Name: Land Rover Range Rover Velar Review
Item: Land Rover Range Rover Velar
Author: Gumtree.com

One of the newest Range Rovers, the Velar was launched back in 2017, and it fills a niche between the more compact Evoque SUV and the giant Range Rover Sport. It offers everything that Land Rover’s prestigious brand is known for – show-stopping style, impressive engine power, capable handling on the streets and off-road, and a lush interior. Anyone looking towards the luxury end of the market for a practical, dynamic people carrier will have to factor the Velar into their decisions, as it has few peers in the prestige SUV class.

Head to the Range Rover Velar model page to find out more.

What we think about the Land Rover Range Rover Velar

The Velar is a stunning mid-sized Range Rover that can compete with the best SUVs on the market.

Pros

Beautiful styling

Incredible engine power

Extremely smooth handling

Opulent, well-equipped cabin

Huge boot

Cons

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Not quite as fun as some rivals

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Slightly cramped back seats

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Expensive

Land Rover’s Range Rover Velar is a seven-seater SUV with a 2.0-litre diesel unit as the entry-level engine. There’s room to manoeuvre though, with a wide variety of engine setups and on-board features. The different trims include the S, SE, HSE, the R-Dynamic, R-Dynamic S, SE and HSE, and the range-topping SVAutobiography.

Driving performance of the Land Rover Range RoverVelar

Our Driving Rating8 / 10

Whether you’re a long-time fan of the brand or you’ve never been behind the wheel of a Range Rover before, the Velar will offer a blissful experience. It has weighty, responsive steering, no body roll in corners and incredible grip. Off-roading is predictably impressive. The suspension is mostly floaty without detracting from the driving agility, though the largest wheels can lead to some bumps in the cabin. All in all, it’s a dream to drive, but it’s definitely geared more towards comfort and smoothness than thrills – the stability control can sometimes hold you back when you get a little aggressive with cornering.

Safety and reliability of the Land Rover Range RoverVelar

Our Safety Rating9 / 10

Back in 2017, the Range Rover Velar got a Euro NCAP five-star safety rating. An impressive 93% score was awarded for its protection of adult passengers, while child safety was given an 85% score. The on-board safety and driver assistance equipment is good too. It includes an advanced autonomous emergency braking system and you can upgrade to get blind spot assist, adaptive cruise control, high-speed emergency braking, and rear sensors to make reversing and parking a doddle.

Under the bonnet of the Land Rover Range RoverVelar

Our Engine Rating9 / 10

The Range Rover Velar is available with a wide variety of engines, and they’re all impressive units. The cheapest unit on the most recent model is a 2.0-litre diesel that can get you to 62 mph from standing in just over eight seconds. If you need a little more bang for your buck, try out the 296 bhp 3.0-litre diesel, which will do the same in 6.5 seconds. Or there’s the 3.0-litre petrol unit, which shaves another second off that 0-62 time with 395 bhp. You can get a ridiculous figure of 542 bhp from the 5.0-litre petrol, which does 0-62 in 4.5 seconds.

What you'll find in the Land Rover Range RoverVelar

Our Design Rating9 / 10

There might be large SUVs that offer a bit more driving excitement than the Velar, but few can match the Range Rover’s effortless sense of visual spectacle. It blends the rugged cool of the iconic Range Rover style with a more high-tech aesthetic. The large honeycomb grille creates a particularly distinctive frontend for such an imposing, well-sculpted vehicle, and there are a number of eye-catching little touches all over – you’ll marvel at its pop-out door handles and futuristic narrow headlights.

Comfort and interiors in the Land Rover Range RoverVelar

Our Comfort Rating8 / 10

Even considering its luxury price point, the Velar’s interior cabin is pretty mind-blowing. Its design leans towards the minimalist, but everything just feels incredibly well-designed and assembled, with materials of the highest quality at every turn, including leather trim on the dashboard. You’ll love the three-screen setup that controls infotainment and the main dashboard controls – all the dials are satisfyingly tactile. The system itself isn’t as intuitive as some rivals though, and the Velar’s generous boot space can lead to a lack of legroom for larger adults in the back seats.

What features you'll find in the Land Rover Range RoverVelar

Our Features Rating9 / 10

The Range Rover Velar’s Pivo Pro infotainment system is controlled via a 10-inch touchscreen, which conveniently leans forward at a 30-degree angle when you start it up. Besides this, there’s a whole host of fancy upgrades available. The Meridian sound system is worth getting for the audiophiles out there. Vegans are catered for and can opt for textured cloth upholstery instead of leather (though there are also three different grades of leather available). There’s advanced climate control and heated seats, and you can also get a 360-degree surround camera. The largest wheels are 22-inch alloys, with chrome detailing available as another option.

What fuel efficiency to expect from the Land Rover Range RoverVelar

Our Fuel Consumption Rating7 / 10

You would expect the Range Rover Velar’s heart-racing engine power to come at a price, but its fuel economy figures aren’t quite as bad as you might expect. The basic diesel will get you 41 mpg, while the smallest petrol unit offers around 31 mpg. The range-topping 5.0-litre petrol engine can’t manage more than 23 mpg, but that’s unlikely to be a problem for most prospective owners willing to take that plunge. If you’re really concerned about fuel costs and carbon emissions, try the P400e plug-in hybrid. It offers 128 mpg with an all-electric range of 31 miles and CO2 emissions of just 56 g/km.

Running costs of the Land Rover Range RoverVelar

Our Cost Rating6 / 10

This is an expensive car to buy upfront, and you won’t make too many savings in the long term either. If your budget isn’t unlimited, you should definitely try one of the diesel engines to save on fuel, while the hybrid unit will also allow you to cut down on road tax costs. The insurance premiums are very high but no worse than many similar cars – just remember that Range Rover’s premium status means you’ll have to pay the extra VED surcharge. Land Rover’s basic warranty will cover you for three years.

Our verdict of the Land Rover Range RoverVelar

4.5 / 5 Gumtree rating

One of the best-looking SUVs on the road, don't sleep on this formidable car if you can match its premium price point.

Land Rover Range Rover Velar Review