Highline Test Drives
It takes approximately a decade or so before Land Rover introduces a “new” Range Rover. Sure the body is a bit sleeker, the interior a little nicer, and the size of the vehicle a bit larger, but in generations past they never truly felt like an all new vehicle. This generation of Range Rover however takes things to a whole new level. If you’re coming from the previous generation Range Rover, it is best to approach these new models as a whole new vehicle entirely. Styling ethos is carried over, but with a wide variety of new power plants, interior ergonomics and systems never fitted to a Land Rover product before, the best way to approach a new Range Rover is without comparison.
This test did not include confirmation of the 3 feet of water clearance owners can submit their Range Rover to, or just how sophisticated the independent locking differentials handle on a steep hill descent. Our test focused on, let’s be honest, the type of driving 99.9% of owners will be doing with their $126k Range Rover, hauling the kids and driving around town.
Our 2023 Land Rover Range Rover PHEV SE made quick work of our team’s expectations as to how this Range Rover would compare to the previous generation we own. The new body on the Range Rover is a study in how to give a vehicle road presence, while not simply just adding size. On its own, the new body of the Range Rover looks much larger than previous examples, however parked next to each other, they are almost identical in size. Green paint, black exterior trim, and 21” wheels standard made our example Range Rover even more identifiable as the latest offering from the British auto manufacturer.
On the inside of any Range Rover is where customers get their money’s worth. While a sticker price of over $126k is steep by any means, the interior and ride quality feels just as comparable to the ultra luxury SUVs like the Bentley Bentayga, Rolls-Royce Cullinan, and Lamborghini Urus. Something potentially owners should take a long look at is Land Rover’s new Ultrafabrics Textile interior. Our Range Rover did have this option and our staff agreed it was an interesting and clever alternative to your typical leather options. This material is also hydrophobic, and would hold well to any spills in the back seats. Long term durability of the Ultrafabrics Textile materials, and childrens’ seeming unique sense of usage, may be one to wait on until this material has been thoroughly put through its paces by early adopters.
The ‘23 Range Rovers’s luxurious driving experience is paired and complemented perfectly with the PHEV hybrid drivetrain. With approximately 45 miles of completely silent EV driving or 51 mpg in the standard hybrid mode. The lack of noise and chattery through the vehicle leaves the supercharged V6 and V8 of old behind. Don’t think for a second however this almost 6,000 pound family SUV is lacking any power, due to the clever programming of the power delivery from both the electric hybrid motor and the 3.0 liter turbocharged inline 6 cylinder, most customers will be impressed with the acceleration this platform is able to achieve. For customers who are still looking for more performance.
From a previous owner’s point of view, the brand new infotainment system and interface seems unnecessary. Our recommendation is any owners coming off lease or trading in the previous generation may want to take some time with their dealer specialist to learn just how everything works. There are a lot of toys and clever features previous owners will recognize or be looking forward to in this new model, but with a completely new user interface and controls, owners can not simply adapt what they learned with their previous model. As a young professional, tech savvy, and Range Rover owner, it took me almost 10 minutes to properly pair my bluetooth to the stereo, I can only imagine those who can afford a new Range Rover would not have the same patience.
While this new generation Range Rover is impressive by even Land Rover’s standards, the “quirks” only Land Rover owners are willing to put up with were still present in our example.
The driver-side mirror would reset itself to vertical every time you turn it on, our charging cable that came with the vehicle would “fault” without rhyme or reason to specific outlets, and wind noise from the large exterior mirrors is exacerbated due to the silence of the rest of the drivetrain.
With ever increasing competition in the luxury SUV market, the new generation Range Rover still holds its own as the iconic offering from England. Relative newcomers to the market like the Bentley Bentayga, Lamborghini Urus, and Rolls Royce Cullinan put pressure on Land Rover’s market share. However, after testing the 2023 Land Rover Range Rover PHEV SE, we can assure owners new and old, this generation Range Rover takes the competition right back to them, in many ways, exceeding expectations compared to the much more expensive models mentioned above. As the market adjusts and pricing seems to come back to earth across the industry, this new generation Range Rover continues to make a strong case for itself as THE luxury family SUV.
For more visit: www.landroverusa.com
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