As Land Rover expanded its lineup to make incremental gains in market share, the Range Rover Sport was born. Blending the platform and technology of the more utilitarian Land Rover LR3 with the upscale styling cues and luxuries of the flagship Range Rover, and charged with bringing the greatest on-pavement performance capability of any Land Rover to date, the Range Rover Sport debuted for the 2006 model year. For 2009, the Range Rover Sport sees minor updates in advance of a more substantial refresh for the 2010 model year under the brand’s new owner, India’s Tata Motors.

Here is a summary of the changes to the 2009 Land Rover Range Rover Sport:
• Revised rear styling details
• New wheel designs
• Available Shadow Chrome finish for wheels
• Laminated side glass cuts intrusive wind and road noise
• New Noble metallic interior trim
• Premium leather door inserts are added
• Seats with Alcantara inserts now offered in all interior colors
• Three new colors: Santorini Black, Galway Green, Bournville

The 2009 Land Rover Range Rover Sport is available in HSE or Supercharged trim. The Supercharged model adds a more powerful supercharged engine, 20-inch wheels wearing 275/40 tires, an adaptive front lighting system, Sirius satellite radio, walnut wood interior trim, and a Cold Climate Package with heated washer jets, a heated windshield, and front and rear heated seats. The Supercharged model also includes a Luxury Interior Package with premium leather and a cold cooler box between the front seats, a dynamic response suspension system, and Brembo performance brakes. Exclusive to the Supercharged model is an active cruise control system.

For 2009, the Supercharged model is offered in a special HST Edition trim. The HST is differentiated through the inclusion of restyled front and rear bumpers, lower bodyside and tailgate moldings, a unique tailgate spoiler, special wheels, a honeycomb grille, rectangular exhaust pipes, and revised rear lights for a sportier appearance. Inside, the HST is equipped with black leather and ivory contrasting stitching, and the optional adaptive cruise control system comes standard.

The 2009 Land Rover Range Rover Sport HSE is powered by a 4.4-liter V-8 engine driving all four wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission with manual shift feature. This engine generates 300 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 315 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,000 rpm. Fuel economy ratings are 12 mpg city/18 mpg highway burning premium unleaded.

The 2009 Land Rover Range Rover Sport Supercharged is powered by a 4.2-liter supercharged V-8 engine driving all four wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission with manual shift and rev matching features. This engine generates 390 horsepower at 5,750 rpm and 410 lb.-ft. of torque at 3,500 rpm. Fuel economy ratings are 12 mpg city/18 mpg highway burning premium unleaded. Our review vehicle, a Supercharged model, averaged 18.1 mpg during mostly flat highway travel. In mixed driving, the EPA says this model will average around 14 mpg.

Standard safety equipment on the 2009 Land Rover Range Rover Sport includes dual front airbags, side-impact airbags for the front seat occupants, and side-curtain airbags for all outboard seating positions. Additionally, the Range Rover Sport comes standard with four-wheel-disc, all-terrain ABS with electronic brake-force distribution, cornering brake control, and brake assist; stability control; and traction control.

Other safety technologies offered on the Range Rover Sport include Hill Descent Control, which limits vehicle speed during steep downhill descents and helps better stabilize the SUV when driving off-road; Adaptive Front Lighting which swivels the headlights when the steering wheel is turned to help the driver see around curves and corners; and Adaptive Cruise Control that can automatically adjust the SUV’s speed to match that of the car in front, maintaining a safe following distance.

J.D. Power and Associates says the 2009 Land Rover Range Rover Sport competes against other large premium multi-activity vehicles such as the Cadillac Escalade, Infiniti QX56, Lincoln Navigator, and Mercedes-Benz GL-Class.