Here we have another premium SUV which has been given the PHEV treatment. Under the skin, the latest 3rd generation Range Rover Sport PHEV models are very similar to the new 5th generation Range Rover PHEVs. Hence, they both feature a pretty massive 38.2 kWh battery (31.8 kWh usable). However, there is a difference between them besides the cost and its their towing capabilities.
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Range Rover Sport PHEV (3rd Gen) Specs
- Official Towing Capacity – 3,000 kg (P440e & P510e)
- Availability – 2023
- Price – Starting £84,530 (P440e) > £108,600 (P510e)
- Official MPG – 313 MPG
- Official EV Range – 70 miles
- Real-World EV Range – 49 miles (70% of Official)
- Maximum Charge Rate/Time – 7kW/5 Hours & 50kW DC in under an hour
Range Rover Sport PHEV (3rd Gen) HP & Torque
- P440e AWD: 441 HP with 620Nm of torque
- P510e AWD: 510 HP and 700Nm of torque
- Electric Motor provides: 141 HP
Range Rover PHEV (5th Gen) Towing Capabilities
As the owner of a small caravan site, I’ve seen many Rover Rovers and Range Rover Sports, typically towing large/heavy twin-axle caravans.
With any new Range Rover/Range Rover Sport, the maximum towing capacity has always been 3,000 to 3,500kg before PHEV versions started to come along.
As I discussed in my article on the full-sized Range Rover PHEVs, the reduced towing capacity to 2,500kg was a little disappointing but not that unexpected due to the additional weight of the battery.
Therefore, when I was checking the specs for the new Range Range Sport PHEV models, I had to do a double take when checking out the specs, as they can tow up to 3,000kg!?
So we are now out a point where the smaller sibling of the Range Rover family, in PHEV form at least, is more capable than the full-sized Range Rover. But why is this?
I’ve asked the press team at Range Rover, but who knows if I’ll hear back. At first, I thought the reason might be weight, with the heavier full-sized Rang Rover PHEVs towing capacity limited due to the chassis?
However, there is not actually that big of a weight difference between them. The Range Rover Sport PHEVs have a kerb weight of 2,660kg, and the Range Rover PHEVs are 2,735kg.
That small difference in weight also got me thinking about the EV range difference between the two. With the Range Rover Sport PHEVs rated at up to 70 miles, and the full-sized Range Rover PHEVs rated at 62 miles.
As both have the same electric motors/battery and the weight between them is negligible, the difference in the range must be more down to the aerodynamic profile of the lower Range Rover Sport.
Range Rover Sport PHEV Review
Below I’ve included a review by WhatCar of the new Range Rover Sport PHEV. While they don’t reference the towing capacity differences, they do discuss how the Sport compares favourably to its bigger sibling.
Something else discussed in the review above is the current reliability record of the previous generation Range Rover Sport and Land Rover products as a whole, which is pretty terrible.
I have first-hand knowledge of this from several guests to our caravan site explaining the issues they have had with their Land Rover vehicles.
Here’s hoping these new generation Range Rover products have a reliability record that matches their impressive technical specifications.
My Thoughts On The Range Rover Sport PHEVs…
Let’s put Land Rover’s recent reliability record to one side for a second and discuss the technical specifications of the Range Rover Sport PHEVs vs the full-sized Range Range PHEVs.
With a Range Rover Sport PHEV, you get more EV range than a full-sized Range Rover PHEV due to the reduced weight, but it appears to have more to do with the aerodynamic profile.
The Range Range Sport PHEVs actually get a bit more power in both the P440e and P510e variants than the larger full-sized Range Rover PHEVs.
Then there is the towing capacity of 3,000kg for the Sport, a significant 500kg more than that of the full-sized Range Rover PHEVs.
For all these benefits of the Sport over the full-sized Range Rover, you’ll pay around £40,000 less. If you really want a Range Rover product, seems like a no-brainer to me.
Then again, I personally think to ignore the recent reliability record of Land Rover/Range Rover products, you would have to ignore what your brain was telling you.