All-new Range Rover sticks to comfort and refinement brief at the expense of sportiness while ramping up tech, quality and style
It’s not every day of the week Land Rover launches a new Range Rover. In fact, over the past 50 years there’s been just four generations of the flagship SUV and the previous one was on sale for a decade. Despite being slow to develop and even slower to replace, Land Rover has gone on to sell an incredible 1.3 million Range Rovers, the British brand shifting 500,000 of the last version alone. Designers, engineers and the suits have understandably been terrified of messing with a winning formula. Hence why, on first glimpse, the all-new model looks like a mild facelift. But dig deeper and nothing could be further from the truth. As it turns out, Land Rover has once again evolved its luxury SUV icon into a world-beater.
Bentley, Rolls territory
As you’ll see, Land Rover’s mission for the fifth instalment of the Range Rover has been to close the gap to the Bentley Bentayga and Rolls-Royce Cullinan.
So it’s no surprise there’s a price to pay for its enhanced sophistication.
In the case of the most affordable D300 SE, that translates into a $20,000 price rise, with the 2022 Range Rover line-up – due to start arriving in Australia by mid-year – now kicking off at $220,200 plus on-road costs.
If you overlook the limited-run First Edition variants, the core standard-wheelbase Range Rover models are available in SE, HSE, Autobiography and range-topping SV trim levels.
The long-wheelbase versions, meanwhile, come as either an Autobiography or SV, with the seven-seat pack only available with the former.
The SV LWB bookends the substantial 18-variant Aussie line-up at $391,800 plus on-road costs.
So, what does the most basic Rangie actually come with? Quite a lot actually.
On the hardware side even the cheapest SE grade – available with the D300, P400 (from $225,500) and PHEV 440 (from $229,200) powertrains – gets four-wheel steering, air suspension, active anti-roll bars and Land Rover’s Terrain Response 2 tech that pre-arms the all-wheel drive system and dual-range transfer case.
Within, there’s a 12-inch digital instrument cluster ahead of the driver and a large curved 13.1-inch infotainment system that hosts the latest Pivo Pro operating system.
Both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are available. Wireless charging and eight USB sockets plus a 12V outlet are also included.
As far as driver assist measures go, there’s the usual autonomous emergency braking (AEB), blind spot assist, a 360-degree camera and adaptive cruise control that includes lane keep assist and rear traffic monitor.
There’s also a useful electrically-deployable tow bar.
So, what’s missing? Plump for the HSE – available on the D350 (from $241,400), PHEV 510 (from $262,400) and P530 (from $259,500) – and it adds an active rear limited-slip diff, LED matrix headlights, 22-inch rims (in place of the SE’s 21s), 20-way-adjust ventilated seats, illuminated seat belt buckles, a Clearsight monitor (instead of a traditional rear-view mirror), a more powerful 800W 18-speaker sound system, head-up display, a vital park assist system and cabin air filtration.
The plush Autobiography – available in D350 (from $279,600), PHEV 510 (from $292,900) and P530 (from $297,600) guise – features gloss black brake callipers, a sliding panoramic roof (the others get a fix pano), a solar windscreen and laminated side glass, 22-inch diamond-turned rims, massage seats, a natural wood veneer within a heated windscreen, rear window sun blinds, an electric parcel shelf cover, a mighty 1600W 34-speaker sound system and on-board Wi-Fi.
Finally, the most expensive SV models that only come with the most powerful diesel (D350, from $341,300) or twin-turbo V8 petrol (P530, from $347,900) gets hot stone massage seats, a gloss white ceramic finish for cabin dials like the gear shifter or rotary drive mode selector, an Ash Burr veneer on the dash, and leather headlining. There’s also SV styling outside.
Like any Land Rover, there’s a long list of options designed with personalisation in mind. A black contrasting roof, for example, costs $2000. Premium paint? That will be an extra $2200 – a snip compared to the SV palette that begins at $11,500 and stretches to $20,550 for the Icy White satin finish.
The new Range Rover offers seating for four, five or seven occupants in the long-wheelbase version, the latter transforming the luxurious wagon into a genuine people-mover alternative.
