2016 Range Rover Sport Diesel Colorado Rocky Mountain Off-Road Review [Video]

The diesel-powered 2016 Range Rover Sport Td6 is quite capable off-road — provided it has the right tires. We have video of Land Rover’s esteemed crossover needing a rescue from deep snow only because it was fitted with Eagle all-season tires. Here is a more valid test of its trail capabilities up in the Colorado Rocky Mountains below snow level.

The Range Rover Sport Td6 weighs a hefty 4,700 pounds and having a torquey diesel engine under the hood works out well. The 3.0-liter V6 only makes 254 horsepower, but with 440 lb-ft torque available at 1,750 rpm, acceleration is instant and very satisfying, without the high-strung antics of traditional gas engines. Combined with a quick shifting 8-speed transmission, the engine is rarely caught off guard, and also returns excellent fuel efficiency, even when driven quite aggressively.

Range Rovers are outfitted with the latest Terrain Response System, whereby the driver can tell the car to optimize traction for sand or rock crawling, driving in mud and ruts, grass/gravel/snow, or road conditions with a single twist of a knob. Settings to engine throttle response, transmission, differentials, steering, and suspension are changed after switching to the desired terrain. Land Rover’s Terrain Response System has won both the Henry Ford Technology Award and the Queen’s Award for Innovation for its technical achievement.

The updated system now features an Auto setting that analyzes the current driving conditions and automatically selects the most suitable terrain program. This innovative feature ensures that the Range Rover Sport is always prepared for optimum traction under any conditions. The new system automatically switches between the five settings: general, gravel/snow, mud/ruts, sand and rock crawl.