New Range Rover Sport vs BMW X5

The contenders

New Range Rover Sport P440e Dynamic SE

List price £87,530
Target price £87,530

Plug-in version of new Range Rover Sport has more power than the X5 and promises an even better electric range, but then it is more expensive

BMW X5 xDrive45e M Sport (M/Tech packs)

List price £77,020
Target price £75,688

Our long-time favourite luxury SUV is back to defend its crown. Plug-in hybrid tech gives it an official electric range of more than 50 miles

The new Range Rover Sport is two cars rolled into one – and we don’t mean that figuratively. This plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version quite literally has the powerplants of two cars.

To an extent, that’s true of all PHEVs, but most have four-cylinder petrol engines and relatively small drive batteries to keep weight down. This one has a whopping great 3.0-litre straight six, a battery bigger than the one in a Mini Electric and an electric motor more powerful than a Renault Zoe’s. And that means it tips the scale at nearly 2.8 tonnes – more than twice the weight of an Audi Q2.

So, this is not a car that will help save the planet. It is, however, an achingly desirable luxury SUV that’s almost unbelievably cheap to tax for company car drivers. It’s also around £20,000 cheaper than the mechanically similar full-size Range Rover that was launched earlier in the year.

To find out how good the new Sport really is, we’ve brought along our long-time class favourite, the BMW X5 xDrive45e. It’s also a PHEV, and while it has a smaller battery than the Sport, it’s lighter and much, much cheaper.

Driving 

Performance, ride, handling, refinement

In order for a PHEV to make sense, it needs to be driven using electric power whenever possible. So, it’s a good thing that both of these SUVs can easily cover off the average commute without burning a drop of petrol – as long as you set off with a full battery, that is (and we’ll come to the business of charging later).

In our real-world tests, conducted in temperatures of 10-12deg C, the Sport managed 46 miles of pure electric driving, versus the X5’s 36 miles. Expect a longer range in both if you’re pottering around town, or a shorter one if you’re sitting at 70mph on the motorway.

As long as you switch the cars to EV mode and avoid breaking through to the lower reaches of the accelerator pedal (something that’s hard to do by mistake, because there’s pronounced resistance), the petrol engine will stay dormant. And acceleration is decent enough without its help, albeit noticeably stronger in the Sport. It can also do around 90mph in EV mode (the X5 can only just nudge 70mph), which will be handy if you ever drive on the Continent.

In hybrid mode, the cars choose for themselves when to run on electric power and when to call on the petrol engine. Or if you need full performance, even in EV mode, you simply stamp hard on the accelerator pedal and both power sources do everything they can to fire you down the road as quickly as possible. And these are fast cars. In our test, the Sport managed 0-60mph in 5.9sec, with the X5 cutting a second off that time, despite having less power.

There’s a simple explanation for that: it’s almost a quarter of a tonne lighter. And while the 2.5-tonne X5 could hardly be described as a lightweight, these things are relative – and carrying around less flab, combined with a squatter body, helps the X5 to change direction more sharply. It grips harder, too – although the Sport’s ‘mud and snow’ tyres doubtless didn’t help its cause.

In any case, the Sport handles surprisingly well for something so big and heavy – especially when you switch to its sportier driving mode. We also prefer its faster, meatier steering over the X5’s lighter, less feelsome one. Another boon is the Sport’s optional four-wheel steering (part of the £5530 Stormer Handling Pack fitted to our test car but currently not available, due to the semiconductor chip shortage). This makes the car remarkably manoeuvrable, giving it a much tighter turning circle than the X5.

Both cars ride comfortably on standard air suspension, although if that’s a top priority, you’ll want to avoid the optional 22in wheels fitted to our Sport test car and the 21s on our X5 (part of the M Sport Pro Pack). The Sport edges it, though, with a supremely settled high-speed ride, making motorway journeys a pleasure. There’s a bit more vertical bounce in the X5 as its suspension tries to quell bumps, and both cars are a little less composed around town than their lighter petrol and diesel brethren.

The Sport’s smooth motorway manners are backed up by excellent refinement. The X5 is a very quiet car, make no mistake – but the Sport is even more hushed at both 30mph and a 70mph cruise. Our only minor complaint is that there’s noticeable wind noise around the front pillars, although that’s partly because there’s so little noise from everywhere else.

When called upon, the petrol engines in both cars cut in and out surreptitiously, and you won’t struggle to slow down smoothly despite the regenerative braking systems that come fitted as standard. The X5’s brake pedal is marginally more reassuring, and there’s more of a slowing effect when you simply lift off the accelerator pedal; any declines in the Sport will have you reigning it in manually using the brake pedal.

Behind the wheel

Driving position, visibility, build quality

If there's one thing Land Rover does better than just about anyone else, it's driving positions - and the new Range Rover Sport holds up its end just as well as the full-size Range Rover. You sit noticeably higher than in the BMW X5, looking down on the road as though you own it - and you'll stay comfortable all day long, thanks to a terrifically comfortable 20-way electrically adjustable driver's seat and loads of steering wheel adjustment (also electric).

