Drive Test: Waft along silently in Range Rover’s P400e hybrid

The Range Rover Sport P400e is a lot of things. Vast plushness, imperious smugness, off-road componentry sheathed in savvy autonomous electronics and with the newly launched P400e model, a carbon emission footprint smaller than a compact city car. It’s party piece however is a claimed 50 kilometres of EV driving. The Range Rover Sport has always been a versatile SUV but this hybrid has, at first glance, the potential to eclipse them all while slowly reversing Range Rover’s image of environmental excessiveness.

Yet it’s that same duality of the beguiling package that we found extremely polarising.

Range Rover claim a 50 kilometre range from the 13.1kWh lithium-ion battery yet during our time, and consciously avoiding any sudden jabs of the throttle pedal, the batteries were sucked dry in no more than 30 kilometres – the sort of distance more suited to a little hatchback’s commute rather than a brand that has a reputation steeped in high-mileage adventure. On the road no amount of regenerative braking could replenish the batteries, leaving that underwhelming 4cyl 2.0 petrol engine completely unassisted in moving this 2,500kg castle on wheels. As a result we saw some very mixed fuel consumption readouts pop up on the trip computer; numbers that were either class-leading, or merely average. Over some reasonable distance the thirst of 10l/100km fared no better than a diesel-powered Range Rover Sport TDV6, which to make matters worse for the P400’s cause costs R200,000 less.

The P400e could also be a little more astute in the way it picks and chooses between electric and petrol power. For instance , one day I flattened the EV charge on the highway whereas storing that battery power for congested urban driving would have been the economical solution When the 85kW electric motor is working seamlessly with the Ingenium combustion engine the P400e makes 297kW and 640Nm for a 0-100kph of 6.7 seconds and a fairly low top speed of 220kph. While the overall performance parameters make for pleasant reading, leaning on that 4cyl petrol engine does see refinement levels slip away from with the rest of the package. And the dynamics remain slightly dull and unrewarding with all that weight, not helped by brake feedback that never felt reassuring or competent while offering no tangible payoff in regen either.

Sandwiched between this ongoing hybrid relationship sits a very premium experience, heightened by the absence of noise and vibration when the electric motors are engaged. All the features and qualities that have made the Range Rover Sport such a success are intact in the P400e. Broad seats that could be out of a private plane, lots of supple leather neatly tucked around swathes of aluminium and wood, windows that seem doubly thick to insulate the cabin, a plethora of driving modes for all types of terrain. You sit high for the best visibility and gravitas with the modern Touch Pro Duo system angled upwards for easy reach and viewing. And yes, two screens are better than one, particularly when the user interface visually organises daily functions from the less frequently used menus. A final word, this is a special place to sit, dial back the speed, put on some music and waft over today’s potholes and yesterday’s patchwork.

The Range Rover Sport P400e is a challenging car with which to sell the virtues of hybrid technology. The Range Rover Sport line-up traditionally thrives on long distance travel while the brand is characteristically marketed on the premise of getting away from built-up areas. The actual truth of their movements does differ quite significantly where charging points are easy to come by but the consumer mindset remains.

The hybrid technology works and silent motoring is a primary tenet of luxury but also feels incongruous with the Range Rover Sport’s fanbase. With the p400e, instead of increasing its versatility, I think it has become more niche. Andrew Leopold

Specification

Range Rover Sport P400e HSE

• R1,699 500
• 0 4cyl turbocharged + hybrid
• 297kW (total)
• 640Nm (total)
• 0-100kph in 6.7 secs, 220kph
• 8l/100km, 64g/km