It’s said that the middle child is ignored. As an automaker, you have to hope consumers don’t treat your mid-range models with such indifference. Land Rover and Mercedes-Benz have each added tweens to their SUV lineups, and neither company minds spending extra quality time promoting them.
Trotted out in 2006, the Range Rover Sport filled the gap between the LR3 and the Range Rover. Looking a lot like a trimmer, more streetwise version of the latter, the Sport is available in our tester’s normally aspirated HSE trim or in Supercharged guise -- and yes, the Supercharged is supercharged.
Daimler may have awoken to find Chrysler coyote ugly, but even after the gnawing, it’s apparent that SUV fever was transmitted in the hookup. In fact, Mercedes is experiencing an outbreak of them, starting with the GL-Class debut for 2007. Larger than the M, smoother than the G and better looking than the oddball R, the GL may be the best representative of the brand’s sport-ute ambitions.
So, which is the better middle child? We’ll evaluate each based on several categories and award weighted numeric scores, and in a perfect world, the perfect vehicle would roll away with a 100-point total. Read on and to see the report cards.
Range Rover Sport HSE
MSRP: $58,500Engine: 4.4-liter, V8
Horsepower: 300 @ 5,500 rpm
Torque: 315 lb-ft @ 4,000 rpm
MPG: City: 14; Highway: 20
Performance - 12/20
Hitting 60 mph in less than 7.5 seconds is credible for an SUV of 5,468 pounds, and the HSE does that thanks to the Jaguar-sourced V8. Give due credit to the six-speed automatic from Aston Martin with its adaptive logic and well-spaced ratios. The name-dropping doesn’t stop there: Brembo brakes slow the 19-inch (or optional 20-inch) wheels when the good times must no longer roll. This is still a body-on-frame, truckish vehicle -- with a surprising towing capacity of 7,716 pounds. Acceleration is decent, handling isn’t bad and braking is OK. It performs on the street reasonably well, and if the call of the wild drowns out your sense of reason, the Sport is equipped with Active Roll Mitigation, Dynamic Stability Control, Hill Descent Control, Terrain Response, and the requisite height-adjustable, load-leveling air suspension. In an SUV like the Sport, it makes more of a marketing statement than anything else.
Exterior design - 15/20
Land Rover’s family styling elements are here, but in a contemporary, more urban package. The Sport especially resembles its big brother, Range Rover. Until the two are parked next to each other, you could mistake the Sport for a lowered, slightly pimped Rover. Understandably, “Range Rover Lightly Pimped” wouldn’t fly far with the marque’s faithful or look very good flanking the tailgate. Names aside, the Sport is nicely styled without any bushwhacking pretense.
Interior design – 7/10
Once inside, it’s a pity to get out so often to refill the tank. Granted, the Sport’s cabin appointments begin to resemble the lower-level LR3, but the execution is still reasonable. Fit and finish brought no real gripes, and the oak- or cherry-trimmed cockpit and center console convey a car-like setup for the driver. Passengers in the second row will be reasonably comfortable, but their vision is a little blocked by the front seats’ fat headrests. No third row is available, which is just as well. Those passengers would suffer discomfort and cut into the Sport’s 33.8 cubic feet of cargo room (or an even 71 cubes with the second row folded).
Sound system/goodies - 8/10
What’s better than a 12-speaker Harman/Kardon entertainment system? A 14-speaker Harman/Kardon system. That’s what comes standard in the Sport, and we were pleased with its performance. An integrated Bluetooth-capable phone system and DVD-based navigation are standard fare as well. If you believe your kids are better transported in silence than with conversation, spring for the $2,500 rear-seat entertainment system, giving them headphone jacks and monitors mounted in the back of the front seat headrests.
Bang for the buck - 10/20
Any of several vehicles can do what the Range Rover Sport does for a fraction of the price, so part of this equation accounts for the intangibles like comfort and desirability. The Sport holds its own in what it offers for the price, but doesn’t break new ground.
Driving experience - 11/20
In some ways, the Range Rover Sport is like a high-priced European sports car. Practicality cannot be the driving factor for ownership -- it’s more of an instrument to draw attention. Unlike a European sports car, it’s not an outright kick in the knickers to drive and it begins to feel a tad sloppy when pressed hard. Its exhaustive list of suspension and off-road features are admirable, but are hampered by street tires, which is precisely where the Sport belongs.
