2017 Land Rover Range Rover Sport Adds Tech, Driver-Assistance Features
CARS.COM — For the 2017 model year, the Land Rover Range Rover Sport features a host of new driver-assistance and tech upgrades for a price increase that should be nominal for the luxury SUV’s target demographic. The Range Rover Sport starts at $66,645, including a $995 destination charge, about $700 more than the outgoing model.
Related: 2016 Land Rover Range Rover Sport Review
That starting price is on the high end among its European luxury performance SUV competitors. The 2017 Porsche Cayenne starts at $60,650, the 2017 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class at $52,925 and the 2017 Jaguar F-Pace at $41,985; all prices include destination. Then again, those other SUVs don’t boast the Range Rover’s off-road pedigree, if that’s a consideration for you.
Newly available driver-assistance features on the Range Rover Sport include blind spot monitoring, Intelligent Speed Limiter, Advanced Tow Assist and Driver Condition Monitor. These optional features join standard features such as rear parking assist and lane departure warning, as well as the new-for-2017 auto emergency braking, and previously available ones, such as adaptive cruise control. Buyers can also choose from 19 new colors.
Advanced Tow Assist helps the driver reverse while carrying a trailer using images from a rear-facing camera relayed to the multimedia display — newly enlarged to 10.2 inches and enabling tablet-like pinch-and-swipe motions. The driver indicates the desired direction via a controller and operates the brakes and accelerator while the vehicle steers the trailer into place. The system will also alert the driver of an imminent threat of jackknifing. Intelligent Speed Limiter, meanwhile, uses traffic-sign recognition to determine the legal limit, then prompts the driver to select the feature to prevent them from exceeding the speed limit until the command is canceled.
On the all-terrain front, Low Traction Launch can be manually selected on low-grip surfaces like mud, wet grass or ice, and controls the amount of torque applied to acceleration. The system is active at speeds of less than 19 mph and can also be used to negotiate slippery surfaces or inclines, Land Rover stated. In addition, the automaker says new enhancements to the All-Terrain Info Center, accessible via the touch-screen, displays important off-roading data including vehicle geometry, slope assist engagement and wheel info.
Commute Mode is another new feature for 2017. The navigation upgrade learns commonly taken trips, such as the driver’s route to work, and automatically sets the destination, redirecting the driver as necessary to the clearest path.
Available powertrains carry over from the outgoing model. They range from a 340-horsepower, 3.0-liter V-6 to the top-line 550-hp, 5.0-liter V-8. All engines are mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission.
A dealership arrival date for the 2017 Range Rover Sport was slated for late 2016. Check back later for more info.
