2006 Range Rover Sport HSE
You Get What You Pay For
Boomer: I have always respected and enjoyed test driving the Land Rover royal family of vehicles, but the 2006 Range Rover HSE sport is my favorite by far. The HSE sport is smaller than its namesake but more athletic, compact and about $20,000 less.
X: That’s a bargain? I paid only $22,000 for my 2004 Chrysler 300. I can’t relate.
Boomer: Melanie, the Land Rover lineup is not affordable for everyone, but if you could just imagine driving the top of the line all-wheel drive SUV ever made, you would realize that you do get what you pay for.
X: Remind me of that the next time I shop at Target, per your suggestion
Boomer: You have to appreciate the pedigree of Land Rover.
X: I appreciate the technology and engineering that is involved in the Range Rover lineage, especially the HSE sport. I also recognize it has its own unique market of owners. I think four-wheel drive vehicles like the Range Rover sport are purchased by drivers who navigate calmly on smooth pavement 90% of the time, then turn into off-road warriors at the push or turn of a button.
Boomer: Well, it’s easy to do when driving a versatile SUV like the Range Rover sport. I really like the flush mounted center console dial where you select your off road scenario from five terrain types. It looks complicated, but it isn’t.
X: Even if it were complicated, you don’t have to think much when the center console control tower is only inches from your cooler box, GPS off-road information center and the Harmon Kardon audio system. Talk about luxury and well-planned interior.
Boomer: It gets better. Imagine before going off road you evaluate the terrain ahead and with the twist of a dial you select the following options labeled general, grass/gravel/snow, mud/ruts/sand or rock crawl and the system automatically does the rest. How smart is the Range Rover sport?
X: With that kind of intelligence, maybe a Starbucks icon should be there for you and your friends.
Boomer: Or maybe a Ben and Jerry’s, for your buds. I like the fact that every Range Rover dealer has a test drive track on the premises, complete with boulders, water and curves. You feel like you are on the Hollywood set of Indiana Jones as they take you through the off-road scenarios.
X: That’s right; you drove the track without me last week, thanks for waiting till I got out of school.
Boomer: Sorry, but my window of opportunity was there and I took it. It was so much fun, I felt like I was on a ride at Disneyland. I was practically lying on my side driving over boulders headed towards a body of water; thank goodness I put a lid on my soft drink.
X: Hum, which would have been terrible if you had spilled.
Boomer: I sense the tone Melanie but I will go on with the fact that the Range Rover HSE sport has permanent four-wheel drive, leather seats, a GPS off-road enhanced navigation system, 550 watt 13 speaker Harman Kardon audio system, voice recognition, and last but not least the Range Rover Concierge. A wonderful directory on the GPS screen that helps you locate the closest off-road trail, restaurant, shopping center, doctor or available date for a 25 year old sarcastic daughter.
X: The Range Rover sport, just like its other models, has every safety device with regard to traction, brakes and cornering control. The mileage could be better, considering the direction of gas prices. I guess if you can purchase the Range Rover sport, you won’t mind 14 mpg city and l9 mpg highway. The MSRP of our test drive vehicle was $77,800.
Boomer: For the off-road enthusiast or a wild driver over speed bumps, the ground clearance is 8.9 inches, which is close to that of the Hummer H2. You’ll find a 4.4 liter, 300 horsepower engine and six speed automatic transmission, making this vehicle a stand out for on and off-road driving.
X: There’s an optional DVD rear seat entertainment center, Sirius satellite radio and personal telephone hook up. The sport comes with everything imaginable.
Boomer: Remember, you get what you pay for. They come with eight-way power driver’s seat, dual glove box, six airbag supplemental restrains and a message center.
X: Great! A place inside a vehicle where my mother can leave me another message or a reminder. Is there anything missing in the Range Rover HSE sport?
Boomer: How about a matchmaker system integrated into the GPS system? The Range Rover would go off road towards eligible bachelors of your interest, like firemen and college professors. Maybe even a little siren would go off indicating where to look and …
X: I had to ask
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