The X5's driving position feels slightly less natural, although it's still easy to get comfy; it, too, offers electric steering wheel and driver's seat adjustment, and the latter grips you just as well as the Sport's through corners. And while the air-con buttons are slightly fiddlier to use than the Sport's dials, at least you get proper physical controls in both, as opposed to having to use the touchscreen like you would in a Volvo XC90.

The X5's thicker windscreen pillars, combined with that lower driving position, mean visibility at junctions isn't as impressive as in the Sport, although you should have no problem manoeuvring either car, thanks to front and rear parking sensors. The Sport also has a surround-view monitor – a feature that can be added to the X5 (which comes with a regular rear-view camera) for £650. 

Few cars this side of a Bentley Bentayga give you an impression of luxury better than a Range Rover when you're sitting behind the wheel. That's partly down to the design and colour schemes (Light Cloud/Ebony in our test car) but also because the materials, particularly the leather, feel really upmarket. 

However, that doesn't mean build quality is any better than in the X5. The Germanic design is certainly less effusive, yet there are no squeaks or rattles and everything feels solidly bolted together. In the Sport, you'll hear the odd creak as you open the glovebox, and you might wish the action of the electric seats was a little smoother, although it isn't enough to distract from the overall experience. 

Infotainment systems

Range Rover Sport

Range Rover’s system (called Pivi Pro) can only be controlled by touch, but at least the 13.1in screen is sharp and responsive to inputs. It also gives haptic feedback so you know when you’ve properly pressed an icon. Ultimately, the operating system isn’t as intuitive as the X5’s, but it isn’t so far behind that it should influence your buying decision. Like the X5, the Sport comes with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, plus wireless phone charging.

BMW X5

BMW is the best in the business when it comes to infotainment, and the version of iDrive fitted to the X5 is actually slightly more intuitive than the latest iteration (found in the BMW iX, for example). The dial between the front seats is the best way to control the system when you’re driving, although you can use the touchscreen if you prefer. The Harman Kardon sound system that comes as part of the Technology Pack delivers good sound quality.

Space and practicality

Front space, rear space, seating flexibility, boot

Unlike its predecessor, the new Range Rover Sport is strictly a five-seater – and although some versions of the BMW X5 can be specified with a third row, that doesn't include the 45e. Put simply, these five-metre-long giants can cart around only the same number of people as a Ford Fiesta. 

They will be considerably better catered for in our luxury SUVs, of course. Even with tall people sitting in the front, there's more than enough leg room left in the back to accommodate a couple of six-footers. The Sport is particularly generous when it comes to leg room and its rear seats are more supportive and offer a more natural seating position than the X5's. 

The only slight weak point is head room. The standard glass roof probably doesn't help and means anyone really lofty (6ft 2in plus) is likely to hit their head on the ceiling if they try to sit bolt upright. However, this can be mitigated by reclining the rear seatbacks, a feature that isn't offered in the X5. 

The X5's split tailgate is a handy addition and means you can fold down the bottom-hinged lower section to conjure up a bench for taking off your muddy wellies or make it easier to slide in heavy items. Outright boot space is very similar in both cars – although we managed to slot an extra carry-on suitcase (nine versus eight) under the X5's load cover. 

It's worth noting that these versions of the X5 and Sport lose some underfloor storage space, although a charging cable can be squeezed into the X5. In the Sport, cables have to go in the boot itself. 

Boot space

Range Rover Sport

Boot 647-1491 litres Suitcases 8

BMW X5

Boot 500-1720 litres Suitcases 9

Buying and owning

Costs, equipment, reliability, safety and security

You might have assumed the BMW X5 is the significantly cheaper option, and with an enormous £11,842 price difference (after discounts have been factored in), we'd hardly blame you. For many, though, it's actually the Range Rover Sport that will make the smaller dent in the wallet – and even when it doesn't, the difference is surprisingly small. 

Let's start with the numbers for company car drivers paying benefit-in-kind tax, because it's they who have the biggest reason to choose a plug-in hybrid. Because the Sport can officially do 70 miles without calling on its engine (even though it can't in the real world), you'll pay tax on just 5% of the list price every year. That means £146 a month for anyone in the 40% tax bracket – less than you'd pay for a Honda Jazz small hatchback.

Even with the X5, which is taxed at a rate of 8% due to its inferior official electric range (of 52 miles), the monthly tax bill comes in at a very palatable £205. If this all sounds like a big tax loophole, well, it is – especially because there's no requirement for you to take advantage of the electric-only ranges. You could never plug in and, based on our tests, you'd see a return of 27mpg (X5) or 25.1mpg (Range Rover). 

Plugging in these cars won't save you much cash with electricity prices as high as they are now, anyway. Charge at home and, based on the current price cap (of 34p per kWh), every mile in the X5 will cost you 20p, compared with 22p in the Sport. That's equivalent to a petrol car averaging 34-38mpg, so not exactly brilliant. 

Anyone with the wherewithal to pay cash will benefit from the Sport's incredibly slow predicted depreciation. That's the main reason why, over three years, it will work out thousands of pounds cheaper to own than the X5. 