Thoughtfully, the third row gets air vents, USB outlets and cup holders, and is easily accessed via an electrically-folding second-row bench.
Those seven seats don’t come cheap, adding an extra $7000, but that sounds like a bargain compared to the $38,510 charged for the SV Signature Suite.
Dropping the seat count to just four, Land Rover has developed a pair of reclining airline-style rear seats that are heated, cooled and feature the hot stone massage function. There’s also an electrically-deployable rear table and a fridge-cum-champagne cooler between the rear seats.
In Australia, the new Range Rover will be protected by Land Rover’s comprehensive five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty.
Powertrains aplenty
When the 2022 Range Rover lands in Australia, it will initially be offered with a 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder turbo-diesel engine (D300, D350), a 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder petrol (P400) and flagship P530 that introduces a BMW-sourced 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8.
Around six months after its launch, there will also be two plug-in hybrids joining the range (PHEV 440, PHEV 510) that combine the 3.0-litre petrol with a 105kW electric motor and a 38.2kWh battery for a pure-electric range of up to 113km.
The PHEVs could finally see the technology make sense for many urban-dwelling Australians, especially since a full charge using a DC fast-charger (at 50kW) only takes an hour.
Electrification also stars with both the Ingenium family of inline six-cylinder engines, with both the 3.0-litre diesel and petrol coming with a 48-volt mild-hybrid tech.
The D300 diesel produces 221kW/650Nm – enough for a brisk 6.9-second dash from 0-100km/h, and a decent 7.2L/100km average.
Need more performance and the D350 obliges, producing a punchier-still 258kW/700Nm, which is enough for a quick 6.1sec 0-100km/h sprint while still burning diesel fuel at the same rate as the D300.
Faster still is the P400 3.0-litre turbo-petrol that produces more power (294kW) but a lot less torque (550Nm) than either diesel. Despite that, it’s far quicker off the line with a 0-100km/h dash of 5.8sec, but you’ll be penalised at the pump with its 9.4L/100km average.
At the very top of the tree is the P530 that gets a 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 that pumps out 390kW and 750Nm and can boast sports car levels of acceleration with a 4.6sec 0-100km/h dash. Again, running costs will be significantly higher with an 11.8L/100km average.
In 2024, the Range Rover line-up will once again expand yet further with the launch of an all-electric version that will battle it out with the upcoming zero-emissions Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV.
Cruise liner
With new technology like rear-wheel steering, active anti-roll bars, electronically-controlled rear differential and quicker-acting computers governing its chassis, Land Rover could have easily ramped up the sportiness with its full-size luxury SUV.
But it hasn’t, and won’t ever, say the engineers who created the 2022 Range Rover.
That’s the job of the upcoming, fractionally smaller Range Rover Sport SV (the ‘R’ has been dropped for the high-performance SUV).
Without having to compete with SUVs like the Bentley Bentayga Speed or the Lamborghini Urus, those developing the new Range Rover could throw everything at accomplishing its comfort brief.
We’ve already explained why designers were too scared to rock the boat when it came to the new Rangie’s styling, but in the flesh the new-generation Range Rover is far more recognisable than the images suggest.
From its tighter shut-lines and pleasing seamless integration between body and glass, to the lack of fancy surfacing and character lines, the new Range Rover smacks of maturity and sophistication.
At the rear, designers have been a little more daring with a boat-tail design but the big wagon remains familiar, with little to scare off any existing owners and plenty to entice younger buyers to the brand.
Inside, the reductive theme continues, with a classy minimalist approach that feels a match for Bentley, or even Rolls-Royce, when it comes to fit and finish.
But, crucially, it doesn’t sacrifice useability. There are separate controls of the climate control, for example.
Riding on a 75mm-longer wheelbase (now 2997mm), the regular Range Rover measures 5052mm from bumper to bumper, which is still shorter than a Bentley Bentayga or BMW X7.
The long-wheelbase model, meanwhile, has a 200mm-longer wheelbase than before (now 3197mm) and extends to a whopping 5252mm in overall length.
