Range Rover Sport vs Ford Mustang

What's the difference?

Range Rover proudly calls it its “most dynamic” model ever, and based on our first experience that’s most definitely true. Its ability to be genuinely exciting to drive on a race track is nothing short of remarkable for a brand whose history is all about off-road prowess.

On the road it shines just as brightly, with its potent engine and state-of-the-art suspension system working in unison to make for a stunningly dynamic large and luxurious SUV. And then, if you need to cut across a field or scramble up a slippery hill, it will do that too.

Range Rover’s claims of ‘breadth of capability’ is apt but arguably an understatement. I’d stop short of calling the Sport SV the obvious class-leader in the high-end, high-performance SUV market because it’s up against some seriously impressive rivals, but the Range Rover offers a broader range of ability than any of its competitors.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

Having driven the latest example of the Mustang GT, I hope Bill Ford is true to his word and keeps the V8-powered Mustang for as long as possible. It isn’t the most razor-sharp sports car or the most powerful muscle car, but it offers the kind of driving thrills and enjoyment that have made the car an icon.

The price increase is steep but the new technology inside drags the Mustang into the modern era and will add more youth appeal to a car that is largely unchanged in concept for the past 60 years.

But now that I’ve driven it in the USA and France, I can’t wait for it to finally reach Australia.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

Range Rover is a brand synonymous with big, imposing and off-road capable SUVs, not dynamic and sporty vehicles. But in recent years the Evoque and Velar have added a new layer of style and a sleekness to the brand’s reputation.

The latest generation Sport is still a big and imposing two-tonne SUV, but it’s also definitely sportier to look at and the SV changes only add to that.

It only takes a moment looking at it and it’s clear this is an SUV that means business. The 23-inch wheels fill out the guards, the air-suspension can lower the body to the ground and the aerodynamic package, including the front splitter, make for a purposeful look.

The carbon-fibre bonnet can be finished with the centre section exposed, showing off the weave of the fibres, which is a nice touch, although fake vents on the bonnet and front fenders are a bit disappointing.

While this is considered a ‘new generation’ Mustang, the reality is this is more of a major overhaul than a complete, blank sheet redesign. As such, there’s a lot of carry over to the design, but that’s not to say there aren’t some significant changes.

For example, it’s still clearly a Mustang in its silhouette, sharing that with the sixth-generation model it replaces, as well as the now-iconic 1960s Fastback models, but the details are noticeably different.

To try and create more differentiation between the GT and EcoBoost models, Ford has designed unique front ends for each. Both are characterised by a strong horizontal line across the front of the more angular grille that meets the new ‘tri-bar’ daytime running lights.

The EcoBoost has an upper grille similar in size to the out-going model, the GT is a much larger upper section which incorporates a pair of ‘nostrils’ as well as a bonnet vent - both of which are functional for cooling and aerodynamics.

Down the sides Ford has lowered the beltline and created a more defined rear fender ‘shoulder’ that helps create the impression of a wider car. 

At the rear the famous ‘tri-bar’ lights remain and there are unique diffusers for each model, with the EcoBoost running two exhaust tips and the GT getting quad pipes.

But it’s inside where the biggest design changes have happened. The retro-inspired cabin of the sixth-generation - which features shiny silver plastic toggle-like switches and round air-con vents - has been overhauled.

The iconic ‘double brow’ design to the dashboard, which dates back to the original 1964 Mustang, has been dropped and replaced with a pair of digital screens. There’s a 12.3-inch display for the digital instrument cluster and a 13.2-inch multimedia touchscreen.

This change is designed to appeal to a younger audience but also allows for greater customisation and variety of displays, with Ford developing six different instrument panel options depending on the setting the driver chooses.

The primary three are the 'Normal', 'Sport' and 'Track' modes, which have been inspired by the GT supercar and the Mustang Mach-E electric SUV, while there’s also a 'Calm' setting, providing only the necessary data, such as speed, in a simplified format.

The final two have been created to tailor to fans of the brand’s 1980s ‘Fox Body’ Mustang, with digital versions of its round analogue dials in both a ‘Day’ and ‘Night’ mode, with the former using white graphics and the latter getting retro green dials.

