn’t immediately react to a floored throttle. One must wait a few seconds before the thing gets going.

But once it does, it darts forward effortlessly with a generous wave of low-end torque. It’s always smooth and never thrashy. It’s the same story for the suspension tuning. Land Rovers have a reputation for riding like a cloud on rough surfaces, and this Sport is no exception. Road imperfections are barely felt.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-176728" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Guillaume-Fournier-Photographe-GFV_4401.jpg" alt="2023 Range Rover Sport" width="2080" height="1387" />

That being said, there was an elephant in the room the entire time I drove this thing: it never really felt, well, sporty.

Entering a corner quickly felt like I was bothering it. When pushed, this sport-oriented version of Land Rover’s infamous utility vehicle felt clumsy rather than motivated to perform. Then there were irritating cabin squeaks that revealed themselves when driving over broken roads, a somewhat disappointing realization considering how mind-blowingly expensive these things are.

Perhaps one needs to up the ante for the V8-powered version of this vehicle to really appreciate its performance claims. An all-new SV model was recently added to the lineup, boasting the fastest 0-100 km/h time of any Land Rover in history. I’m sure that one is fun to drive on a twisty road.

But this one, the P400, is at least sportier than its big brother, but it’s definitely not a performance SUV in the likes of a Porsche Cayenne S or a BMW X5 M. But then, when you think about it, do Range Rover buyers care about acceleration times and g-force-generating capabilities? I think not. The Sport is therefore only a Sport in design and in format. It’s yet another pretty face within Land Rover’s posh portfolio of shiny SUVs, and it’s the model that Canadian consumers prefer driving.
<h3>RANGE ROVER SPORT P400 SV-Dynamic</h3>
BODY STYLE: Midsize SUV 

CONFIGURATION: Front engine, all-wheel drive

ENGINE: 3.0L turbocharged I6 (395 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm / 406 lb-ft @ 2,000 rpm).

TRANSMISSION: 8-speed automatic

FUEL CONSUMPTION: 13.1 L/100 km (city) / 9.1 L/100 km (highway) / 11.3 L/100 km (combined).

OBSERVED FUEL CONSUMPTION: 11.8 L/100 km

CARGO CAPACITY 645 liters (1,492 liters total)

PRICE: $131,641 (as tested)

WEBSITE: <a href="https://www.landrover.ca/en/index.html?&amp;CrossChannelAudiencesSearch=LandRoverSearch&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjwg-GjBhBnEiwAMUvNW_SA6BsZDEPoKC4fNUQB4mPW8oaAuCCVjKC3LSkCl8Hvhfgyw8Il3RoCHo0QAvD_BwE&amp;gclsrc=aw.ds">Land Rover</a>

2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport Review

SBO (1)

Evan is an East Coast based automotive journalist and a Certified Engineering Technologist. He is an avid autocrosser, hack mechanic, and a member of AJAC. If you don't find him driving or writing about cars, you'll probably find him in the garage breaking one.

This year, Land Rover once again awarded Defender SUVs to charitable groups making a vital difference in their communities. Of this year's five winners, one was Canadian. Sauvetage Bénévole Outaouais – Ottawa Volunteer Search And Rescue will be coming home with a new <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/reviews/2023-land-rover-defender-130-review">Defender 130</a> to help the organization's searches and rescues. We spoke with Stephane McDermott and Jack Ricou, the two members on hand at Land Rover's Winner's Weekend to collect the group's new Land Rover, about the group and what the award meant to them.

The 2022 Defender Service Awards were given out in five categories, reflecting the very different roles charitable groups have in their communities. Animal Welfare, Community Services, Environmental and Conservation, and Veterans Outreach were the other four. Ottawa Volunteer SAR won the Search and Rescue category, sponsored by Pelican.

Jack Ricou has been a member of the group since 2007, he said. Both Jack and his wife Katherine have had many roles in the group including President, General Manager, and training officer. Stephane has been part of the group since 2016 and handles logistics.

Sauvetage Bénévole Outaouais started in 1996 after a hunter went missing in the area. Searches then were largely police-lead, but the police didn't have the numbers or expertise for this growing role. This was just 10 years after an event Ricou described as the birth of modern SAR in Canada, when the concept was still growing and taking hold.

