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2.25.2020

At The Intersection of Mild and Wild: The 2019 Range Rover Sport HST MHEV

Front 3/4 view of 2019 Range Rover Sport HST MHEV
The 2019 Range Rover Sport HST MHEV.
MHEV.  It stands for "Mild Hybrid Electric Vehicle".  "Mild" means that it's not a full system constantly splitting propulsion duties between a gasoline engine and an electric motor (think Toyota Prius), but that a smaller electric motor provides power for some limited all-electric driving and can also be used to boost the performance of the gasoline engine.



Side view of 2019 Range Rover Sport HST MHEV

The 2019 Range Rover Sport HST MHEV is one of those.  And it uses that mild hybrid approach to get 395 horsepower and 406 pounds per foot of torque out of what's under the hood.

Engine in 2019 Range Rover Sport HST MHEV

Apart from the hoses running in one side of the engine cover and out the other, there's very little indication anything serious is going on in there, but those are not trifling numbers.  A Range Rover Sport SE comes with the 3.0-liter turbo six, but without that mild hybrid boost, makes only 355 horsepower.  You'll feel the extra 40.  With an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel-drive, the EPA fuel economy estimate for the Range Rover Sport HST MHEV is 19 mpg city/25 mpg highway.

Interior view of 2019 Range Rover Sport HST MHEV

Rear seat in 2019 Range Rover Sport HST MHEV

Front seats in 2019 Range Rover Sport HST MHEV

Base price is $82,950, and it comes with a lot of standard equipment:


  • Electric Power Assisted Steering 
  • Terrain Response® w/ Dynamic Program & Selectable Driving & Off-Road Modes 
  • Low Traction Launch
  • Hill Descent Control Adaptive Dynamics
  • Configurable Dynamics 
  • Red Brake Calipers 
  • 21'' Wheels w/Spare Tire
  • Premium LED Headlights w/Signature Daytime Running Lights
  • Auto High Beam Assist 
  • Black Exterior Pack 
  • Powered Gesture Tailgate
  • Black Contrast Roof
  • Sliding Panoramic Roof 
  • Rain Sensing Windshield Wipers
  • Rear Wiper 
  • Auto-dim, Power-fold, Heated Exterior Door Mirrors w/Memory & Approach Lights 
  • Windsor Leather seats w/Suedecloth bolsters 
  • Heated & Cooled Power Front Seats w/Lumbar & Memory 
  • Heated Split Fold Rear Seats 
  • Power Adjustable Suedecloth Steering Wheel 
  • Carpet Mats
  • Bright Metal Pedals
  • Aluminum Treadplates 
  • Three-Zone Climate Control 
  • Ambient Interior Lighting 
  • Auto-dimming Interior Rear View Mirror w/HomeLink® Garage Door Opener 
  • Keyless Entry & Push Button Start
  • InControl Remote™ 10'' Touch Pro Duo System w/Navigation Pro
  • Pro Services 
  • Meridian™ Surround Sound System (825W)
  • WiFi Hotspot (w/limited data trial) 
  • SiriusXM® All Access Package w/3 month trial period & HD Radio™ 
  • Bluetooth® & USB Ports
  • InControl Apps™ 
  • Interactive Driver Display
  • Perimetric Alarm & InControl Protect™ (Emergency Collision Notification) 
  • Front & Side Airbags 
  • Tire Pressure Monitoring System 
  • ISOFIX System for Child Seats 
  • Electronic Traction Control 
  • Dynamic Stability Control
  • Roll Stability Control 
  • Emergency Braking, 
  • Anti-Lock Braking System
  • Emergency Brake Assist 
  • Cruise Control 
  • Rear View Camera 
  • Lane Departure Warning Park Pack   (360° Parking Aid, Rear Traffic Monitor, Clear Exit Monitor) 
  • Drive Pack   (Blind Spot Monitor, Driver Condition Monitor, Traffic Sign Recognition &   Adaptive Speed Limiter)
Instrument panel in 2019 Range Rover Sport HST MHEV

Gauge cluster in 2019 Range Rover Sport HST MHEV

Infotainment and HVAC in 2019 Range Rover Sport HST MHEV

Our tester came with a window sticker indicating zero cost for the optional equipment.  But, running the same information through Land Rover's online "build" tool produced very different results:



EXTERIOR $6,045.00
Indus Silver - Metallic $710.00
22" 5 split-spoke 'Style 5086' with Gloss Black finish $1,835.00
Carbon Fiber Exterior Pack $3,500.00


INTERIOR $6,375.00
Heated and cooled front and rear seats $305.00
Extended Carbon Fiber trim finisher $1,530.00
Meridian™ Signature Sound System $4,540.00


OPTIONS $8,080.00
On / Off-Road Pack $565.00
Climate Comfort Pack $875.00
Drive Pro Pack $1,970.00
Towing Pack $1,085.00
Head-up Display $1,325.00
Soft door close $610.00
Surround Camera System $1,300.00
Wade Sensing $350.00

That, in case you were wondering, ads up to not zero, but $20,500 in extra-cost options, making the bottom line on the window sticker, with $1,295 delivery charge, read $104,745 (UPDATE 2/26/2020: That's the number Land Rover's online configurator gave me, but I've just received a corrected window sticker from the company and it gives the bottom line as $105,170.  The individual line items seem to match, so I'll be darned if I know where the $425 discrepancy was).

Front view of 2019 Range Rover Sport HST MHEV


Rear view of 2019 Range Rover Sport HST MHEV




That's a big change, but I didn't really think all that was going to be free.   The Range Rover Sport HST MHEV is one magnificent beast of an SUV.  I've driven cars that cost more that I liked less.  This is an aspirational vehicle---a four-wheeled reason why you should make a lot of money and buy one.

EXTERIOR