Range Rover Sport vs Volvo XC90

What's the difference?

The current Range Rover Sport arrived in 2022, the third-generation version of what has been a super-successful model line for Land Rover, combining sleek looks with top-shelf luxury and a wide range of power and model grade options.

On test here is the P460e Dynamic HSE, a petrol-electric plug-in hybrid sitting in the thick of the upper-luxury five-seat SUV market.

We spent a week behind the wheel to see if it has what it takes to put its nose in front of an impressive bunch of European, more specifically, German rivals. 

The first-generation Volvo XC90 remained on sale for 12 years in Australia before being replaced by the handsome second-gen version that recently clocked up a decade of sales.

There’s a reason for the longevity. People love the Volvo XC90. It is a reliable seven-seat family-friendly SUV with a premium bent. You’ll spot loads of these at fancy private school drop off.

Volvo has extended the life of the second-gen XC90 with a significant late-life update. It adopts some features from its stablemate, the similarly sized and positioned EX90 electric SUV.

It doesn’t get a fully-electric powertrain but you have the choice of a mild-hybrid grade that acts as the range opener and the well-equipped T8 Plug-In Hybrid I’m testing.

Interestingly, a number of this car’s rivals have had their lives extended, too. As many carmakers pour billions into EVs, they’ve taken to delivering major updates to older internal combustion platforms rather than developing all-new underpinnings. The Audi Q7 and BMW X5 are other examples of this.

For the update, Volvo has ushered in a front-end design refresh, a fresh take on the interior, new multimedia and safety tech, a light tweak to suspension and new colours and wheels.

But is this enough to keep premium SUV buyers interested? Let’s find out…