It's also why monthly PCP finance costs are surprisingly close. Put down a £10,000 deposit and you'll pay £1002 a month for the next four years to drive the Sport, assuming a limit of 10,000 miles per year. The X5 is only slightly cheaper (£960 a month) on the same terms, although it's worth noting that you'll pay a much smaller 'balloon' payment on the X5 if you opt to buy it outright at the end of the agreement. 

Perhaps the biggest reason not to choose the Sport is parent company Land Rover's woeful reliability record. Its cars have, for many years, been some of the most troublesome on the road, and the 2022 What Car? Reliability Survey only provided more evidence for that: Land Rover finished second from the bottom in the brand league table (out of 32) and its Land Rover Discovery was the most unreliable car on the entire report. Hopefully the new Sport will be a turning point for the brand, but don't hold your breath. The X5 didn't feature in that survey, although BMW ranked 16th in the overall league table. 

Although the X5 received five stars for safety from Euro NCAP, that was way back in 2018 when the testing protocol was less stringent than it is today. You'll also need to add the Driver Assistant Professional Pack (£2300) to get adaptive cruise control and rear cross-traffic alert – things that come as standard on the Sport. The latter hadn't been appraised for its crash protection by Euro NCAP at the time of writing, though. 

One of the most disappointing things about the X5 is how long it takes to charge. It can accept only 3.7kW of power, so a 0-100% charge will take at least 7hr 15min – fine if you're only making one trip a day of less than 35 miles but otherwise quite annoying. The Sport, meanwhile, can be plugged into a public CCS charging point, from which it can pull 50kW for a 10-80% charge (of its larger battery) in around 50 minutes – or five hours (0-100%) if you're plugging it into a wallbox at home. 

Our verdict

It’s taken a thoroughly brilliant effort to dethrone our favourite luxury SUV, but the new Range Rover Sport is exactly that. Lovely to sit in, relaxing to drive and cheaper than you might think to own, it’s an SUV that backs up to its immense desirability with real substance.

The traffic isn’t entirely one way, though; the X5 is still a very fine car, with a superior infotainment system, better performance and slightly sharper handling. It’s just a shame its lower list price doesn’t translate to cheaper long-term ownership costs.

Don’t buy either car assuming you’re doing the environment a favour, though. Even if you charge up religiously, you’re unlikely to ever offset the huge carbon footprint from their manufacture – something you’d do after several years if you bought a fully electric car.

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1st – Range Rover Sport

For Brilliant driving position; more cosseting ride; quieter cruiser; faster charging
Against Disappointing efficiency; diesel versions ride even more smoothly
Recommended options Metallic paint (£895)

What Car? rating 5 stars out of 5

Read our full Range Rover Sport review >>

Find Range Rover Sport deals >>

2nd – BMW X5

For Stronger performance; better infotainment system; more agile
Against Inferior electric range; you’ll want to add options; slow charging
Recommended options Comfort Pack (£2495), Technology Plus Pack (£2300)

What Car? rating 4 stars out of 5

Read our full BMW X5 review >>

Find BMW X5 deals >>

Specifications: Range Rover Sport P440e Dynamic SE

Engine 6cyl, 2996cc, turbo, petrol, electric motor
Peak power 434bhp (combined)
Peak torque 457Ib ft (combined)
Gearbox 8-spd automatic
0-60mph 5.9sec
30-70mph 5.4sec
Top speed 140mph
30-0mph 12.1m
70-0mph 69.1m
Noise at 30mph 57.9db
Noise at 70mph 64.4db
Kerb weight 2735kg
Tyre size (std) 275/50 R21
Fuel tank 72 litres
CO2 emissions 18g/km
Battery capacity 31.8kWh
Peak charging rate 50kW
Charging time 7kWh wallbox 5hr (0-100%), rapid charger 50kWh 50min (10-80%) 

Specifications: BMW X5 xDrive45e M Sport (Pro/Tech packs)

Engine 6cyl, 2998cc, turbo, petrol, plus electric motor
Peak power 389bhp (combined)
Peak torque 443Ib ft (combined)
Gearbox 8-spd automatic
0-60mph 4.9sec
30-70mph 4.6sec
Top speed 146mph
30-0mph 10.7m
70-0mph 58.3m
Noise at 30mph 59.6db
Noise at 70mph 66.3db
Kerb weight 2510kg
Tyre size (std) 275/40 R21 (f), 315/35 R21 (r)
Fuel tank 69 litres
CO2 emissions 30g/km
Battery capacity 20.9kWh
Peak charging rate 3.7kW
Charging time 7hr 15min (0-100%)

Weather conditions Damp

Cars pictured

BMW X5 xDrive45e M Sport with Arctic Grey metallic paint (£795) and Ivory White/Black extended merino leather (£995)

Range Rover Sport P440e Dynamic SE with Varesine Blue metallic paint (£895), SV Bespoke black 22in alloy wheels (£1600), Black Exterior Pack (£1450) and black contrast roof (£950)

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