Like the Discovery it's based on, the
Range Rover Sport
has an 'integrated body frame' construction that saves weight over the traditional separate chassis design previously favoured by Land Rover. It doesn't mean compromising on off-road ability, though, as the Sport has air suspension that means it can be raised and lowered by up to 10cm. Along with an approach angle of 30 degrees, a 26-degree departure angle and ramp over of 160 degrees, it can cope with most off-road situations. It also has a wading depth of up to 700mm so that most standing water and streams present no worries.
Air suspension has benefits on tarmac too
Double wishbones are used front and rear for the suspension, with airbags in place of steel springs to allow the suspension to rise and drop. These airbags are diagonally cross-linked to offer the best traction off-road. There are no issues with the airbags for the Range Rover Sport, though you can expect to replace them due to age with early models as leaks can occur, which will be obvious in the car riding low on its suspension and refusing to lift up when the driver turns the Terrain Response button.
The suspension can also seize in one position due to a failed sensor, while the whole Body Control Module has been known to fail and requires a brand new one as secondhand parts are very difficult to pair with another car.
Again, the suspension needs careful attention when looking at a used Sport as the bushes lead a hard life due to the car's hefty kerbweight. Listen for any clonks or creaks and be wary of any car on non-standard larger wheels as they can increase wear considerably. If you have to replace the suspension bushes, have the car professionally four-wheel aligned as this can extend tyre life by as much as 50 per cent.
Stick with standard wheels for minimum hassle
Standard wheels and tyres are the best bet for the Sport. Many cars will be on 20-inch alloy wheels but it's worth considering a drop to 19-inch wheels to improve the ride quality. If the wheels have balance weights attached on their inside faces, make sure they are not rubbing on any wires. Land Rover issued a recall for this problem earlier in the Sport's life, so all cars should be free from this problem. There was also a recall for oil possibly entering brake booster and reducing braking efficiency, but again this should have been dealt with. Fitting aftermarket 20-inch wheels to a car that has not had this size of alloy before requires a Damped Steering Rack to be fitted to maintain the original steering and suspension geometry.
Land Rover added an Adaptive Dynamics system to the Sport in 2009 to reduce understeer and it works with the Roll Stability Control to brake a wheel if it detects the car losing traction. Another addition was Trailer Assist to help cut the risk of the car and trailer getting into a weave. If the combination of car and trailer starts to snake, the system reduces engine power and can also apply the brakes. Also part of this revision to the Sport was a new Sand Launch Control to help with pulling away on soft surfaces.
The 2.7 TDV6 Sport was launched with 317mm front discs and 225mm rears, and all Sports come with ABS and traction control as standard.
PHer's view:
"Make sure that the air suspension works. Also, check the condition of the suspension/ball joints/tie rods as these can be very expensive to replace."
Henry Chung
Buying guide contents:
Introduction
Powertrain
Rolling Chassis
Body
Interior