Searchers Use Modern Techniques to Resolve Situations Quickly

Today Sauvetage Bénévole Outaouais has 150 trained volunteer searchers. Volunteers take a two-weekend basic course and from there can upgrade their skills. Each volunteer spends more than 50 hours learning what to do to help find missing persons and make sure they don't become one themselves.

Group members can find themselves searching for lost children who have wandered off, missing hikers and hunters, and people with dementia. The group has ATVs, watercraft, dogs, and even drones to help conduct searches, and can quickly coordinate with other resources from near and far.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-174911" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/SBO-2.jpg" alt="Land Rover Defender service awards" width="1536" height="1536" />

Searches have moved beyond the classic movie-style line search, where a line of people walk in one direction until they find something. New high-tech methods are more effective and use fewer resources. McDermott told us that around a quarter of searches are concluded in under an hour using these modern methods.

But SAR is still incredibly dependent on volunteers. Search and Rescue efforts are not funded by federal or provincial resources. Groups like Sauvetage Bénévole Outaouais raise their own funds for vehicles, equipment, training, and even the cost of fuel to get to a search. On top of that, the group is also called upon for disaster response. For managing what they called "spontaneous volunteers," doing work like filling sandbags, storm rescue, and cleanup.

Volunteers Cover Search area 10x Size of PEI

SBO operates in both Quebec and Ontario, covering an area of more than 58,000 square kilometres. They also will partner up in mutual aid agreements with other groups in both provinces when those groups need search help. Despite the distance, Ricou said that multi-day searches in Quebec might only see members reimbursed for mileage. In Ontario "we don't get that kind of monetary support," he said. Volunteers even bring their own food for an extended search.

This need for funding is why this new Land Rover is so important to the group. Initially, it will be replacing an older vehicle, towing a 14-foot trailer that holds the group's six-seat side-by-side ATV.

Land Rover Will Help Fundraising and Operations

The Defender will also be used for the group's public relations efforts. Sauvetage Bénévole Outaouais members spend a great deal of time on what Ricou described as "trying to work ourselves out of a job." That means teaching people how to get outdoors safely, what to do if they get lost, and other wilderness skills.

The crew will also use the Defender 130 at fundraising events. The same bright yellow wrap that makes the Defender visible on the job should draw in anyone who sees it at an event to hopefully try and learn more about the group.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-174906" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Land-Rover-DSA-1.jpg" alt="Land Rover Defender service awards" width="1731" height="1154" />

Eight days. That was all the time SBO's board and volunteers had to get their Defender Service Awards entry ready. McDermott said one of the group's latest recruits learned about the contest just over a week before the deadline for entries.

"It was almost surreal," said Ricou. "This little group of people met in my backyard, around the picnic table, and we looked at the requirements."

Ricou wrote a three-minute script to fit the guidelines, he said, and then promptly took seven minutes to say it on tape. The next day, they recorded a mock search in the park across from his home and added some photos from previous searches to help round out the visuals of the video. One team member even stopped at the local Land Rover dealer to try and find out exactly what the Defender could offer the group.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-174909" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Land-Rover-DSA-4.jpg" alt="Land Rover Defender service awards" width="1731" height="1154" />

Weeks after making their submission came a call from Land Rover. "We get on the phone (with Land Rover), and there are five teams on there. Search and Rescue teams from all over North America," Ricou said. That's when the teams were told they were the five finalists.

From there it was all about getting out the vote from the community. "We were reaching out to friends and contacts, we were even canvassing at all of the outdoors stores," said McDermott. They also put together other videos and posted them to social media working to spread the word. The group's efforts worked, evidently, with the team securing the most votes in their category.

If you see the white and yellow Defender 130 around the Ottawa area, make sure to give a wave. The driver and passengers could be on their way to find a missing person or to help teach others how to not get lost in the first place. And if you're thinking the topo map lines in the wrap look familiar, they might be. The designer was a local architect who is also part of the group, and the map shows a small part of Gatineau Park

And while they might be driving around in a new Land Rover filled with new Pelican cases for their gear, this is a group that can always use your help saving lives.

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2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport Review

Ottawa Volunteer Search and Rescue Wins Land Rover Defender Service Award