There are two stand-out features in the cabin, beyond the standard high-level of luxury you expect from a Range Rover Sport. 

The first is the SV-specific steering wheel with illuminated paddles, which feels solid in your hands. But the second is by far the most interesting, the so-called Body and Soul Seats (BASS), which Range Rover has developed in conjunction with Coventry University.

Available with either genuine leather or ‘ultra fabric’ and a 3D-print knit trim, the seats look great on the outside but it’s what’s inside them that’s special.

There are four audio transducers integrated into the seat back which can vibrate to the beat of whatever audio track you’re listening to. The system uses AI to detect the lower frequencies and then work out which beats to transmit.

This is technology used by musicians, Coldplay’s Chris Martin reportedly wears transducers integrated into a vest when he performs, but Range Rover is confident it will add to the ownership experience.

It’s certainly an interesting technology and a demonstration across different music genres highlights the way the system adapts to individual songs, but it’s hard not to feel like this is more of a gimmick than something an owner will use every day. 

If you don’t like listening to music with it, the Body and Soul Seats also work with a ‘Wellness’ setting that features six audio pieces (designed by Coventry University musicians) - calm, soothe, serene, cool, tonic and invigorate.

It’s probably what you need to help settle your heart rate after you unleash the full performance potential of the Sport SV.

In the back seat there’s none of this technology but they do feature heating and ventilation as well as power recline functions. There’s also four-zone climate control, so every occupant can be comfortable.

The sixth-generation Mustang copped a lot of criticism for its interior look and feel, and while it certainly wasn’t at European levels of quality it was more affordable than any European V8-powered coupe.

The introduction of the new digital displays certainly adds a more premium impression to the cabin when you get inside, but you can still see a lot of the previous generation in this model, in particular the doors and centre console.

It’s pretty practical, for a sports car, with a pair of cupholders and a lidded centre console box for small item storage. 

One noticeable issue with the screens is the control virtually everything to do with the multimedia, including the air-conditioning, so trying to make small temperature adjustments is more complicated than just pressing a physical button. 

Not surprisingly space feels very similar to the outgoing Mustang with supportive and comfortable seating up front that made long stretches behind the wheel feel easy, which is nice for a sports car.

As for the rear seats, they remain incredibly tight for space and are better for soft item storage rather than squeezing people into.

Despite the largely carried over body and interior, the boot is slightly smaller than the previous model, with the coupe measuring 376 litres compared to the 408 litres offered previously. 

Ford Australia hasn’t confirmed the complete list of specifications for the seventh-generation Mustang range, but pricing has been locked in and we do know all three initial models - Dark Horse, GT and EcoBoost - will be offered here.

Having previously driven the Dark Horse in the USA in 2023, this time we sampled the GT and that’s the model we’ll focus on in this review.

We already know it will be priced from $77,002 for the six-speed manual and $80,902 for the 10-speed automatic coupe (both prices exclude on-road costs). The GT will be the only convertible option for Australians (and will only be available with the auto), priced from $86,102.

That’s a significant price rise from the out-going model, jumping up nearly $12,000 ($11,712 to be precise), which means it will be more expensive than the Nissan Z ($75,800) and closer to the BMW-based Toyota Supra (starting at $87,380).

On the plus side, this price increase is expected to come with a ramp up in standard equipment, including a new digital dashboard which features a pair of large screens, as well as the introduction of the line lock feature we missed on the previous model and the all-new 'Drift Brake'.

Sadly the wonderfully evocative supercharged V8 engine from the previous generation Range Rover Sport SVR is gone.

But, thankfully, in its place is a more powerful engine that’s exclusive to the Sport SV in the Jaguar Land Rover family.

It’s a 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol engine with mild-hybrid assistance, which is actually built by BMW and based on the same powertrain as you’ll find in the M5, albeit with some specific Range Rover elements for more off-road capability.

It’s also more powerful than the old supercharged V8, making an impressive 467kW of power and 750Nm of torque, which is a 44kW and 50Nm improvement over the old engine.

It’s paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission, again with a specific SV calibration for improved performance. 

