If your budget – or your driveway – can’t quite stretch to a full-size Range Rover, then the 2017 Range Rover Sport is the next rung down on the ladder of the company’s model range – and it’s a little more compact and a little more sporty, as well as a touch more affordable. As a rival for the BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz GLE or Audi Q7 it offers an impressive combination of luxury, style, ride comfort and imperious off-road ability. It is, however, expensive to run, and there is a question mark over the model’s reliability.

Strengths:

Impressive on-road manners and off-road ability
Imparts a sense of luxury
Powerful versions are very fast

Weaknesses:

Potential reliability concerns
High running costs
Cramped third row on seven-seat models

Is the 2017 Range Rover Sport better than the 2017 BMW X5?

The main advantage of the 2017 BMW X5 is that it’s more sporty to drive than the 2017 Range Rover Sport, but its brash, aggressive looks aren’t for everyone, and the Range Rover Sport is a more comfortable car on-road, as well as more impressive off it.