2025 Range Rover Sport Autobiography PHEV: Do You Really Need a Full-Size?
The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport Autobiography was our first go in the latest 5th generation (‘22+) Sport model. The Sport was always the “baby brother” when it came to the iconic full-size SUV we all picture when you hear the Land Rover name. However, with this new generation’s increase in size along the entire Land Rover lineup, this new “baby” Range Rover has almost the exact same dimensions and proportions as the previous generation’s full-size Range Rover. I am a previous generation Land Rover Range Rover full-size (‘13-’21) owner and have been caught out a few times mislabeling the new cars at a glance in traffic. I think the overall size, refinement, and luxuries packed into the new Range Rover Sport Autobiography moves the car into the eyes of previous-generation full-size owners considering replacement.
The Autobiography PHEV trim is the top of the Sport line when it comes to comfort and luxuries; there are SV variants higher up the totem pole, but those all come with big performance upgrades as well. The Autobiography is the sweet spot for most buyers looking for high-end luxury SUV ownership without a 500+ hp V8 under the hood. The Autobiography trim comes standard with a more aggressive exterior design, head-up display, Meridian 3D Sound, configurable cabin lighting, remote start, emergency brake assist, adaptive cruise control with steering assist, blind spot monitoring, 3D surround camera system, park assist, lane keep assist, traffic sign recognition, front console refrigerator, dynamic air suspension, and much, much more!
About the 500+ hp available in the gas-powered V8 cars, Land Rover does claim this Autobiography PHEV produces 542 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque from its 3.0 liter turbocharged I6 plug-in hybrid powerplant. Put your foot down in dynamic mode however, and the experience doesn’t match the claimed figure. Sure, you get instant torque when the battery is under full deployment, but you also feel the over 6,000+ lbs weight of the vehicle at all times. 6,025 lbs.+ makes the Sport Autobiography PHEV over 1,000 lbs. heavier than the base model, and over 1,200 lbs. heavier than my previous generation full-size V8 Range Rover! The worst part of the hybrid drivetrain isn’t the weight, but the way the hybrid drivetrain is used and the battery is managed by the vehicle.
All owners of the Sport Autobiography PHEV need to have a proper home charging system installed almost immediately after purchase, or else they’re going to wonder why they paid the premium for a hybrid they can’t use. If you have spent any time in almost any hybrid vehicle in the past 10 years, then the battery management system in the new Sport Autobiography PHEV will make absolutely no sense. In our several days of testing the Sport Autobiography PHEV, we could not get the vehicle to change its deployment/regeneration of battery power in relation to driving modes or vehicle settings. Using the hybrid system went like this: the vehicle prioritizes almost complete EV driving while the vehicle has battery to use, then a normal 3.0 liter turbocharged I6 to haul around the vehicle and the extra 1,000 lbs of battery and hybrid technology once the battery has died. The vehicle does not provide any regeneration of hybrid battery power to use beyond about 1 mile at a time, unless you plug the vehicle back into a traditional EV/hybrid power charger. BMW developed a system to fully regenerate the hybrid power of a hybrid vehicle while using the gas motor on the freeway or heavy regenerative braking over 12 years ago! I was shocked that Dynamic mode (sport mode on other vehicles) doesn’t give at least a 5-10% regenerative hybrid battery power from the gas motor. This system is the most single-minded hybrid battery vehicle management system we have tested and is the vehicle’s greatest weakness when coming in at an MSRP of $136,880 as tested.
Fortunately, when you have the hybrid battery to play with, the Sport Autobiography PHEV is an amazing luxury SUV. This example came in about $12,000 more expensive than the ‘23 Range Rover PHEV full-size we had tested a couple years ago. This may sound crazy, but take away the bigger car = better car way of thinking, and the smaller Sport Autobiography PHEV is a better luxury SUV. The interior build quality and materials used make all surfaces premium to the touch. The infotainment screen and systems are shared with other Land Rover products, so getting settled into the settings is easy, and once you have the vehicle configured to your liking, there is never a need to go back and adjust for everyday driving.
The 2025 Range Rover Sport Autobiography PHEV has grown so much in size, luxury, and refinement that it closely mirrors the previous generation full-size Range Rover, making it an intriguing replacement for former full-size owners. While the Autobiography trim offers exceptional comfort, premium materials, and an extensive list of luxury and safety features, its claimed 542 hp performance is dulled by a heavy 6,000+ lb curb weight. The vehicle’s biggest weakness is its hybrid management system, which prioritizes all-electric driving until the battery is depleted and offers minimal regenerative charging while driving, leaving the gas engine to haul both the vehicle and the added hybrid weight. When fully charged, the Sport Autobiography PHEV is an excellent luxury SUV with a high-quality interior feel synonymous with Land Rover vehicles.
