2027 Range Rover Sport PHEV vs. BMW X5 PHEV Comparison with Price, Specs, & Photos

You might not think of the BMW X5 as a competitor to the Range Rover Sport. It’s a bit more mainstream, a bit more geared towards exclusively on-road use. But with both vehicles being offered with plug-in hybrid drivetrains, the comparison starts to make a little more sense. Does the X5 PHEV hold up to the Range Rover Sport PHEV under closer scrutiny? Let’s read on to see.

Range Rover Sport Plug-In Hybrid VS BMW X5 Plug-In Hybrid – Performance

Both of these vehicles use a similar drivetrain configuration: a 3.0-liter inline-6 mated to a plug-in hybrid system, along with an 8-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. Both make over 400 horsepower and have above-average battery capacity for this segment. But this does still bring us to the first major difference. The battery in the X5 has a 26 kWh capacity, which is good and all, but it’s still dwarfed by the 38 kWh battery in the Range Rover Sport. That means the X5 has 38 miles of all-electric range, while the Range Rover Sport will go 51 miles on electric power. Add to that the fact that the Range Rover Sport supports DC fast charging, while the X5 doesn’t, and the first clear advantage for the Range Rover Sport has emerged. But it doesn’t end there: if the 454-horsepower standard PHEV drivetrain doesn’t quite do it for you, there is an upgraded option that produces 543 horsepower. The X5, on the other hand, only offers one PHEV drivetrain option.

The big difference between these two vehicles isn’t the power; it’s how that power is able to be used. The all-wheel drive that comes standard with the X5 isn’t quite enough to compete with the capability of the Range Rover Sport. To start with, the AWD system in the Sport comes with a twin-speed transfer box, allowing for low-range operation, which gives you a massive advantage in low-traction environments, whether that’s off-road in dirt and mud or on the road during a snowstorm. Helping make the most of this is Terrain Response 2, the absolute cutting edge of advanced off-road-ready traction control. While both vehicles include air suspension, the Range Rover Sport suspension can be raised with the push of a button to give you better ground clearance when you encounter obstacles. There is even All Terrain Progress Control (ATPC), a sort of off-road cruise control that can be further upgraded to Adaptive Off-Road Cruise Control. The X5 offers none of these features, and really isn’t intended for much in the way of off-road use at all.

Range Rover Sport Plug-In Hybrid VS BMW X5 Plug-In Hybrid – Customization

Range Rover vehicles have always stood out from the crowd by offering an unmatched level of customization. That means more paint colors, more wheel designs, and more interior options for the Range Rover Sport. BMW isn’t exactly known for offering a lot of standard equipment either, so things that are standard on the Range Rover Sport PHEV, like genuine leather seats, ventilated front seats, heated back seats, and a heated steering wheel, are all optional extras on the X5 PHEV. You also have things like the stereo, which is a 14-speaker Meridian™ system in the Range Rover Sport, but a generic 10-speaker system in the X5. The X5 has an option to upgrade to a 16-speaker Harman Kardon® system, but you can also upgrade the system in the Range Rover Sport to include 28 speakers. And then there are the options that aren’t even available for the X5 at all, like a rear seat entertainment system, thick-pile carpet mats, and soft-close doors, which are all available on the Range Rover Sport.

Winner – Range Rover Sport Plug-In Hybrid

The X5 PHEV does what it does well; it just doesn’t do as much as the Range Rover Sport PHEV. It just doesn’t offer the same kind of capability, equipment, or that all-important ability to make it your own through customization. The Range Rover Sport also features more restrained and sophisticated styling, eschewing the try-hard aggressiveness that typifies modern BMW styling. Let Land Rover North Hills help you find the Range Rover Sport PHEV that’s just right for you.