Overall score - 63/100
For the demanding tasks of driving to the office, country club and spa, the Range Rover Sport feels right at home. If the itinerary doesn’t involve traveling unpaved roads, so much the better.
Mercedes-Benz GL450
MSRP: $55,675Engine: 4.6-liter, V-8
Horsepower: 335 @ 6,000 rpm
Torque: 339 lb-ft @ 3,000 rpm
MPG: City: 14; Highway: 19
Performance - 13/20
Compared to the Range Rover Sport, the GL’s slightly brisker 7.2-second run to 60 mph didn’t really account for the edge here. Instead it was the overall feel at the wheel when extracting the numbers. The GL performs smoothly and doesn’t lose its cool until well after you do. You sometimes have to watch the tach to know just when the seven-speed automatic (unique to full-size utes) changes gears. The unibody construction is also a first for this class, partially accounting for the nice ride, along with the Airmatic suspension. Airmatic is the air-bladder alternative to coil springs, controlling ride height and handling through a combination of automatic sensing and driver-controlled settings. Standard wheels are 18-inches, but 19s and 20s can be had. Another -matic, the 4MATIC all-wheel drive system regulates low-speed descent rates and prevents backward creep on uphill launches among its myriad of functions. On the off chance you’re serious about venturing into the boonies, the GL can be ordered with more appropriate wheels, tires and other hardware. In its most common form and in its most common environment, the GL behaves more like a jacked-up S-Class sedan than a big SUV.
Exterior design - 18/20
In stark contrast to the R-Class exterior design, which rubs us the wrong way in every possible way, the GL just looks right. Comparison to the smaller M-Class is inevitable, but the GL’s lines flow nicer and somewhat mask the vehicle’s size -- or at least prevent it from looking boxy and ponderous.
Interior design - 8/10
Favorable comparisons to the S-Class continue in the GL’s cabin appointments. The wood trim and partial- or full-leather seating round out an interior that would not be out of place in a Q-ship. Ergonomics leave little to be desired, even in the third row. Two human-sized passengers can actually spend a while back there without claustrophobic attacks (Ms. Hilton, your SUV has arrived). Even with the aft-row seats in place, the GL still offers 14.3 cubic feet of space behind them, easily enough for some groceries. Power-fold them away for 43.8 cubic feet or a generous 83.3 with the second row stashed.
Sound system/goodies - 6/10
Funny, we thought 55 grand bought more than eight speakers. The standard Harman/Kardon audio system sounds OK, but runs out of oomph trying to fill the GL with sound. Stepping up to the 11-speaker, 440-watt option is highly recommended. That upgrade includes a second-row entertainment system with monitors mounted in back of the front headrests.
Bang for the buck - 16/20
Grumbles about the standard equipment notwithstanding, the GL450 has a lot to offer the premium SUV buyer, not just a pretty face. Considering so many popular import and domestic sport utilities are priced in this range, it says a lot that the GL can jump into the mix and immediately be a serious contender.
Driving experience - 14/20
After previous drives in the M-Class and G-Class, it seems the GL offers the best of both. The great looks, smooth ride for seven passengers, competent performance, and 7,500-pound towing capacity equal a must-drive for any full-sized SUV shopper with the means.
Overall score - 75/100
Despite early doubts that Mercedes needed another sport-ute in its lineup, the GL affirms this is the SUV it should have built in the first place.
and the winner is…
Too many premium sport utilities are crude trucks at heart and/or tarted-up cheapos with chrome, leather and wood trim to mask the lineage, but neither the Range Rover Sport nor the Mercedes-Benz GL450 fall into this category. These tween models successfully bridge price and size gaps for their makers. The GL, however, stands apart as the SUV to own even if more expensive models are in your price range. It’s the middle child you can’t ignore.Resources:
http://autos.aol.com/autos_compare?v1=8783%7CUSB70LRS071A0&v2=8145%7CUSB70MBS111A0&cur_page=details
http://autos.aol.com/land-rover-range-rover-sport-2007:8783-review - Range Rover Sport
http://autos.aol.com/mercedes-benz-gl-class-2007:8145-review - Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
http://www.mbusa.com/models/gallery/index.do?modelCode=GL450
http://www.landroverusa.com/us/en/Vehicles/RangeRover_Sport/Overview.htm
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