Range Rover Sport vs Ram 1500

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.

In performance terms, the new Hurricane twin-turbo six is more than a match for the Hemi V8 it replaces. So, for a tradie that fancies a powerful US pick-up with 4.5-tonne towing, lots of load tub space and ample room to cart up to five crew in loungeroom comfort, the Ram 1500 Laramie Sport has plenty to offer.

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.

This is a BIG pick-p which may present challenges for tradies trying to access worksites with confined access. Measuring almost 6.0 metres long (5916mm) and just under 2.5 metres wide (2474mm with mirrors), it has a vast 3672mm wheelbase which results in an expansive 14.4-metre turning circle.

Its length and front/rear overhangs limit hardcore off-road ability with relatively shallow 20.2 degrees approach, 18.7 degrees ramp breakover and 21.7 degrees departure angles, along with 220mm of ground clearance. Not that owners are likely to tackle Gunshot Creek, but it would cope fine with rugged worksites.

Built on a massive ladder-type chassis frame, it rides on twin A-arm coil spring front suspension and multi-link coil-spring live rear axle, with four-wheel disc brakes and electric-assisted power steering.

The MY25's styling is enhanced with a redesigned front fascia, new LED headlights and LED tail-lights. The interior design and its quality of finish are outstanding, particularly the locally installed RHD dash module which looks superb and seamlessly transitions a vast number of LHD features and functions to RHD.

The full-length sunroof adds to the spacious feel and there’s a sumptuous mix of real leather seat trim, synthetic woodgrain infills, satin chrome, Laramie insignias embroidered on the seat facings and lots of exposed stitching along flawless seams.

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.

With its hefty 2642kg kerb weight and 3505kg GVM, our test vehicle has an 863kg payload rating, which is modest when compared to numerous smaller utes with higher ratings.

It’s also rated to tow up to 3500kg on a 50mm tow-ball and up to 4500kg on a 70mm ball. And with its 7711kg GCM rating (or how much it can legally carry and tow at the same time) it can carry its maximum payload when towing 3500kg.

However, the payload must be reduced by almost 300kg to tow the maximum 4500kg, which would only leave about half a tonne of payload most of which could be used up by the weight of a full crew, so it’s important to be aware of these numbers if planning to tow that heavy.

The load tub is 1702mm long, 1270mm wide and 543mm deep, resulting in 1.5 cubic metres of total load volume and enough space between the sidewalls to carry either an Aussie or Euro pallet.

Lockable RamBox storage compartments on each side have a combined load volume of 420 litres and given both are equipped with rubber plug-sealed drain holes they are tailor-made for carting lots of ice and cold drinks.

A two-way powered tailgate saves a lot of physical effort and the load tub is protected by a spray-in liner. There are fixed load-anchorage points front and rear near floor level and slide-adjustable hooks near the top of the tub, so loads of all heights are catered for.

The tub also has internal lighting and its folding soft tonneau cover is easy to remove and refit. There’s also a spring-loaded step which swings down to ease rear load-tub access and when retracted is largely hidden behind the left rear wheel. Our test vehicle was also supplied with a sturdy and adjustable partition that can divide the load tub into two compartments.

Driver and front passenger enjoy spacious comfort, which is shared with rear passengers thanks to doors than swing wide open to access a plush bench seat that offers palatial head, knee and foot room even for tall people.

The cabin’s vast rear floor is also flat which ensures even a tall middle passenger can be comfortable on longer journeys without having to straddle a transmission tunnel.

There’s heaps of cabin storage available, starting with a big bin in the base of each front door plus a large glovebox on the passenger side.

The centre console, in addition to its twin wireless phone chargers, single HDMI and multiple USB ports, houses a huge storage box topped by a padded lid/elbow rest and an internal sliding tray equipped with two small-bottle/cup-holders.

Rear passengers also get storage bins in the doors plus pockets on each front seat backrest. The rear of the centre console, in addition to adjustable vents, seat heating controls and multiple USB ports has two small-bottle/cup holders for rear passenger use.

The 60/40-split bench seat’s base cushions can swing up and be stored vertically if you want more internal carrying space, or to access two storage compartments underneath. Plus there’s storage bins with removable liners underneath the floor on each side.

The centre seat’s backrest also folds forward to reveal a large centre console for two, which offers yet another pair of small-bottle/cup-holders. Its padded lid is wide enough to provide elbow rests for both sides and when raised reveals a storage tray ideal for storing phones or tablets.

Our Laramie Sport test vehicle, finished in sparkling Billet Silver, comes equipped with the Standard Output 313kW/635Nm version of the twin-turbo Hurricane six (the High Output 403kW/707Nm is exclusive to Limited) and eight-speed automatic transmission for a list price of $141,950. The Limited lists at $159,950.

For that kind of spend you’d expect plenty of standard equipment in return and the Laramie Sport delivers, starting with its newly designed 20-inch painted and polished alloy wheels with 275/55R20 tyres and a full-size alloy spare.

You also get a new Laramie Sport-specific grille, body-colour door handles, powered side-steps that automatically extend/retract when doors open/close, power-folding mirrors, two-way powered tailgate and dual RamBox cargo storage compartments. There’s also a heavy-duty towbar, trailer brake controller and 12-pin wiring harness.

