Range Rover Sport P550e Autobiography long-term test: with great power comes great economy

Early driving impressions are that the Range Rover Sport is going to be an adept long-distance cruiser, and it’s only taken a couple of journeys to find my way around the initially frustrating Pivi Pro infotainment system – controlled via a 13.1-inch central display. There’s a handy button on the steering wheel to switch between three levels of driver assistance, while I’ve set the adjacent favourites button to instantly activate the driver’s heated seat at the start of a journey. 

Land Rover’s latest cabins are devoid of buttons, with absolutely everything running through the touchscreen, which I’m not a fan of in any car – a volume knob and dials for the temperature are still things I pine for. Having to dive into screens to switch between driving modes isn’t particularly efficient or safe to do while on the move, and another example of where a simple button would be better. 

But the big touchscreen does display one of the clearest camera views I’ve ever used. The perspective is sometimes a little off when it comes to people or other cars, but the top-down view is especially handy when making sure you’ve managed to nestle what is a very big car within the white lines of a parking bay. 

We’re only just starting out on life with the Range Rover Sport PHEV, but the first couple of charges each returned just shy of 50 miles of electric-only running, which in cold weather was close enough to the official figure of 70 miles to provide optimism when warmer weather comes along. More miles will provide more clarity on range, which means I can start on the maths and see how it stacks up overall.

*Insurance quote from AA (0800 107 0680) for a 42-year-old in Banbury, Oxon, with three points.