LOOKS

Take one look at the exterior of the Range Rover and you’ll quickly recognize that this is among the most stylish vehicles you will see on any roadway. My test vehicle featured a head-turning Batumi Gold paint color.

It’s long, sleek and well-sculpted, features Range Rover’s unique link-style grille design, and boasts large wheels up to 23 inches in size.

The iconic silhouette of the Range Rover, and its signature styling cues, are hard to beat, even for other ultra high-end vehicles.

The Range Rover’s door handles are embedded in the vehicle, a feature usually seen on electric vehicles. They pop out when you unlock the car, and retract back in when you lock up. Puddle lamps shine down the silhouette of the vehicle on the ground when you open the doors.

It features premium LED headlights, soft close doors, power tailgate, a sliding panoramic sunroof with power sunblind, rain-sensing wipers, rear privacy glass, and a heated rear window.

You can choose from two different lengths with the Range Rover. A standard wheelbase (SWB) or the long-wheelbase model (LWB), which offers extra rear leg room. All versions offer at least two rows, but the LWB also lets you include a third row and seat a total of 7 people. Various setups will seat anywhere from 4 to 7 passengers in the Range Rover.

Moving inside the Range Rover, you’ll find a well-manicured, luxurious design that is one of a kind. There are three comfortable rows with plush leather seating for all 7 passengers (non-leather options are also offered), wood trim and other quality design accents, and sun shades on the windows to help passengers in the middle row.

Getting in and out of the Range Rover is a smooth process, and the vehicle offers easy access to the third row via controls on the second-row seats. Another cool feature is that you can drop both the second and third row seats all at once either by using a button in the rear of the vehicle, or alternately via a command on the touchscreen up front.

The only odd element of the interior is the distant position of the interior door handles, which proves to be a bit of a reach for drivers to access them.

Also of note is that there are two glove boxes, and plenty of storage spots throughout this roomy vehicle. Interior lighting can be adjusted to multiple color options, even custom colors, a nice feature that helps the Range Rover stand out.

The climate system works well, but the controls for the climate functions could be improved. A leather steering wheel is included, as are multi-zone climate controls, and heated/ventilated seats.

In terms of storage space in the three-row setup, you’ll get a very limited 8.7 cubic feet with all seats up. But that number grows to a respectable 43.1 inches behind the second row, and 92.9 cubic feet behind the front seats with both rear rows folded. These numbers are not best in class, but still give you plenty of room to pack your stuff.

HOW’S THE RIDE?

Power is the name of the game in the Range Rover, and essential for a vehicle this size. My test vehicle featured a 4.4-liter turbo V8 engine delivering an impressive 523 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque. This is paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission, but you do have paddle shifters available on the wheel.

A total of four powertrains are available to Range Rover buyers. They include a base engine offering that is a turbocharged, 3.0-liter six-cylinder (395 horsepower, 406 lb-ft of torque), the same motor with a plug-in hybrid system (542 horsepower and 590 pound-feet), and topping out with another turbo 4.4-liter V8 that delivers 606 horsepower and 553 pound-feet).

As an off-road friendly vehicle, it makes sense that all-wheel drive comes standard. You also get Electronic Traction Control, Dynamic Stability Control and Roll Stability Control. Electric  power assisted steering is featured, and the Range Rover’s Terrain Response 2 System offers a variety of Driving & Off-Road Modes.

The vehicle also features Hill Launch Assist, Air Suspension, and an Electronic Active Differential to improve traction. The Air Suspension helped absorb bumps in the roadways in an effective manner.

What all of that means is this: For a huge beast of a vehicle, the Range Rover drives smoother and more nimbly than many smaller SUVs. Its tremendous suspension makes for a smooth ride, and its power is tremendous with 0-to-60 acceleration lasting just over 4 seconds with the V8. The Range Rover does a lot more than look good, it's also a joy to drive.

Towing is another strong point, with the Range Rover offering up to 8,200 pounds of pulling capability.

The large size makes the Range Rover less suited for navigating tight corners than more compact options, though it does reasonably well for its size.