Step inside the sumptuous cabin using the remote proximity keyless entry/start and you’re treated to eight-way power-adjustable and leather-trimmed driver and front passenger bucket seats with power-adjustable lumbar support and heating/cooling. The 60/40-split rear bench seat is also leather-trimmed and heated.

The driver gets a leather-wrapped and heated steering wheel plus power-adjustable pedal height, but the steering column misses out on power adjustment which you might expect at this level.

There’s also a panoramic dual-pane sunroof, powered sliding rear window, LED ambient interior lighting, dual-zone climate control and dual wireless phone charging.

In addition to a superb 19-speaker Harmon Kardon sound system, the MY25 upgrade includes what Ram claims is a ‘class-leading’ 14.4-inch multimedia touchscreen, which serves as central command for numerous media and vehicle functions. Thankfully, it retains physical dials for volume and tuning controls.

Keeping the big screen company is a smaller 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen (with HDMI port) for the front seat passenger, which is covered with privacy film so the display cannot be seen by the driver to avoid distraction.

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.

The ‘Hurricane’ 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged straight six is a modern and robust design featuring aluminium alloy cylinder block and heads, dual overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder and forged steel crankshaft and connecting rods.

In the Laramie Sport’s 'SO' specification its 313kW of power at 5200rpm and 635Nm of torque at 3500rpm represents 7.6 per cent more power and 14.2 per cent more torque than the previous Hemi V8.

This is paired with a smooth-shifting Torqueflite eight-speed torque converter automatic which offers a new suite of switchable drive modes comprising Auto (default), Sport, Tow/Haul, Snow and Off-Road which optimises vehicle performance in each setting.

In addition to the Tow/Haul mode, there’s Electronic Range Select (ERS) controlled by steering wheel buttons which allows selection of a lower gear. This is particularly handy if a ‘downshift’ is required to employ engine-braking on steep descents when towing and/or hauling heavy loads.

The transfer case also offers several drive modes including 2WD, 4WD Auto (only sends drive to the front axle when loss of traction is detected), 4WD High and 4WD Low. For off-road use only, the centre differential can also be locked to distribute drive in an even 50:50 split between front and rear axles.

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.

Ram claims official combined consumption of 10.7L/100km but the dash display was showing a much higher 14.7 figure at the completion of our 290km test, which included our usual mix of suburban, city and highway driving of which about one third of that distance was hauling a heavy payload.

Our own figure, crunched from fuel bowser and tripmeter readings, came in slightly lower at 14.1 which is just outside the usual 2-3L/100km discrepancy between official and real-world figures but typical of the mid-teens consumption we usually achieve in US pick-ups on local roads.

Therefore, based on our numbers, you could expect a realistic driving range of around 700km from its big 98-litre tank.

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.

The powered side-step extends automatically when you open the door, which combined with the large assist handles on the A (and B) pillars makes it easy to climb aboard.

The driving position is extremely comfortable, with the big door mirrors backed by blind-spot monitoring providing reassurance when driving. However, traffic sign recognition (the latter standard in Limited) should also be included here.

Ram’s switch from a Hemi V8 to a straight six will no doubt be regretted by those hooked on the unique soundtrack and character that only a deep-chested V8 can deliver.

However, the Hurricane engine brings a new character to Ram 1500 ownership, with the twin-outlet exhaust emitting a satisfying burble at idle and a snarling, raspy roar under hard acceleration that’s delivered with a smoothness that showcases its refinement.

There’s not a hint of turbo lag in its delivery either, with a big fat serving of torque starting from well below its 3500rpm peak. On several occasions, when accelerating out of corners in 2WD mode, the unloaded inside rear tyre momentarily beat the traction control with a loud chirp. Rest assured, the new Hurricane engine’s performance will not disappoint.

The ride quality, handling, steering and braking feel are commendable for a vehicle of this size and weight, which could easily feel ponderous without local engineering inputs that tailor these chassis dynamics to suit Australian roads and driver preferences. They’re a key reason why these full-size US pick-ups feel like they’re getting smaller each time we drive one.

To test its GVM rating, we loaded 650kg into the load tub, which with driver was a total payload of 750kg that was only about 100kg under its legal limit.

The rear coil-springs compressed about 60mm but that still left enough static bump-stop clearance to ensure no hard thuds from bottoming-out on a test route. The ride was slightly firmer as you’d expect, but still supple enough to soak up the bumps.

The twin-turbo six scoffed at our 13 per cent gradient, 2.0km-long set climb when hauling this payload, with its ample torque and ability to accelerate at any point making it feel like the load tub was empty. The ERS feature, which allows manual shifting to a lower gear, contributes to similarly strong engine-braking on descents.

It’s also an effortless highway cruiser requiring less than 2000rpm to maintain 110km/h, with effective noise suppression ensuring a pleasantly quiet cabin environment. Having the choice of adaptive or non-adaptive cruise control at the push of a button is another plus for long hauls.

There are currently no ANCAP ratings for US pick-ups. Even so, it comes equipped with six airbags including side-curtains for both rows of seating, forward collision warning and auto emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, trailer sway control, tyre pressure monitoring and lots more. The rear seat has three top-tether and three ISOFIX child-seat anchorages.

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.

It comes with a three-year/100,000km warranty, which looks underdone compared to five-year/unlimited km deals for local rivals like the Ford F-150 and Toyota Tundra. However, it does include roadside assistance. Scheduled service intervals of 12 months/12,000km whichever occurs first. No capped-price servicing is offered.