New Range Rover: First test drive of the new £100k luxury SUV

The new Range Rover has certainly landed with a royal flourish.

Even before its official launch this week – and ahead of the first cars landing with customers –the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have already given it their official Royal seal of approval.

For William and Catherine were recently photographed being chauffeured in the new fifth generation Range Rover during the St Patrick’s Day Parade in Aldershot – having leap-frogged commoner customers before it reaches the driveways of even well-heeled buyers who got their orders in early.

They were ahead even of its global launch this week in the US – a large and significant export market for a premium British product.

As showcased by the Duke and Duchess, who will be chauffeured most places in their Range Rover, it truly is a vehicle designed as much to be ‘driven in’ as to drive – especially the extended wheel-base and top of the range ‘SV’ models. 

That’s because for all its rufty-tufty off-road capability and superb British engineering, it also fulfils the role of a sumptuously-appointed luxury limousine – albeit an exceptionally practical one – to be seen in at high society ball-gown events as much as at country pursuits during the season.

For the first time in a Range Rover there is the option of a family-friendly seven seats – in the extended wheelbase version – which will be warmly welcomed by those needing greater flexibility. Customers can also opt for a standard five-seater. And the exclusive ‘SV’ version offers an executive four-seat option.

The new Range Rover is being built at the firm’s specially revamped factory in Solihull, near Birmingham, in the West Midlands. 

Its design is described as ‘more evolutionary than revolutionary’ – the rear styling and ‘hidden until lit’ lights and some tweaks to the grille being the most striking features. 

The line-up of standard and long wheel-base Range Rovers from launch includes mild hybrid petrol and diesel engines, a range-topping old-school petrol V8 and two new petrol-electric plug-in hybrids, or ‘PHEVs’.

The latter combine a frugal petrol engine with an electric motor and battery to boost power while reducing emissions. 

A pollution-free pure electric ‘e-Range Rover’ is to follow from 2024.

Within days of first cars arriving with UK customers. Land Rover has revised upwards the Range Rover’s.

Originally, the base model started at £94,400, but this has since risen to £99,375 for the D300 SE diesel mild-hybrid short-wheelbase model.

The most expensive launch edition car is £142,820 – for the range-topping P530 First Edition in a long wheel base format.  

In January, order books also opened for the later arriving – but greener – Range Rover P440e plug-in hybrid (PHEV) variant, which now costs from costing from £108,385. 

The range-topping Range Rover ‘SV’ is priced from £151,175 (D350 SWB) to £178,220 (P530 LWB).

What’s it like behind the wheel?

Following in the steps of the Royal couple, I tried the new Range Rover out for myself this week. 

I first tried the D350 mild hybrid diesel, which has a 3.0-litre, six-cylinder engine. This one was slotted into a short wheel-base version of the new Rangey.

At first, I couldn’t quite believe it was a diesel. It is so exceptionally refined, smooth, stable, quiet and very well balanced.

Diesels will take 40 per cent of the total UK mix, according to JLR bosses, with plug-in hybrids (not driven here) 30 per cent and petrols (including the mammoth V8) representing the remaining third of sales. 

In the UK, three quarters will be standard wheel-base with a quarter long-wheel base.

In its standard driving mode it feel supremely relaxed, but slot the lever into the ‘Sport’ setting and the sinews tighten noticeably fore more energetic, throttle-revving action.

Riding on 23-inch wheels with an eight-speed automatic gearbox, it absorbs bumps in the road beautifully and irons out undulations with aplomb.

With 350 horsepowers under the bonnet, it accelerates from 0 to 62mph in 6.1 seconds up to a top speed of 145mph, managing 37.2mpg and with CO2 emissions of 198g/km.

Next, I plonked myself into the driving seat of the P400 3.0-litre 400hp mild hybrid petrol, which matches the previous diesel’s 6.1 seconds 0 to 62mph acceleration time. 

This one was the seven-seat extended wheelbase version – my first chance to try a Range Rover with two additional chairs in the back. 

The compromise with the extra seats is limited boot space. But you have the choice.

I managed a short off-roading stint in this variant. 

It copes fine with grassy and gravelled surfaces that you’d expect at a racecourse or country estate – common locations for the Range Rover when it does arrive with UK customers. 

I took it up and down some pretty steep inclines and it took them in its stride. There was none of the more extreme tests that I’ve tired with more rugged off-roaders. But these are different beasts. 

Set into its low range off-road mode with increased ride height, it copes well with more challenging terrain. It’s not a Defender, but for a posh car enjoying a bit of rough, it’s the business.

What impressed my most with all the variants I drove was just how secure, sound, nimble and fun to drive they all felt – even at high speed and on twisting mountain roads.

