Five-Point Inspection: 2012 Range Rover Sport Supercharged

This week’s Five-Point Inspectionfocuses on the Range Rover Sport Supercharged.

This luxury SUV sits almost atop the Land Rover range, save the ultra-lux autobiography edition. A base Range Rover HSE starts at $60,895, while the Supercharged model fetches $76,495.

Power comes from a 5.0-liter V8 engine complete with supercharger, the result being 510 hp of power.

Read on for five main points, both positive and negative, on the Range Rover Sport Supercharged

While the interior on the supercharged Range Rover is easily befitting a vehicle worth $80,000, the included analog clock stands out from its premium surroundings. Looking like something that could have been purchased at the dollar store, for some reason, it seems that designers must have overlooked the small clock.

Especially considering that many $30,000 Chrysler vehicles include a beautiful chrome clock, this little glow-in-the-dark unit looks lifted from a child’s toy car.

The Command Shift automatic transmission outfitted in the Range Rover is meant to learn and adapt to its drivers driving style, which can work against the nature of the vehicle. That is because when in standard driving mode, in the case of our tester, the transmission dulled the throttle response, creating a 2-3 second lag between mashing the go pedal, and feeling the go.

The indirect feeling is sometimes disconcerting, and takes time to fully get used to. It almost seems as though the engine takes a quick breath before laying down its massive amounts of power on the road. Though once it all kicks in, feeling this nearly 3-ton machine accelerate down the road with such haste pure ecstasy.

The British take luxury in a different direction than the Germans. While in most Porsche models there are more buttons and controls than a U-boat, Range Rover luxury is defined by bare, soft-touch surfaces, incorporating a less-is-more attitude when it comes to style.

Real walnut is incorporated into the center console as well as around the door handles, providing contrast to the soft, black leather surfaces. All lines are smooth and rounded, and hard edges are absent. The interior is nothing short of gentlemanly, save the clock. And the info screen.

Between the tach and speedometer sits a black and white info cluster that looks straight out of an MS-DOS ‘90s computer. A little color would work wonders on this barren display screen, which does not fit in with the rest of the vehicle. While its layout is sensible, the price paid for the vehicle demands something better than this ugly piece of antiquated technology.

The Range Rover is comfortable in all facets. The adjustable airbag suspension eats up bumps while still providing a level of feedback that any off-road capable vehicle needs. When pushed, the suspension adapts to the driver’s input, and stiffens up for some spirited cornering.

The leather used throughout the interior is some of the softest out there, feeling cushioned as well as durable while added comfort comes via amenities like adaptive cruise control.

And thanks to its weight (and gravity), the Range Rover feels confident and planted on the road.
This luxury off-roader is even comfortable in its own skin, with the sort of confidence that comes from being gorgeous.