RANGE ROVER

FIFTH-GENERATION RANGE ROVER DELIVERS OFF-ROADING SKILLS IN PREMIUM PACKAGE

As the oldest member by far of the Land Rover fleet of luxury SUVs, the venerable Range Rover is showing no signs of aging well into its fifth generation.

Few vehicles can match its combination of off-roading prowess in such a luxurious surroundings and fewer still evoke the sense of history the Range Rover does when one feels is ensconced behind the wheel. This was, after all, often the SUV of choice of the late Queen Elizabeth. whose association with Land Rover vehicles dated back to the early years of her 70-year reign.

Fittingly, it was a fleet of Range Rovers that brought Royal Family members to Balmoral Castle for final farewells when she passed in 2022. (Thank you, roverparts.com.)

Land Rover introduced the Range Rover as a 2-door model in 1970 and it wasn’t until 11 years later that the 4-door model was unveiled. In the 2000s, the company began producing spinoff versions of its flagship SUV like today’s Range Rover Sport, Range Rover Evoque, and Range Rover Velar, and the Land Rover name itself has mostly fallen into disuse. (Though the green logo remains, “Land Rover” does not appear anywhere on the spec sheet for the Range Rover.)

After going over 14 years between the first Range Rover in 1970 and the beginning of the second generation in 1984, Land Rover has speeded up the aging process in recent years.

The current (or fifth) generation  came about with the production of the 2022 Range Rover. Updates since then have included a new plug-in hybrid model with just over 50 miles of electric driving range, a new SV trim with more features, and a revised touchscreen.

My test vehicle for this review was a 2024 Range Rover in SE trim and a long-wheel base providing room to accommodate three rows of passengers, but the only major change for 2025 model over 2024 is the availability of the SE trim for the PHEV.

The SE trim serves as the base model. The Range Rover also is available in Autograph and SV trim. Each is offered with a variety of mild-hybrid engines such as the P400 (turbocharged inline-6, 395 horsepower, 404 pound-feet of torque), P530 (twin-turbo V8, 523 hp, 525 lb.-ft.), P615 (twin-turbo V8, 606 hp 553 lb.-ft), and P550e (inline-6 with an electric motor, 542 hp, 590 lb.-ft).

The engines are mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel drive is standard as well.

My test Range Rover SE LWB 7-seater featured the P400 turbo-6 engine that delivered a very satisfying performance with a zero-to-60 mph clocking in the sub-6.0 range, according to zeroto60times.com.

It is a bit thirsty when it comes to fuel efficiency with EPA ratings of 18 miles-per-gallon city, 24 highway, and 20 combined of premium grade fuel. According to the government you’ll spend $6,240 more in gas over five years than the average new vehicle.

Frankly, that’s probably not going to matter much considering your automotive budget has to be in six figures to just to get in the base level /Range Rover.

Lots of rich leather and soft surfaces permeate the interior. Standard features in my test 2024 Range Rover SE included a panoramic sunroof with power sun blind, rain-sensing windshield wipers, 4-zone climate control, keyless entry and push-button start, Meridian sound system, wireless device charging, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

 

Starting MSRP for the 2025 Range Rover SE with the P400 engine is $109,375. My test 2024 model was listed at starting at $113,400 with a handful of options running the final total to $118,610 including the $1,625 destination and delivery fee.

What I liked about the Range Rover SE: Even the turbocharged 6-cylinder engine packs a pretty good punch. It’s great cruising expressways. The cabin is exquisite. Lots of choices allow for customizing the vehicle to your tastes. A long rear floor liner is available if you are more interested in hauling cargo instead of passengers and have folded the somewhat cramp third-row seats.

What I didn’t like about the Range Rover SE: Here I always thought the Germans were the only ones guilty of overcomplicating operation of infotainment features, but the Brits do a good job of that with the Range Rover. The clean appearance of the dash comes at the cost of convenient buttons to operate at least a few basic functions. Making it worse, some touchscreen commands aren’t all that easy to get to and don’t always respond to touches, which makes them frustrating and perhaps even dangerous to operate when driving. It’s not an overly tall vehicle but it still could use grab handles to ease way in and out, especially for shorter passengers.

Would I buy the Range Rover SE? Operation of infotainment functions is not a complete deal killer but it’s pretty close. They are just that frustrating. But it has a lot going for that in the full-size SUV segment and road manners are impeccable.