Compare the2022 Land Rover Range Rover SportVS 2022 Lexus RXL

The Range Rover Sport’s optional pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The RXL doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the Range Rover Sport and RXL have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Range Rover Sport has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The RXL’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Range Rover Sport. But it costs extra on the RXL.

Both the Range Rover Sport and the RXL have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems, around view monitors, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

The Range Rover Sport has more powerful engines than the RXL:

As tested in Motor Trend the Range Rover Sport SVR 5.0 supercharged V8 is faster than the RX 350L 3.5 DOHC V6:

Regardless of its engine, regenerative brakes improve the Range Rover Sport’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. Lexus only offers a regenerative brake system on the RXL Hybrid.

Regardless of its engine, the Range Rover Sport’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip (not available P360/P400). Lexus only offers an automatic engine start/stop system on the RXL Hybrid.

The Range Rover Sport has 10.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the RXL Hybrid’s standard fuel tank (27.5 vs. 17.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Range Rover Sport has 8.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the RXL’s standard fuel tank (27.5 vs. 19.2 gallons).

For better stopping power the Range Rover Sport’s brake rotors are larger than those on the RXL:

The Range Rover Sport stops much shorter than the RXL:

For better traction, the Range Rover Sport’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the RXL (275/40R22 vs. 235/65R18).

The Range Rover Sport’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the RXL’s optional 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Range Rover Sport has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the RXL. The Range Rover Sport’s optional 22-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels optional on the RXL.

The Range Rover Sport has a standard full size spare (not available on 7-Passenger/P400e) so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the RXL; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

The Range Rover Sport V8 has active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The RXL doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The front and rear suspension of the Range Rover Sport uses air springs for a smoother, controlled ride than the RXL, which uses coil springs. Air springs maintain proper ride height and ride more smoothly.

The Range Rover Sport offers an optional driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The RXL’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The Range Rover Sport has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The Range Rover Sport’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The RXL doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Range Rover Sport’s wheelbase is 5.3 inches longer than on the RXL (115.1 inches vs. 109.8 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Range Rover Sport is 2.2 inches wider in the front and 2.4 inches wider in the rear than on the RXL.

The Range Rover Sport SVR handles at .89 G’s, while the RX 350L AWD pulls only .75 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Range Rover Sport SVR executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 3.3 seconds quicker than the RX 350L (25.2 seconds @ .77 average G’s vs. 28.5 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Range Rover Sport SVR has a 2.7 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the RXL (10.8 vs. 8.1 inches), allowing the Range Rover Sport to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Range Rover Sport’s minimum ground clearance is 2.8 inches higher than on the RXL (10.9 vs. 8.1 inches).

The Range Rover Sport is 4.8 inches shorter than the RXL, making the Range Rover Sport easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Range Rover Sport has 11 cubic feet more passenger volume than the RXL (128 vs. 117).

The Range Rover Sport has 2.4 inches more front shoulder room, .6 inches more rear headroom, 6.1 inches more rear legroom and 1.7 inches more rear shoulder room than the RXL.

The Range Rover Sport’s cargo area provides more volume than the RXL.

The Range Rover Sport’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the RXL’s (7716 vs. 0 pounds).

Trailer Stability Assist (TSA) is standard on the Range Rover Sport, using the Dynamic Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. A trailer sway program costs extra on the RXL.

The engine in the Range Rover Sport is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the RXL. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because there are no rear spark plugs and the accessory belts are in front.

Unlike the driver-only memory system optional at extra cost in the RXL, the Range Rover Sport has standard driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The Range Rover Sport has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The RXL doesn’t offer headlight washers.

Optional air conditioned the front and second row seats keep the Range Rover Sport’s passengers comfortable and take the sting out of hot leather in summer. The RXL doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats for the second row.

The Range Rover Sport Autobiography offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the RXL.

The Range Rover Sport’s optional Park Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The RXL doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Insurance will cost less for the Range Rover Sport owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the Range Rover Sport with a number “1” insurance rate while the RXL is rated higher at a number “5” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Range Rover Sport is less expensive to operate than the RXL because typical repairs cost much less on the Range Rover Sport than the RXL, including $772 less for a water pump, $229 less for a muffler, $63 less for a starter, $718 less for a timing belt/chain and $2037 less for a power steering pump.

The Range Rover Sport was selected by Petersen's 4-Wheel & Off-Road magazine as their 2014 4x4 of the Year. The RXL has never been chosen.