Range Rover Sport 2023 Tow Test

The new Range Rover Sport is a hallmark premium SUV that delivers a fine approach to towing heavy stuff behind it. Not only does the new Range Rover Sport deliver the towing goods, it is far more sophisticated with it, using technology specifically set up to make towing trailers easier – and safer.

How much does the Range Rover Sport cost?

The third-generation 2023 Range Rover Sport opens with the D250 SE priced from $139,160 plus on-road costs. Beyond that is the Dynamic SE, Dynamic HSE, Autobiography and First Edition.

A new variant, the high-performance Range Rover Sport SV, will drop as part of a 2024 model year update due later this year.

The Dynamic HSE on test here starts at $168,638 plus on-road costs, though note that the MY24 update takes the price up to $174,000.

With options, which we’ll detail in the next section, the as-tested price for our Range Rover Sport Dynamic HSE came in at $179,764 plus ORCs.

What equipment comes with the Range Rover Sport?

The standard features you get in even the entry 2023 Range Rover Sport SE include leather seats with 20-way electric adjustment and heating up front, dual-zone climate control, a premium Meridian audio system, wireless phone charging, keyless entry/start, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, LED headlights, electronically deployable tow bar and 21-inch wheels.

The step up in model grade to the Dynamic HSE reviewed here brings more equipment such as larger 22-inch rims, softer semi-aniline leather seats (with ventilation), a more powerful 3D Meridian sound system, park assist and an electronic active rear differential.

Among the options included on the test vehicle is a sliding panoramic roof ($4420), 23-inch Style 1075 diamond-turned alloy wheels with gloss dark grey contrast ($2860), 23-inch full-size spare wheel ($770), SV Bespoke carpet mats ($754), natural black veneer ($731), configurable cabin lighting ($540), front fog lights ($321), online pack with data plan ($320), load space floor partition ($280) and a domestic plug socket ($130).

The Range Rover Sport has a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty and five years of roadside assistance at no extra cost.

Capped-price servicing packages across the first five years of ownership are available, with the D350 costing $3200 across that period, based on 12-month/20,000km service intervals.

How safe is the Range Rover Sport?

The new 2023 Range Rover Sport is laden with safety equipment including advanced driver assist systems such as autonomous emergency braking (AEB), adaptive cruise control with steering assist, lane keep assist, traffic sign recognition with adaptive speed limiter, rear traffic and collision monitor and a 3D surround-view camera.

The Dynamic HSE also has a park assist function and head-up display as standard.

The 2023 Range Rover Sport has been given a maximum five-star crash safety rating by ANCAP, based on testing conducted in Europe last year.

What technology does the Range Rover Sport feature?

The 13.1-inch infotainment system in the middle of the 2023 Range Rover Sport’s dashboard has the basic ingredients you’d hope for at this price point: wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, wireless phone charging and Bluetooth connectivity.

There is also a widescreen digital instrument cluster.

The headline technology that the Sport offers for those pulling trailers is its towing smarts – and there’s lots on offer.

Not only can you drop down or retract the deployable tow bar from the centre screen, you can also measure tow ball download weight as well as set up your trailer for blind spot monitoring by inputting the trailer’s axle number and measurements.

Plus, you can press a screen button to activate specific towing cameras, giving a four-quarter split-screen view of the trailer sides, front and overview.

There is also a specific towing view for when hitching up, which gives an accurate line to follow to match up to the trailer coupling when reversing.

It all works really well, and is a sensible use of technology.

Using the Range Rover Sport’s InControl software system to its full advantage means you need to pay $320 for an Online Pack with Data Plan, which includes a 12-month Cloud Car subscription, three-year Connected Speech licence and a 12-month Data Plan and Amazon Alexa subscription.

What powers the Range Rover Sport?

Here, we’re testing arguably the 2023 Range Rover Sport’s best tow tug engine on offer, the D350.

It is a 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder twin-turbo diesel that develops 258kW of power and 700Nm of torque.

It drives all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission.

How fuel efficient is the Range Rover Sport?

The 2023 Range Rover Sport D350 is not excessive in its fuel consumption.

Against an official combined-cycle claim of 7.2L/100km, we averaged 6.1L/100km on a very easy freeway run.

While towing a 3000kg trailer, including for photography and performance testing, we averaged 19.3L/100km. Fuel tank size is 80 litres.

