Range Rover Sport review - MPG and running costs
Plug-in hybrid models help clean up the RRS's image on paper, but no version is frugal
A behemoth SUV with the option of a supercharged V8 petrol engine is never going to be a running cost champion, but there are concessions to fuel economy, with stop/start fitted to all models. Still, barely breaking 20mpg in P525 form and dipping to 18.7mpg for the SVR is hardly impressive, but it comes with the territory.
At the other end of the spectrum is the plug-in, which is rated at a claimed 88.3mpg on the WLTP cycle, but as always a plug-in hybrid’s efficiency is intrinsically linked to how often it’s charged at a plug point and the length of the journeys you undertake.
Mainstream D300 and D350 diesels return between 34mpg and 30.5mpg depending on the cycle and wheel choice, a figure which is genuinely achievable. P300 four-cylinder and P400 six-cylinder turbocharged petrols sit at 25mpg and 26mpg respectively, giving you some idea as to how hard that P300 engine has to work to get its mass moving.
All versions sit in high insurance groups, the lowest being 43, the supercharged V8s sitting one rung below the maximum, in group 49. This makes it no worse than its rivals, though. The manufacturer warranty lasts for three years with unlimited mileage, while the service interval is 15,000 miles.