Exploring the off-road friendly features on the Range Rover more fully, you’ll find an adjustable suspension with maximum ground clearance of more than 11 inches, and a variety of off-road friendly driving modes. Specific driving modes offered include: Dynamic, Eco, Comfort, Grass Gravel Snow, Mud Ruts. Sand Rock Crawl and Wade.

If you’re crossing a body of water, the maximum wading depth is an impressive 30 inches.

While this vehicle is so high-end you probably won’t want to beat it up too badly, it’s certainly capable of handling itself in almost any environment.

TECHNOLOGY, SAFETY

Technology is a somewhat mixed bag, as the Range Rover offers tons of excellent features, but many are hampered by overly complicated control setups.

For example, three different commands are combined into one of the climate controls (temperature, strength of air flow, and heated/cooled seats). While driving, figuring out which control you are using can be distracting.

On the plus side, the Range Rover’s massaging seats are a joy, with multiple styles and speeds offered. It’s so relaxing that you won't want to get out of the car at times.

Other technology features also impress, such as the excellent navigation system, and both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility for phone mirroring.

Most of the controls are operated through a massive 13.1-inch, crystal clear touchscreen running Land Rover’s Pivi Pro interface. A wireless smartphone charger is included, and you can opt for a rear-seat entertainment system with dual monitors. A WiFi hotspot is also offered in the vehicle.

I found the main touchscreen commands were easy to learn. There are plenty of menus to explore, though, so it will take time to learn all the vehicle can do.

Voice commands were one area where the Range Rover struggled in my experience, as I had to repeat myself a lot of the time.

The optional Meridian 3D Surround Sound stereo system sounded excellent, and the Range Rover also offers Bluetooth connectivity and multiple USB ports.

Moving on to safety features, the Range Rover offers lots of them, and they all work effectively and are not overly sensitive.

Its basic self-driving setup (Adaptive Cruise with Steer Assist) works well, keeping you in your lane and slowing down to match traffic flow as needed.

Other safety features in the Range Rover include a full array of airbags, Tire Pressure Monitoring System, Emergency Brake Assist, anti-lock brakes, Blind Spot Assist, Surround Camera System, High Speed Emergency Braking, Lane Keep Assist, Parking Aids, Rear Traffic Monitor and Traffic Sign Recognition. A Head-Up Display is also featured.

The forward collision mitigation system will warn of a collision and apply brakes automatically, and the 360-degree camera system delivers a helpful top-down view that’s helpful in parking situations.

MPG

The official fuel mileage numbers on my Range Rover test vehicle were 16 city/21 highway/18 combined. In real world testing, I averaged 14 miles per gallon driving the Range Rover.

These are not great numbers in the grand scheme of things, but when dealing with the largest luxury vehicles available, the numbers are pretty close to most competitors in this niche segment.

PRICE

You’ll need a pretty thick wallet to take home the Range Rover.

My test vehicle was priced at $153,225; and the base price on the trim level I tested was over $130K. Base price on the Range Rover comes in near the $110K range, and more expensive options can top $200K. There’s even an ultra-limited-run “Carmel Edition” that comes in at a whopping $370K for the biggest whales.

The main trim levels include SE, Autobiography and SV.

Despite its prohibitive pricing, roughly 16,000 Range Rovers were sold in the U.S. in 2023 (up from 13,000 in 2022), and 2024 is already shaping up to be even better overall, so interest is definitely not waning in this status symbol of a vehicle.

Warranties on the Range Rover are fairly standard in length, and include:
— 4-year/50,000-mile new vehicle limited warranty
— 4-year/50,000-mile powertrain warranty
— 4-year/50,000-mile roadside assistance
— 6-year/unlimited mileage corrosion warranty

There is no complimentary scheduled maintenance included on the Range Rover, a feature that some rival luxury offerings do offer.

BOTTOM LINE

The Range Rover is a stylish, iconic ride that sets the standard in the ultra-luxury SUV category. It’s equally comfortable on or off the main roads, and you'll discover new features every time you drive it.

It both looks and drives brilliantly, and is truly versatile and capable.

Outside of minor tech issues, the Range Rover checks all boxes for the few who can afford it.

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