Range Rover’s fourth sibling benefits from genetic engineering

There are very few examples of brands that occupy a niche within a niche in the automobile industry. So, if one of them is feeling claustrophobic within that slot and would like to know how to continue to expand its portfolio, my advice to them would be to turn to Range Rover.

For a brand that is part of the Jaguar Land Rover group, and which is already perched at the top of the luxury sports utility vehicle space, Range Rover still manages to identify empty spots to fill within its line-up. Its latest addition, the Velar, is the fourth in its portfolio and is being positioned to bridge the gap between the Evoque and the Range Rover Sport.

Design

The folks at JLR like to call the Velar ‘the Avante-garde Range Rover’. Even from a distance it is easy to see why the Velar got that moniker. There is a certain elegance and purity to its design. I know that description must seem a little strange for an SUV, which by nature has to be boxy and upright to serve its worldly purpose. Even more so, if it has to fit into the Range Rover design philosophy. Turn the Velar around and look at its side profile and you can immediately identify the brand’s trademark lines (roof, shoulder and side character), all parallel to each other and to the road. It’s a simple design concept that works so well for the brand.

It also has the trademark coach-style rear with that significant 30-degree departure angle to remind you of its roots and its readiness for the great outdoors (a trekker at heart despite its designer attire). But the Velar’s design stands out in its buttery smooth, clean body surfaces. The headlamps and tail-lamps feature the design signature cat-eye treatment with their elongated outer edges, but have still been reinterpreted for the Velar. Ditto for the highly recognisable LED daytime running lights, which are still very Range Rover though they feature a configuration unique to the Velar (matrix-laser LEDs are optional). All the elements sit flush to the body panels in an attempt to achieve those clean surfaces. The retracting door handle, the delicately flared wheel arches, the unique grille and the crisp, tight shutlines together contribute to the elegance of the design.

Cabin

The Velar’s cabin has one of the most elegant, uncluttered dashboards I’ve seen in a long time. It is minimalist, uses a lot of glossy, yet classy, black panels on the centre console and soft aluminium contrast trim. The upright orientation of all the dashboard elements and the classic cascade style of the centre stack is a Range Rover trademark, but in the Velar the layout is very modern and high-tech, both to look at and in touch and feel. Two touchscreen displays — one at the top of the centre stack and one integrated to the middle allows access to most of the vehicle settings, aircon controls and infotainment functions.

There is that dollop of drama when you enter the cabin and punch the engine start/stop button, when the rotary gear selection knob rises out of the centre console and the infotainment touchscreen tilts forward to offer a glare-free view. The instrument cluster is also an all-digital screen, which is paired with a head-up display. The rest of the cabin is a mix of leather and soft touch plastic trim. My test mule featured a dark grey theme with a mix of open pore wood, textured aluminium and plastic trim panels. There is a black and beige combo that is also offered. The perforated leather seats were sumptuous and the Meridian music system was a perfect companion during the hours I spent stuck on Delhi’s crowded roads where I was driving the Velar a couple of weeks ago. There is a lot of legroom for rear occupants too; and the powered tailgate opens to reveal 673 litres of boot space even when all the five seats are being used. One other feature that I loved in the Velar were the two pods on either side of the multi-function steering wheel, which were also touch-sensitive and with a very likeable haptic feedback every time I made selections on them.

Performance

The Velar is being offered with four engine options in India. Two diesels (D300 and D180), including the three-litre, V6 that delivers about 223.71 kW of power and 700 Nm of torque, which is part of the duo. Two petrol engines are also on offer, both two-litre units with one (P250) offering a lower tuned 184 kW of power and the other (P300) offering 221 kW of power and 400 Nm of torque.

The test mule I was driving was the P250 with its new 2.0 Ingenium engine and was kitted out as a mid-level SE trim variant. The engine is likely to make it to other JLR models in the future and is said to be more efficient. The engine pulls clean and throttle response is very linear, though I’m sure it will be even better in the higher tuned P300. The Velar’s all-aluminium construction makes it lighter than the other Rangies, but it is still nearly two tonnes (unladen). But, this engine is extremely refined and the excellent NVH characteristics make it a benchmark in the segment. The eight-speed auto gearbox it is paired with is a good choice, though on occasion kickdowns during hard acceleration may seem mildly delayed. Manual gear selection through steering mounted paddles was a default choice for me.

The Velar being a true Rangie comes with all the standard off-roading prowess that we take for granted from the brand’s vehicles. A rear-biased all-wheel drive system can be controlled by making selections as part of the Terrain Response System. In addition to all the electronic aids that affect and change specific attributes of the all-wheel drive system, drive modes are also available including eco, highway, auto, snow, off-road and sandy conditions.

Bottomline

The Velar’s suspension set-up does seem like it is biased towards offering rear seat occupants a better ride. It gobbles up some seriously bad patches of road; and its high ground clearance and 600 mm water wading capability would lead to big sighs of relief from potential owners. But, drivers looking for a more rigid, sporty set-up may find the suspension to be pliant even in dynamic mode. Only the three-litre V6 gets air suspension and a higher 650 mm wading depth. There is no lack of confidence on the road though, the tyres offer great grip and despite the mild body roll, the Velar feels planted to the tarmac.

The Velar is a great addition to Range Rover’s line-up. Prices start from ₹79 lakh and go up to ₹1.38 crore, so it is not really in a price territory of its own. There are all sorts of competitors in that segment, including a few from JLR’s own stables. But, the Velar is still a very modern, very elegant and very likeable Rangie that puts a lot of the competitor’s SUVs in the shade.

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