And, of course, being a Land Rover, it’s also got a four-wheel drive system with full off-road systems as well as an active locking differential.

During the top secret development of this seventh-generation model there were plenty of rumours that Ford was considering a hybrid system for this Mustang. Fortunately for lovers of old-school V8 engines that proved not to be the case.

Instead it’s powered by a 5.0-litre V8 that's an evolution of the ‘Coyote’ unit from the previous ‘Stang but now featuring some technical changes, including dual throttle-bodies and separate airboxes to help improve performance. In the GT it’s tuned to make 345kW and 550Nm.

It can be paired with either a six-speed manual gearbox or 10-speed automatic transmission, both sending all the power to the road via the rear wheels.

Despite all the extra power, thanks to the mild-hybrid system it’s more fuel efficient and produces less emissions than the old 5.0-litre V8.

Still, it’s all relative, and as you’d expect from a twin-turbo V8 SUV it’s still thirsty and uses 11.7-12.5-litres per 100km, based on European specifications.

The mild hybrid system uses a crank-integrated starter generator instead of a conventional alternator, providing a boost of up to 20kW and 175Nm of electrical power when needed, with the energy captured during braking and stored in a 48-volt lithium-ion battery.

While it hasn’t been confirmed by Ford, the Federal Government's Green Vehicle Guide has the Mustang GT rated at 12.8L/100km. And while that’s quite a thirst for unleaded petrol, it shouldn’t come as a surprise given it’s a 345kW 5.0-litre V8 engine.

If you value efficiency in your American muscle car, the four-cylinder turbocharged EcoBoost is rated at 9.4L/100km. But based on previous evidence, Mustang buyers are likely to opt for power over saving petrol.

The claimed consumption figure translates to a driving range between fills of around 650km.

Before driving the Sport SV you need to understand its highly complex suspension system that allows it to be so dynamically capable. Range Rover calls it a '6D Dynamic' system, because it can control the car left and right, up and down and corner to corner. 

To achieve this the system uses a combination of hydraulic interlinked dampers, height-adjustable air springs and pitch control, which makes it a semi-active suspension set-up similar to the set-up Formula 1 race cars used to boast. 

This allows the Sport SV to sit between 10-25mm lower than the other Sport models and with its clever suspension can actually sit flatter in the corner with less pitch and roll - which is the traditional enemy of high-riding SUVs when it comes to handling.

But the suspension is only part of the story, with the intelligent all-wheel drive, rear-wheel steering, torque vectoring and the active locking rear diff all combining to produce an SUV with incredibly impressive dynamic capability.

Put simply, there’s never been a Range Rover that deserved to be driven on a racetrack. The Sport SV changes that, and thankfully the company let us loose on the challenging Portimao circuit in Portugal to put the SV through its paces.

Range Rover management was quick to stress it doesn’t expect the Sport SV to be a race track regular for its owners, but driving it on track did highlight the extreme potential it offers. 

With such a powerful engine it should come as no surprise that the Sport SV hauled down the straight, hitting 233km/h at the end of the long front straight, but with speed still rising which suggests its 290km/h claimed top speed is accurate.

Even from those speeds and with 2560kg of SUV to slow down, with the carbon ceramic brakes it was no trouble whatsoever. Instead the braking was strong and consistent across multiple laps. 

The steering is the particular highlight, with the rear-wheel steering helping to turn the Sport SV sharper and more quickly than a big SUV like this should. 

But while it impressed on the circuit, we also experienced it on some great winding rural roads across Portugal and this is where it shone even more brightly.

This is an SUV that you’ll genuinely enjoy driving with its ability to carve through corners and blast down anything resembling straight road.

But to ensure it lives up to the Land Rover badge on the front, we also drove it off-road. Nothing too serious at first, just muddy ruts, across some water and over some rocks.

But then we were guided through a course that showed off its articulation potential, which is far greater than the average owner will ever need. 

However, to achieve this Range Rover removed the carbon-fibre front splitter, so it’s not the most off-road friendly model the brand offers.

