2018 range rover velar

2018 Range Rover Velar P380 V-6

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The “compact luxury crossover” descriptor is hardly vivid enough for Land Rover’s Range Rover Velar. The SUV is on the large side of that class and looks it, measuring just shy of the mid-size Range Rover Sport in every dimension. The Velar’s outsize luxuriousness and sleek style further elevate its station above staider (and smaller) sales chasers such as Audi’s Q5 and the BMW X3.

HIGHS

Daring styling inside and out, usable cargo hold, good cabin space.

LOWS

Sometimes-unpredictable responses from the touchscreens, gruff engine, firm ride.

Just don’t call the Velar fat—although it is heavy at 4676 pounds, it’s more big boned. Literally. Underneath its sleeker, low-roof take on Range Rover’s signature rectilinear styling sits the same plus-size architecture that underpins Jaguar’s F-Pace. However, Land Rover tunes most of the Jag’s athleticism out of the chassis, although we’re okay with that, particularly on a luxury-minded SUV. Still, the Velar’s ride could be softened just a smidge further to match the handling’s relaxed vibe.

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Engine Trio

There are three engine choices, none of which stands out as a runaway must-have. Base models use a 247-hp turbocharged inline-four and carry the P250 moniker, denoting their 250(-ish) horsepower and P-for-petrol (gasoline) appetite. We have yet to test a P250, but we’ve driven one and it doesn’t move the Velar with much verve. A 180-hp turbo-diesel four-cylinder that flies under the D180 banner is optional, and it is even more sluggish than the P250. Finally, there is the 380-hp supercharged gasoline V-6 tested here, which gets the designation P380.

Although the six is used in other Jaguar Land Rover products, in the Velar it lacks the sweet exhaust note it exhibits in other JLR applications. And while much of the tire, wind, and suspension noises don’t enter the cabin, the V-6’s unrefined sounds manage to penetrate its firewall. A full-throttle run to highway speeds whips up a great din from the engine, and you’ll get the sense that even this range-topping V-6 and its attendant eight-speed automatic transmission labor to move the hefty SUV. Indeed, the Velar, at 5.7 seconds to 60 mph, is a significant 0.6 second slower than its mechanical twin, the Jaguar F-Pace S. This Range Rover also returned a disappointing 17 mpg overall during our test.

Wow Factor

We suggest embracing the Velar’s relaxed driving demeanor while spending time admiring the stunning interior. Modern and well appointed, the cabin is assembled from high-quality materials combined and executed in novel ways. Take, for example, the door trim, which is available in typical materials such as wood or aluminum but is incorporated in the recessed part of the door panels alongside the elbow rests.

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Even with all that, the rest of the interior is outshined in wow factor by Land Rover’s all-new dual-display infotainment system, InControl Touch Pro Duo. The system banishes nearly every major physical button in the cabin save for the headlight switch, the transmission’s rotary-knob gear selector, and the window switches. Visually, this is a coup. The two glossy 10-inch touchscreens, which are augmented by the Velar’s standard digital gauge cluster, look incredible.