Car Statistics: Land Rover - Range Rover Sport Series 09 (4 stars)

Styling (4 stars)

The design tweaks take their cue from the new styling of the Range Rover family. A new front bumper, a two-bar front grille, two bars in the side vents and new exhausts make the Sport look a bit lower and sleeker. Front and rear lights are now LED, with a smoked-effect finish at the back and subtle daytime running lights.

Handling (4 stars)

Land Rover has worked hard to ensure the Sport is more than just a straight-line weapon. A finely tuned chassis has added an Active Damping system and a full set of Brembo brakes that enable a time of 15 seconds for 0-100-0. A new 'Dynamic' mode also means the latest Sport corners cleanly and there's more feel through the steering wheel. In short, it's a real performance jewel in Land Rover's crown.

Comfort (4 stars)

The latest Sport's more comfortable cabin and array of technology make life very easy for owners. However, some owners might find the ride a little on the firm side: they might find the full-sized Rangey more to their taste, if they can stretch to another eight grand or so.

Quality (4 stars)

The Sport's new cabin will help persuade any occupant that this is a much higher-quality offering than its predecessor, with the upgraded leather, soft-touch textiles and electronics impressing. However, Land Rover's reputation when it comes to reliability may worry some potential buyers, with previous electrical issues on previous Sports a particular concern given the amount of onboard gizmos and gadgets.

Performance (4 stars)

There's plenty of performance available, whichever engine option you go for. The diesel generates 268bhp and 472lb-ft of torque, with the Supercharged V8 pumping out a massive 503bhp and 461lb-ft of torque, so 0-62mph times of 8.6 and 5.9 seconds, respectively, are easy to believe.

Roominess (4 stars)

It's not exactly cavernous, but there's still plenty of room to be found in the Sport, with enough head- and legroom in the back for adults and 958 litres of bootspace with the seats in place and up to 2,013 litres available in total.

Costs (3 stars)

The TDV8's 3.0-litre diesel engine has proved itself surprisingly economical in Land Rovers and Jaguars, so the official 30mpg isn't that difficult to achieve in the real world. The Supercharged V8's 18.9mpg is less easy to swallow, but if you can afford to splash £62K on a car these days, you can no doubt afford the regular trips to the pumps.

Value (4 stars)

You'll spend a fair bit on the Sport (up to £61,995), but the plethora of kit and the high-quality materials throughout the cabin should make it feel worth the money.

Stereo (5 stars)

A new TFT touchscreen display is hugely impressive, providing all the information a driver needs and all the functionality for controlling the infotainment system.