2020 Range Rover Sport Luggage Test | Beware of clonked heads

The 2020 Range Rover Sport is a midsize SUV and a pretty big one at that on the outside, so you’d better hope that it could fit all the luggage in my garage. Especially since it very nearly all fit in the substantially smaller Range Rover Evoque. Now, the RR Sport’s maximum capacity of 59.5 cubic feet is pretty weak as that would be comparable to smaller compact models. The amount of space behind the raised back seat is a more competitive 27.5 cubic-feet, but we’re hardly looking at a Honda Passport here. 

So, let’s see how much that translates in terms of the luggage in my garage. As a refresher, I use two midsize roller suitcases that would need to be checked in at the airport (26 inches long, 16 wide, 11 deep), two roll-aboard suitcases that just barely fit in the overhead (24L x 15W x 10D), and one smaller roll-aboard that fits easily (23L x 15W x 10D). I also include my wife’s fancy overnight bag just to spruce things up a bit (21L x 12W x 12D). 

As usual, I had to remove the cargo cover and put the reclining back seats at a comfortable-but-upright angle. Otherwise, no problem, everything fit.

Ah! But the capacity here is not the story. Instead, it’s the amount of swearing that was coming from the front of my house during this test. 

I repeatedly smacked my head into the liftgate. True, I’m tall at 6-foot-3, but it’s also something that’s never happened before in these tests (hence the repeated smacking). Furthermore, check out that massive trunk latch circled in red. It’s super-low, right in the middle, and you don’t need to be 6-foot-3 for it to inflict damage on your noggin. It’s a huge, mean sucker. 

Now, some SUVs offer differing angles for their liftgate. The RR Sport does not seem to be one. Instead, you can actually raise the whole back end courtesy the air springs at the press of a button in the cargo area. You can see just how Hot Wheels you can make it below. It even stays that way after you lock it. 

As a result, I no longer had any head-liftgate mishaps. 

That said, the entire process takes awhile, and you have to open the liftgate and reach into the cargo area to do it, which of course, means you’ll need to still deal with the low-hanging liftgate you’re trying to avoid in the first place. It’s really only useful when repeatedly coming and going from the cargo area — say, when loading up for a road trip or performing luggage tests for Autoblog. Once you drive away, it resets. 

Now, back to the matter of capacity. If you’re wondering, how much can actually fit behind the back seat, I scrounged for the various small duffels in my garage, but that wasn’t enough. Step right up bottle-carrying box from liquor store! Thanks, recycling bin.

So there you have it. The Range Rover Sport can carry a lot, but loading it in might be painful.