The first thing you see when you come across the Range Rover Sport with the turbodiesel V6 is, well, nothing. While the SUV truly earns the performance mark of Land Rover with a grunty engine, you won’t find it turning as many heads as other high-revving competitors.

That may not be such a bad thing, though, because the Sport manages itself quite well in the power department, and handling is sorted out, too. You can’t do much wrong as you enter a turn in the Rover; the damping system and suspension keep the nearly 3,000 kg behemoth planted and ready for the next stab of the accelerator.

Getting from naught to 100km/hr takes 9.2 seconds with the turbodiesel Sport. That’s not quite the same level as the supercharged petrol V8 that’s also available, but you’ll be smiling when you fill up while your compatriot winces: the LR-TDV6 manages 11.L/100km traveled compared to 14.9L/100km for the throaty petrol version.

Back inside the Sport, life couldn’t be much simpler. Land Rover has simplified the climate control toggles and the other controls for the driver, with fewer buttons to mull over when you try to use the cabin’s multitude of features. The system is nicely complemented by an interior finished with satin-chrome for the shiny parts, and black satin and wood trim for the rest of the interior not clad in leather.

That leather shouldn’t be given short shrift, because it’s the Argentine leather more common to a Bentley interior. It allows the other passengers to luxuriate in an interior that is more akin to the club box at the stadium, with a hybrid TV system available along with a 13-speaker Harmon/Kardon audio setup and inputs for iPods or other MP3 players if you run out of compact discs during longer trips.

The Range Rover may also be throwing its hat into the conflict resolution ring, with a new dual-view center console. If the driver wants to keep track of the navigation, while the front seat passenger wants to watch the telly, the Sport is happy to accommodate both. Working by changing the screen dynamics for each viewer, two separate views are possible.

If things do boil over, and the driver were to get a bit distracted, there are a variety of features available to keep all occupants from harm’s way. The massive Brembo brake rotors are controlled by an electronic distribution system mated to an all terrain ABS setup. The differential is monitored by the car’s electronic control unit, and if that’s not enough the Range Rover Sport comes standard with three-letter assistance in the form of enhanced understeer control, roll stability control, hill descent control and others.

You may never notice them though, because you’ll be busy taking advantage of the dynamic damping system. Twist and you’re ready to tackle the tarmac with a stiff, yet supple feel that makes you feel like you’re in a sedan.  Another clockwise turn and you’re in offroad mode, which the Range Rover Sport can do as well, if not better than any other member of the class. Add the paddle shifters into the equation and you can have as much control or as smooth a ride as you want.

Economy is a relative term when you’re talking about an SUV that can top out at more than $130,000 in luxury trim with the TDV6, but the Range Rover Sport manages to accomplish exactly that when you choose the diesel engine over its petrol cousin. Sacrifice a second and a half to get to cruising speeds and you keep another $20,000 in savings before you even fill up for the first time.

Land Rover managed to fix an interior that wasn’t decent, and made it great. Combine that with an electronics package that lets you feel confident whether you’re carving through turns on the tarmac, or making rooster tails on back trails, and you have an incredibly well-sorted SUV with few quibbles to arise.

Specifications:

* Engine: 3600cc DOHC six-cylinder (24 valve)

* Power: 200kW @ 4000rpm

* Torque: 640Nm @ 2000 – 4750rpm

* Induction: Intercooled turbo & multi point

* Transmission: Six-speed automatic

* Differential/Driven Wheels: 2.73:1 / Rear

* Brakes: Disc with ABS, EBA & EBD

* Top Speed: Not Tested

* 0-100km/h: 9.2 seconds

* Fuel Consumption: 9.2 litres/100km (ADR)

* Fuel Tank Capacity: 84.1 litres

(Usable

* Fuel Type: Diesel

* Airbags: Front, side & curtain standard

* Safety: DSC, RSC, Emergency Brake Assist

* Tow Capacity: 3500kg (Braked)

* Turning Circle: 11.5 metres

* Weight: 2535kg (Tare)

* Wheels: Alloy 20-inch (As Tested)