AFFORDABLE RANGIE

Can something that's over ₹1.5 crore be considered a budget option?

- Rivan RS

The third-gen Range Rover Sport has arrived with the same pomp and splendour Land Rover usually manages — the ‘affordable’ Rangie’s pricing starts at an eye-watering ₹ 1.64 crore (ex-showroom). The all-new SUV is larger, is said to be more comfortable, and is also said to actually mean that ‘Sport’ suffix, and we’re going to find out just how much of all of that is true.

The new Range Rover Sport is underpinned by the same platform as the full-size Range Rover, so you get, figuratively, acres of space — compared to the last-gen model, it is 67 mm longer and 17 mm higher, while the wheelbase has been extended by 74 mm . It definitely looks the part of a big luxury SUV, and this time around, the styling is quite distinctive. You’re not going to confuse this one on the road for anything else. The sharply raked A- and D-pillars help identify it as a Sport and the design is definitely eye-catching.

There’s none of that overt use of chrome, or those oversized grilles that are now so prevalent. Instead, you get minimalist details and subtle cues that gel beautifully together. The rear end is almost as glamorous as the front, thanks to those slim, horizontal, wraparound tail-lamps. The door handles that sit flush with the body, and only pop out on unlocking, are a nice touch, but can get a little confusing to use, albeit only initially. Special mention should be made of those sporty, blacked-out 22-inch alloys — they really round the package off quite well.