About Us

Events & News

2009 Land Rover Range Rover Sport: A Classy Rock Climber

Carlist.com, Rob Douthit

JUNE 3, 2009 - I used to wonder why there was a luxury SUV market. If you wanted luxury, I thought, wouldn't you just drive a luxury car? If you wanted an SUV, I thought, wouldn't you want something tough and rugged?

Shows what I know.

The luxury SUV market has become a strong segment, with offerings such as the Porsche Cayenne (which we reviewed recently), Audi Q7 and Q5 (which we also drove recently) and Infiniti FX35 among the top presences in the field.

Land Rover is one of the more venerable brands of this group, and if I had paid attention to the steady success it has had over the years, I probably wouldn't have been so quick to dismiss the prospects of luxury SUVs.

Land Rover's products are known for being classy, yet rugged enough to handle serious off-roading. The 2009 Range Rover Sport can certainly be described that way. The Range Rover Sport is a few inches shorter in length and height than a regular Range Rover, and its overall styling is a bit more sleek.

But otherwise, it is very similar in appearance to the Range Rover, including its large windows and front-end styling. On the inside, high-quality leather, rich carpeting and pleasant wood trim let you know that Land Rover takes luxury seriously. Comfortable seating, a very good sound system and other amenities also make the Range Rover Sport experience a pleasurable one for passengers and driver. Practicality isn't something you have to sacrifice to enjoy the luxury.

< Back to Events & News