2011 Land Rover Range Rover Sport

The 2011 Land Rover Range Rover Sport demonstrates superb manners in town and on the highway, even if it does lack some of the rugged off-road spirit of the standard Range Rover.

It’s tempting to dismiss the 2011 Land Rover Range Rover Sport as Land Rover Lite, a luxury SUV posturing as the progeny of a line of vehicles with an impeccable off-road heritage. The Range Rover Sport is Land Rover’s transparent attempt to attract a well-heeled urban set more interested in all-weather mobility than all-terrain adventure.

In reality, the Range Rover Sport shares more in common with the former Land Rover LR3 than the top-of-the-line Range Rover. The Sport is almost 8 inches shorter than the Range Rover and offers nearly 2.5 inches less ground clearance. The 2011 Range Rover Sport still offers full-time four-wheel drive, a two-speed transfer case, ascent and descent controls, an electronic locking rear differential and a system that synchronizes powertrain and suspension settings for best traction in conditions including snow, dirt, mud and gravel. Even if Range Rover Sport owners never go off-road, the Sport is more willing to dirty its boots than most of its competitors.

The 2011 Range Rover Sport is a five-passenger SUV available in HSE and Supercharged trim levels.

An optional Luxury package adds 20-inch wheels, a heated windshield, heated washer jets, heated front and rear seats, available piano black trim, premium leather upholstery, additional driver seat adjustments and a cooler box. Opting for the Autobiography package (available only for the Supercharged model) adds adaptive headlights, automatic high beams, unique wheels, grille and exterior treatments, a rear roof spoiler, a 360-degree parking assist camera, upgraded leather and a premium 14-speaker surround-sound audio system with HD radio.

A rear-seat entertainment system is available for all models, but adaptive cruise control is optional on the Supercharged only.

Range Rover Sport HSE models are powered by a 5.0-liter V8 that produces 375 hp and 375 pound-feet of torque. All Range Rover Sport models feature full-time four-wheel-drive with a two-speed transfer case and Terrain Response. Properly equipped, Range Rover Sport models can tow up to 7,700 pounds.

Fuel economy estimates for the base V8 are 13 mpg city/18 mpg highway and 15 mpg combined, while the Supercharged model rates an estimated 12/17/14 mpg.

The 2011 Land Rover Range Rover Sport is equipped with antilock disc brakes (more powerful Brembo brakes are fitted to the Supercharged model), hill-descent control, front-seat side airbags and full-length side curtain airbags. Supercharged models equipped with an adaptive cruise control system also benefit from a collision mitigation system. The optional Vision Assist package adds blind-spot monitoring, adaptive front lighting, automatic high-beam assist and multi-camera parking assist.

The Range Rover Sport takes this a step further with elevated stadium-style seating for rear passengers, affording them the same view. Although the Range Rover Sport doesn’t radiate the same Old World luxury charm as the more traveled top-line Range Rover, it still feels rich and contemporary. Even though the 2011 Land Rover Range Rover Sport is billed as a more nimble sibling to the top-of-the-line Range Rover, it still weighs about 5,500 pounds, about 1,000 pounds more than an Infiniti FX50.