What is the Range Rover Sport like to drive?

Lush is the word that comes to mind, because the 2023 Range Rover Sport seems to just knock off all the rough edges of the outside world, leaving a smooth and quiet ride.

Even though it’s big, the Rangie Sport doesn’t feel excessively large for the urban commute.

But it’s out on the open road that it comes into its own.

This is a very good tourer, able to soak up the kilometres thousands at a time. Steering is more accurate than you’d think, grip is great and ride very accommodating, as is the performance.

This is quite a quick SUV, with a claimed 0-100km/h acceleration time of 5.9sec.

How good is the Range Rover Sport towing?

We headed over to see the helpful guys at Blakes Marine (1 Railway Road North, Mulgrave, NSW) to borrow a 3000kg trailer, boat and motor combo for this test.

You could argue that on specs the new 2023 Range Rover Sport is much the same flavour as we’ve seen for some time now.

It has a 3500kg maximum towing capacity (with 350kg max on the tow ball) and a big lump of a diesel engine to ensure it quickly shifts not only its own weight but a whole lot more in the shape of a big and heavy trailer behind.

However, towing technology has taken a big move forward with the new-generation Range Rover Sport.

For starters, every Range Rover Sport has a power-deployable tow bar. While this isn’t new – BMW, for example, offered this option back in 2010 with the F10/11 5 Series – the ability to press a button (either on the centre screen or at the tailgate) to drop down the tow bar or retract it completely from sight (and from shins) is significant.

At first glance it seems that there is only one tiny loop for a chain shackle, but two larger, solid and wide shackle points are hidden up behind the tow bar.

The electrics use the typical 13-pin round European-type plug, so you’ll need an adaptor for other plug types more commonly used in Australia such as a 12- or seven-pin flat trailer plug. If you have an off-road trailer, you can’t use this tow bar, and you don’t have the height variability you have with a 50mm hitch-receiver-type tow bar.

Backing up to the trailer, the various views including a red line marker to line up tow ball to the coupling are very good, as are the split views when towing.

The towing experience is similar to previous Range Rover SUVs we’ve tested: with the self-levelling air suspension the ride height automatically adjusts, and the ride itself is lush with or without a trailer, in Comfort mode at least.

Performance is very good; you can accelerate to 100km/h as quickly with three tonnes behind as some cars can unladen.

Hill climbing is no problem, either. Fuel consumption was 19.3L/100km while towing.

How good is the Range Rover Sport off-road?

The 2023 Range Rover Sport has very promising off-road credentials, with a maximum wading depth of 900mm, a full Terrain Response 2 suite and adaptive off-road cruise control, together with approach, departure and breakover angles of 22.5 degrees, 24.9 degrees and 21.5 degrees respectively.

Given this test focuses on towing on-road, we didn’t hit the trails with the Rangie this time.

What is the Range Rover Sport like inside?

The 2023 Range Rover Sport imbues a sufficient sense of posh with its high-quality materials and plush cabin fit-out. It looks like money well spent in here, for the most part.

Even though the Dynamic HSE has the more expensive and more durable semi-aniline leather seats, it actually feels a lot more like ‘pleather’ than genuine cowhide as you slide in.

However, you get nice features such as front seat centre arm rests – a Range Rover feature since late into the first-generation Range Rover – and superb flexible console storage bin options as well as decent storage in the doors.

While the controls are mostly clear and obvious to operate, like any newer vehicle that needs a swipe or two to find what you want, there is a bit of a learning curve to get to various features.

Even though the front seats look like space-robbing overstuffed lounges at first glance, there is actually more than enough room inside this tall and wide SUV for four adults to perch in comfort.

Should I buy a Range Rover Sport?

Our focus in this review is on how well the new 2023 Range Rover Sport tows, and we’re pleased to report that if you’re planning to hitch up with a luxury SUV, there is much to like here.

Despite not being any more economical than competitors when towing 3000kg-plus, the new Range Rover Sport does provide hill-levelling tow performance and very assuring stability with it.

Meanwhile, the new Rangie Sport also does its best to make the towing routine much easier with all the clever towing-assist technology on board.

2023 Range Rover Sport Dynamic HSE D350 at a glance:
Price: $168,638 plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder twin-turbo diesel
Output: 258kW/700Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 7.2L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 190g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2022)