As promised earlier, here’s how the Mustang GT felt powering through the French countryside…

But first, it’s worth acknowledging that, in truth, it wasn't hard work getting through the traffic even in the manual Mustang. While the clutch is on the heavier side, it’s got a smooth action and the engine's torque and flexibility make darting in and out of gaps in the traffic a breeze.

However,  once out on the open roads the Mustang really could run free. The V8 engine sounded fantastic bellowing out across the fields and through the quaint little villages we passed through.

As you'd expect, the V8 provides plenty of grunt, it's an incredibly flexible engine pulling hard right across the rev range and makes us appreciate even more that this now remains the last of its kind since the demise of the V8-powered Chevrolet Camaro and Dodge Challenger.

Driving the Mustang in conditions like this makes you understand why it has been such a popular sports car not only in Australia but around the world for decades.

While the manual transmission has fallen out of favour with Aussie buyers, the truth is it's the pick for this GT. The fact it has less ratios to choose from than the 10-speed automatic means it feels more urgent and (again) the flexibility of the engine allows it to shine.

Not that the auto is bad, it does a fine job, it just lacks the buzz and engagement the manual ‘box provides.

What arguably impresses even more than the engine is the handling. Having driven the Dark Horse last year and being so impressed by its handling, particularly with the 'Performance Package', there was some concern prior to driving the GT that it would feel less impressive and, dare I say, duller.

But that's far from the case. Instead, the GT feels responsive and well sorted across a variety of road conditions. While it may lack the precise handling characteristics of a European sports car, it’s clear Ford has made this latest Mustang better suited for the rest of the world, not just America.

Not that Ford has made the Mustang too serious, as the introduction of the Drift Brake demonstrates. This rally-style electronic handbrake allows you to, as the name suggests, snap the car into a slide - when the circumstances allow.

Ford finally gave us our first (official) use of the Drift Brake when it paid us up with stunt driving expert, Paul Swift, who taught us how to slide the Mustang into a parallel park.

Obviously this is not designed for road use but for those who want to take their Mustang to the track it will no doubt lead to a lot of fun and some shredded tyres.

Full safety specifications haven’t been announced, but in the US, where it’s already on sale, all models are equipped with at least a reversing camera, rear parking sensors, auto high-beam headlights as well as front, side and driver’s knee airbags.

There’s also a decent level of active safety gear with pre-collision assist with autonomous emergency braking and lane departure warning all standard. But adaptive cruise control, lane centring assist and intelligent speed assist are all optional.

Frankly, after my French experience I’d be hoping the lane centring assist is an optional locally because the overly sensitive system drove us crazy on our French test drive.

Repeated warnings to ‘put our hands on the wheel’ when our hands were firmly affixed to the tiller moved from just frustrating to borderline dangerous as the only way to trigger the system to stop making its request was to quite violently tug on the wheel and jerk the car in the lane. 

It’s another case of poorly calibrated safety systems that make you question the value of the technology in the first place, especially when you find yourself turning it off because it’s safer to just pay attention as a responsible driver.

It will be interesting to see if ANCAP crash tests this new generation Mustang, especially considering how closely related it is to the previous model.

ANCAP famously (or infamously, depending on your point-of-view) crash-tested the previous Mustang and awarded it two from a possible five-star rating.

Despite the public criticism it didn’t seem to impact Ford’s sales of the pony car, which remained a best-seller. 

Since the Mustang, ANCAP has not tested any of its rivals, with sports cars including the Toyota Supra, Nissan Z and Subaru BRZ all unrated by the safety authority.

If you’re worrying about servicing costs, you’re probably shopping at the wrong end of the market, but as with the range-topping Range Rover model the price of the car is expected to include servicing for the first five years and roadside assistance for the same period.

It’s also covered by a five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty.

As with all Range Rovers the car will tell you when it needs a service depending on driving conditions. For example, if you hit the track or go off-roading it will likely need a visit quicker than if you're just commuting to and from work.

There are no details confirmed at this stage but there’s no reason to believe the Mustang won’t be covered by Ford Australia’s usual five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty.

Similarly, service intervals are likely to be 12 months/15,000km.

For reference, capped price servicing on the out-going Mustang GT came in at $299 for each of the first four services, up to four years/60,000km. Not bad.