These are heavy, high-sided 4X4 SUVs weighing around 2.5 tonnes yet have a sense of balance and firm-footedness that you’d expect on a much more compact vehicle.

There was none of the swaying ‘boatiness’ you find with some. It felt rock-solid. Surprisingly so. If there was even a hint of a twitch, the electronic and suspension systems clearly kicked in to correct it. The engineers have done a great job.

Out on the motorways these awesome 4X4s sailed along serenely – but with gratifyingly added oomph when in sport mode.

‘That’ll do’, I said to myself as I planted my foot firmly full throttle on the accelerator – enjoying a welcome punch of power moving smoothly, seamlessly but with attitude to the wheels. The acceleration feels satisfyingly connected. The ride and handling feels planted. The experience is engaging.   

What’s it like with someone else behind the wheel? 

And for those who will spend more time being chauffeured, the P530 SV long-wheel base is the bee’s knees.

Powered by the range-topping 530hp 4.4-litre petrol V8, it leaves rear seat passenger in the lap of luxury.

Having endured a couple of very challenging days having been caught up in flight-delay mellays, I enjoyed a totally stress-free chauffeur driven ride in the back of the voluminous 4X4 limousine.  

It is silky smooth and exquisitely quiet. There’s even an on board massage system. This is the way to fly. Even on the road.  

It really is a refined manner of travel whether for business of pleasure.

At the heart of it all is the executive SV seating with two business class seats in the rear. 

My comfortable armchair like rear seat reclined like a business or Fist Class airline seat and left me as chilled as the champagne that resides with glasses in an optional cooler.

The passenger seat in front moves further forward to create even more leg room, and there’s a drop down foot rest as your legs move up and out into a relaxing stretch out posture.

There is no shortage of distractions, mind. 

A big 13.1-inch screen in front allows you to watch your favourite movie, or choose from your play list on the Pivi Pro infotainment system. And it’s all controllable from an 8-inch touchscreen controller sitting in the space between the two rear sets.

There’s an element of magic and delight from the central electric powered ‘club table’ which opens up like a flower in an elegantly balletic manoeuvre. I could watch it all day. Or you could just listen to look out of the window and watch the world go by.

The rear seat touchscreen controller also allows you to fine tune your surroundings in the back. Starting with the seat themselves, the memory system provide four-way powered lumbar and headrest adjustment. They can also be heated if you feel a bit chilly, or and cooled if you’re feeling a tad too hot.

And just like on a plane, they can be inclined (by four degrees) and reclined (by up to 12 degrees) until you find the perfect position for you.

There’s even enhanced shoulder support with heated door armrests, a heated centre console and deeper seat cushions. But for easing aching limbs after a hard day at the office there’s a hot-stone massage option, plus a heated heel catcher and calf-rest. From my commanding position in the rear I could programme the lights to suite my mood using configurable 30-colour cabin lighting in the doors, console and foot-wells.

And, just as on the most modern aircraft, the air is specially filtered to feel especially fresh – using an air purification system and the latest nano-technology to take impurities out of cabin. That is designed to leave you feeling full of energy, and not sluggish. And I did feel remarkably perky after my two hours as a VIP.

You really do feel quite pampered and privileged. Someone else- your chauffeur – is doing all the real work at the wheel. Though even that is immensely pleasurable for them. I know. The driver told me so. He said it was the best SUV he’s ever driven.

The ride is smooth and consistent. It lulls you to relax. And I’m sure owners who take delivery will justify it on the grounds that their very busy days doing deals and making decision of huge importance, means they need the down time to either catch up on their e-mail.

But the temptation to grab a few minutes snooze is at times overwhelming.

And for some reason as I swanned around in the lap of luxury, I could not get that most irritating of adverts for L’Oreal cosmetics out of my head. You know the one: ‘It’s because I’m worth it.’ Well I certainly felt it – for a while.

Mind you, with prices for the luxuriously top spec SV long wheelbase model starting from just under £158,000, you’d really have to be.

All-new Range Rover: The Cars & Motoring verdict 

As William and Kate, the new generation of young Royals, work hard to build a modern monarchy, the new cutting-edge Range Rover really is a luxury 4×4 fit for a future King and Queen. 

And it does rather make you feel unashamedly proud to be British. 

It’s heady mix of modern luxury combined with engaging performance, useful practically, and plenty of style. 

Sadly not everyone will be able to enjoy such an experience – with prices starting just a shade under £100,000.

But just wait until a few years down the line, they start popping up on the second hand market at more affordable levels for more mainstream buyers. 

Then it could be a hard choice between a brand new car, or a punt on a second or third-hand fifth generation Range Rover. Now that’s going to be a real dilemma for some people.

Source: DailyMail