There is no rational way to look at a Range Rover and see anything less than a posh and polished cruiser. It is tall, sleek, expensive, serene, and snobby. The exterior oozes refinement and thumbs its nose at more plebeian fare. Over the past three generations, it has evolved beautifully to become simpler in its design but also somehow more upscale. The Range Rover even manages to upstage BMW X7s without even trying. It also happens to be capable of scrambling over terrain that would make most luxury SUVs scurry for cover. Its only real competitor is the Mercedes G-Wagen.Amos KwonIf you knew nothing about the legendary Range Rover's off-road prowess, you'd be convinced by the affluent suburban moms behind the wheel that this SUV was strictly for cruising and shopping. It wears its capability with the nonchalance of someone arriving at a muddy trailhead in the finest athleisure wear the world has to offer. Clad it in Batumi Gold paint ($1,950) and big 23″ turbine-style wheels, and and the bling-factor levels up. My tester's base price was $134,100 with the twin-turbo V8 enging choice. With options and the $2,150 destination fee, the total price came to $155,535.A SIinky Range Rover? Yes and Yes.Amos KwonFor some, it would be hard to tell the difference between the last Range Rover and the current (5th) generation. While the current Range Rover, which debuted in 2022, retains the model's iconic shape, it smooths out the doors with flush handles and simplifies the vertical door appliques. The grille is slightly smaller with a new mesh patter, and the headlight clusters have been reshaped. The Range Rover's lower fascia now has full-width aperture that incorporates vents and LED foglights.Amos KwonThe biggest change between the generations is the rear fascia. The result is a more refined and more cohesive look. The back end has no resemblance to the last Range Rover. It loses the blocky taillights and the unifying metallic silver bar. The 5th-gen's slim vertical taillights are simple but very attractive, helping frame the liftgate with the two black horizontal bars. Since the tailights no longer wrap around on the rear quarter panel, that section looks more refined and more muscular, at the same time. There isn't a cleaner, more refined look on any luxury SUV.Power and Smoothness Behind the WheelAmos KwonThe Range Rover's road manners are impeccable. No, it's not a sporty SUV, but it's seriously potent with the twin-turbo V8. The level of on-demand thrust is significant (0 to 60 mph in the low fours). The 523 horsepower P530 engine is silky but authoritative. What's even more noticeable is the sublime ride. nd the ride. Its adaptive air suspension has an uncanny ability to take the sharpness out of bad pavement without even trying. Even big bumps are dispatched with ease. The larger 23″ wheels don't do it a disservice, either, and the Range Rover behaves without feeling isolated and spongy.Amos KwonThe steering is light but accurate, and it's not hard to place the big Range Rover where you want. There's ample body roll, but the balance and control are predictable. It's not sharp like a BMW X5, but the Range Rover isn't meant to be driven like a sporty SUV. Take it off road, and it'll display its goods better than just about any other luxury SUV. It comes with Electronic Air Suspension with up to 11.6 inches of ground clearance, Terrain Response 2 with selectable drive modes (Mud/Ruts, Sand, Rock Crawl, and Grass/Gravel/Snow), an Electronic Active Rear Locking Differential, and Wade Sensing for water fording up to 35.4 inches.Amos KwonOne major plus for the Range Rover is its four-wheel steering, one of the best I've used. It significantly reduces its turning radius, and on some streets it makes the three-point turn obsolete. Getting into tight parking spots is made similarly easy, and the system provides remarkable nimbleness for such a big vehicle.Fuel economy is less enchanting. The EPA fuel economy rating for the Range Rover P530 with the 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 engine is 16 MPG city, 21–22 MPG highway, and 18 MPG combined. During my week behind the wheel, the Range Rover V8 did just over 13 mpg, and I hardly used Dynamic mode.Luxury Digs With Some Odd DecisionsAmos KwonThe cabin is a mixed bag. While beautiful and rich, it's not especially accommodating. Despite the high-end leather upholstery, the front and rear seats make you feel like you're sitting on them rather than in them. The lumbar feels uncomfortable even in the tamest of settings. The middle position in row two is especially punishing with overly dramatic bulges in the cushion and backrest. My tester did not have the optional third row.Amos KwonThe interior design is restrained rather than in-your-face like the current BMW or Mercedes ethos, with broad two-tone horizontal surfaces, thick and soft leather, and a lack of visual clutter. Even the modestly sized infotainment screen, as well as its placement, contribute to the simplified look. It's lounge-like with some compromises like the optional piano black plastic on the center console and on the doors (way too much on the doors).Amos KwonThe curved central touchscreen is crisp and dramatic, but Land Rover's pursuit of minimalism occasionally goes too far. Aside from the painful absence of switchgear, the Pivi Pro screen is obfuscating, and the inconsistently responsive haptic feedback is annoying. You have to menu dive to make seat support adjustments, get heated/cooled seats, adjust vent aperture, etc. Speaking of menus, they're not intuitive, and I found myself constantly scanning to find the function I needed.Amos KwonIt's difficult to full capture how bad the climate controls are. There's a haptic temperature slider, but sliding it or tapping it doesn't bring up the climate menu. That's a separate icon, and then you can start making changes on the screen. To make things worse, you can move the HVAC vents on the dash by moving the adjustment tab, but you have to adjust the aperture on the touchscreen, which makes no sense. Changing ambient lighting is also an exercise in frustration. At least the angled instrument cluster is crisp and data is easy to configure in the center display.Final ThoughtsThe Range Rover SE is powerful, rugged, sexy, and occasionally impractical in ways that become more conspicuous at this price. As it was meant to be, however, the Range Rover is hard to ignore even with the sketchy reliability. Few vehicles combine this level of comfort, visual appeal, off-road credibility, and on-road power. It is a mountain goat with a personal tailor—and, somehow, it still makes the combination work. You have to get past some usability and comfort issues to do so, but what a show it is.
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