8 months with my Range Rover Sport: 11 things that I'd like to share

It is an awesome grand tourer and the overall fuel efficiency is great too.

BHPian 14000rpm recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Winter is here a bit earlier than last year. Time to switch to winter tires.

Also, managed to buy this quilted fully fitted boot liner from a company in the UK that custom manufactures such mats for all cars. I hate cleaning pet hair from nooks and crannies. I hadn't taken Bongo along with us till this was installed and he is a happy dog now.

While at it, time for some reflection.

It has been about 8 months since owning the Brit Bloke and I must say - I am thoroughly enjoying it. I still look back at passing by Range Rover Sports forgetting that I am driving one too!

Whenever I travel abroad and get back home, I look forward to driving it. The overall fuel efficiency is great too. At last fill, I got 29 Kmpl. Truth be told, I mostly drove within the city and on EV mode for the most part.

The great stuff

1. Ride quality- sublime
2. NVH tuning - optimal
3. Sound system- mind-bogglingly good
4. Heated/cooled/ventilated and massage seats - simply outstanding and a joy to sit on
5. Cameras all around- Very effective
6. Remote Climate control - a true blessing
7. Matrix LED headlights - Highly adaptive and effective

All in all - an awesome grand tourer.

The not-so-great stuff

1. The EV part of the Brit Bloke- The pure EV range is never predictable. eg: I lose 3 kms of EV range when I have driven only 1 km. It is mostly to do with the battery heating system which doesn't seem very effective. In comparison, my neighbor's Volvo XC90 PHEV is very predictable even in winter.
2. Practicality - Now that I have gone past the Euphoria of having bought it, I now see compromises when I have my dog in the boot, 5 passengers and some shopping bags. Then it is a tight fit. This very use case was no problem in the KIA Sorento.
3. Ergonomics- I find using the armrest, a very Land Rover/Range Rover feature, really improves the comfort. Love the seating position with it in place. However, that takes care of my right arm. What about the left arm? It has no armrest for itself. I need to rest on the door edge. This position leaves me a bit twisted. When I am on the highway and simply cruising with not much steering movement, using the armrest is awesome and improves comfort significantly. City driving - I now keep the armrest folded out.
4. Retractable Tow hook - the battery position in the PHEV makes fitment of the OEM Retractable Tow hook impossible. There is just no place. Therefore it just sticks out in its permanent position. It's an aesthetic thing and nothing else.

The misses

Clearly, I chose luxury over features. When I was closing the deal, there was another non-autobiography model also for sale for a similar price. I chose the Autobiography for the luxurious appointments. I don't regret the decision one bit but, in hindsight, the other car had features that I now miss - Cold Weather Package which would have added heated steering, heated windshield and heated washer jets.

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