On the road it felt significantly lighter than the V8 model, which has 100Nm more torque and an additional 80bhp. Unless you frequently tow your boat down to the coast, the V8 offers little by way of additional power and emits 33g/km of CO2; just enough to push it into a higher tax band.
Economy and Environment
The new Range Rover’s considerable weight savings and refined diesel powerplant do combine to make the vehicle significantly more efficient than its forbears. The V6 is also the only model in the range to feature Stop-Start technology to further reduce consumption and emissions, and is said to emit only 196g/km of CO2.
During our two days with the car we returned nearly 30mpg, which falls short of the 37.7 rating claimed by Land Rover but not by much. Considering we used the low range mode when driving off road and consistently ran the air conditioner to maintain a cool 18-degree cabin temperature it’s not a bad result.
The new Range Rover has a .34 aerodynamic drag coefficient, which has been improved by 10 per cent over the outgoing model. This was achieved using active air vanes in the grille, aerodynamic underside panels, and improved over car airflow thanks to flush moulding around the more steeply angled windscreen.
Equipment and Value
Available in three trim levels – entry level Vogue, Vogue SE and top of the line Autobiography guise – the Range Rover comes well specified.
As expected, typical luxury features – such as leather seating, 8-inch touchscreen navigation system, heated steering wheel and three-zone climate control – are fitted as standard on the Vogue model, which retails at £70,780 for the V6 diesel and £77, 226 for the V8. The Vogue SE adds creature comforts like adaptive cruise control, Dual View for the central screen, All-Terrain Response 2, and 18-way adjustable front and heated rear power seats for roughly £7000 more.
At the top of the line is the Autobiography variant, which adds a £16,600 premium and still more standard amenities, such as four-zone climate control, a blind spot monitor, surround camera system, panoramic sunroof and 22-inch wheels. These models start at £87,380 for V6 powered cars and climb through to a £98,395 on the road price for the Supercharged 5.0-liter petrol version.
Safety
The afore-mentioned Dynamic Response and revised air suspension systems are just two of the safety features present on the new Range Rover. Others standard features include a lane departure warning system, reversing camera, active cruise control with emergency braking, a blind spot monitoring system, and a multitude of airbags, including side curtain and thorax airbags.
The aluminum technologies in the new Range Rover not only serve to reduce weight, they also further improve the car’s structural rigidity and overall strength, as aluminium absorbs more energy per kilogram than steel. To illustrate this, the car exceeded standards in a recent US-mandated roof crush test that requires it to withstand pressures of three times gross vehicle weight.
Though Euro NCAP ratings are not yet available for the car we expect a five star rating following the Evoque’s crash test outcome.
Verdict
Even with the SUV market burgeoning and more and more manufacturers looking for a piece of the pie, the Range Rover remains peerless. There is simply no other vehicle that can drive through mud, ruts, gravel and sand, scale mountains and wade through rivers whilst simultaneously giving you a massage through seats covered in soft Bridge of Weir hides. Though far from inexpensive, the Range Rover is the most well rounded proposition ever conceived, and it just got better.
KEY SPECS
Model tested: Range Rover TDV6 Autobiography
Engine: 3.0-liter turbocharged V6
diesel
Power: 258PS
Torque: 600Nm
Acceleration: 0-62 in 7.9 seconds
Top speed: 130mph
Economy: 37.7mpg
(claimed)
Emissions: 196g/km CO2
Price: £71,295 (OTR)
