2005 Land Rover Range Rover Sport Supercharged HSE review from UK and Ireland

Not a lot really, had an alloy that was not properly sealed from the factory strangely enough. Soon rectified without hassle by the dealer.

Also all the electrics on the dials i.e. rev counter etc. cut out, this turned out to be a small wiring fault which was also rectified.

All this happened in the first 200 miles and must have been like it from the factory, and it has been perfect since repaired.

Well I got the car in July '05 and she has been an absolute peach to drive, very refined when it wants to be, and brutal when you mash the pedal into the carpet.

I havn't really recorded any performance figures, but have sat at 125mph with no problems with absolutely shed loads of power left. This was on a recent trip to Germany.

If there's one thing I must add though, it's that I'm proud to have a gas guzzling 4x4 that gets 23mpg at best most of time! I've seen single figures though! It really annoys the green party something awful, which makes me laugh.

The whole package is excellent, and when taken off road it really shows that Land Rover know what they're doing, and it's not just a status symbol, it's a completely new outlook on 4x4's, that combines decent off road ability with excellent on road performance.

If you have the funds, I'd seriously recommend one as it's fun, decent off road, and has plenty of space for a family of 4.

Nothing has gone wrong really apart from the two minor faults listed above, but as said, these were quickly rectified, and apart from regular servicing, it just stays out of the garage which I like!

This was a replacement for my old Pajero, which was getting on a bit, but I find it's not quite as excellent off road due to being fairly road orientated. But show it the dirt and it will ride through and climb hills with ease.

That Jaguar supercharged powerplant up front is excellent, being slightly tweaked for slightly more torque than power. It seems to have limitless power, and I'm putting money down that it could tow a yacht no problems.

The interior is sumptuous; very nice leather and wood trim makes me think that Land Rover is doing a good job these days.

Overall, for your money you get a fast, reliable, easy to drive decent 4x4, that can show a clean pair of heels to some performance saloons!

I would like to point out that while it is excellent, the fuel economy can be harsh if you push it, but that aside, I am very pleased with my purchase and hope it gives me many years of great service.

Maybe an LPG conversion is on the cards; who knows?

I did think of getting it chipped, but then I figured it's fast enough as it is, so there is no point in meddling with it.