Sporting SUVs have come a long way, but the Range Rover Sport arguably started the trend. We spent the day with the Range Rover Sport D350 from Land Rover Pietermaritzburg and came away with a feeling of pure contentment.
As days in the Midlands go, this was a good one.
We generally never need any excuse to head into the Midlands. As an ex-Pietermaritzburg boy, nearly every weekend was spent meandering the roads from Hilton to Notties. Sometimes in a car and sometimes on a bike.
So when Wayne Maybery, dealer principal at Land Rover Pietermaritzburg, dropped the keys into my hands on a warm Saturday morning, I knew there was only one place to take the Eiger Grey Range Rover Sport D350 for a day in the country. Now, I’ve done a fair bit of mileage in the previous generation Range Rover Sport, thanks to my best mate and his love of the green oval, so I was quite familiar with the Range Rover Sport ‘standard’. But this new generation takes that standard and completely re-defines it, shifting this vehicle into a stratospheric level of luxury and comfort. It really is difficult to emphasise just how far this vehicle has elevated itself from its previous generation, but more importantly, from almost everything else on the road today.
While the term ‘luxury’ is bandied about in almost every car advert, the Range Rover Sport can quietly sit and smile knowing it practically owns the definition of sporting luxury.
“It’s not so much the effortless way it eats up the back roads, but the confidence it gives you to tackle the tough stuff.”
Now, the obvious route for myself and the family to take out of ‘Maritzburg, would be to slip onto the N3, which is about three turns from the dealership. But when you get the opportunity to spend time with a vehicle like this, you want it to last.
So, after effortlessly connecting the iPhone to the sublime Meridian sound system, we head through town, onto Victoria Road, and power up the hill towards Winterskloof and Sweetwaters, enjoying every curve that Dennis Shepstone Drive throws at us. This is the type of road that makes you appreciate the Adjustable Dynamic Air Suspension that comes standard with this generation. It literally knows what road conditions are coming up and adjusts the suspension accordingly.
Before we know it we are on the R103. The ‘Sport’ absolutely chews up the miles without drama. Wind noise is barely a factor thanks to the active noise cancellation technology (which I won’t even attempt to explain), making this experience truly surreal.
After a quick coffee stop at The Platform in Lions River, we head on towards Nottingham Road, with obligatory stops at a few of our favourite places.
This Range Rover Sport certainly has presence. This was very noticeable by the sideways glances we got at every stop. The taut surfaces and muscular stance give the Sport an understated confidence, while the exterior body panels have been trimmed of all unnecessary creases, something Land Rover calls ‘reductive design’. And they have definitely nailed the design on this one.
As we head into Notties, the inevitable words come from the back seats, “Dad I’m hungry’. After a quick debate in the parking lot of The Junction, we decide to make our way to another Meander favourite, Blueberry Café.
The short drive to our lunch destination gives me time to think about the Range Rover Sport in the context of necessity and economics. Yes, I know it costs the same as a free-standing house in the suburbs, and I know that other vehicles can probably do what it does at a fraction of the cost, but the Range Rover Sport creates an occasion out of every moment. The touch points feel perfect, the cushioned drive feels engaging, and the sheer scale of the vehicle gives you a sense of impunity. The Sport manages to elevate itself from the mundane, while doing the most everyday activity.
The short gravel road up to the restaurant seems a lot smoother today. And as I walk away from the parking area, I turn back to glance at this marvel of automotive perfection, quietly thinking to myself, which way home is the longest.
The 2024 Range Rover Sport D350 Dynamic HSE is available at Land Rover Pietermaritzburg from around R2 459 900.
VEHICLE COURTESY OF SMG LAND ROVER PIETERMARITZBURG. Visit them at Bird Sanctuary, 9 Armitage Road in Pietermaritzburg, call: 033 897 8860 or visit www.landrover.co.za/retailer/pietermaritzburg
Words by Simon Maritz
Photography by Land Rover UK