Space inside is generous front and rear and it’s quiet too. In fact, Land Rover claims its flagship Range Rover is the world’s quietest SUV – and is up to 24 per cent more hushed than the model it replaces, when it comes to road noise permeating the cabin.
Double glazing, laminate acoustic glass, sound proofing and the properties of the new MLA Flex architecture that underpins the 2022 Range Rover all help it over the line for refinement.
There’s also new head restraints in the front and rear that feature noise cancelling tech to rid the interior of any unwanted disturbances.
Indeed, now the Range Rover is so quiet you can’t but help notice the wind noise generated around the large door mirrors, but road and tyre roar are both absent.
Other minor gripes are the most powerful diesel D350 occasionally suffered an odd clunky down-change at low speed, and one of the two V8-powered models we drove had an inconsistent throttle pedal action that added jerkiness. Both issues are claimed to be reflective of the early-build models.
Another surprising bugbear for the comfort-obsessed Range Rover is the actual ride quality. In its Comfort setting, it offers a pillowy softness that can, at times, feel under-damped.
Worse still, in the rear seats the uncontrolled ride translates into a near-nausea-inducing effect. Luckily, there’s a fix; select Dynamic and proper damping returns without ruining the ride, but the SUV will always default to Comfort on start-up.
Land Rover says that as well as focusing on creating a tranquil cabin, engineers worked hard to slash weight. Thanks to the platform consisting of 80 per cent aluminium, plenty of kilos were cut, but most were added back in the shape of new tech.
It means the lightest 3.0-litre petrol model still weighs 2379kg, while the heaviest plug-in versions will tip the scale at a considerable 2735kg.
To help mask the mass, yet more tech was employed, including the 48-volt active anti-roll bars and rear-wheel steering that manages to make the big Range Rover feel impossibly nimble and gives it a Volkswagen Golf-sized turning circle.
Amazingly, while other systems add an unnerving unwanted artificial feel to the steering, Land Rover’s engineers discovered that precisely 7.3 degrees of rear steer is the magic number that unlocks agility without falsely alerting the driver the rear axle is oversteering.
The double-wishbone front suspension and five-link rear-end also musters plenty of grip, especially on the 285/40-section 23-inch rims shod with Pirelli P Zero tyres. But sports SUV it isn’t.
There’s still roll and the overwhelming feeling of mass to conquer when you push too hard, and quick changes of direction are a no-no, but dial it back a bit and the new Range Rover is a huge leap forward in on-road capability compared to the last one.
Off-road, the body can now raise up to 135mm (and drop 50mm for better access), wade up to 900mm and generally not ever get stuck in the trickiest of conditions, just like the previous model.
So which engine is best? For Australian buyers at launch, the diesels make most sense and are both refined (notwithstanding the thumping down-changes) and deliver plentiful performance. The oil-burners will also offer the lowest running costs and should be capable of more than 1100km from a tank.
That said, the petrol engines are both more appealing. The twin-turbo V8 blends punchy in-gear performance with a soundtrack to savour, but the sweetest powertrain, and best match for the Range Rover, is the P400 3.0-litre petrol.
On a cruise it’s near silent, smooth and eager to rev and delivers the sweetest handling of the bunch – in part because it’s both lighter than the V8 and the diesels.
Whatever version you choose, the Range Rover has a 3500kg braked towing capacity.
Job done
Whether you’re behind the wheel, lounging on the rear bench or travelling either on- or off-road, the new 2022 Range Rover is easily the most convincing luxury SUV out there.
No doubt, the prospect of a $400,000 Range Rover is alarming.
But any fears that the British brand might have overreached in the company of Bentley and Rolls-Royce were soon quashed with time spent behind the wheel – and when stretching out in the airline-style rear seats, sans champagne flute.
It’s been a long wait for the all-new fifth-generation Range Rover, but we’re sure its future owners will be certainly glad they didn’t rush it.
How much does the 2022 Range Rover D300 SE cost?Price: $220,200 (plus on-road costs)Available: June 2022Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo-dieselOutput: 221kW/650NmTransmission: Eight-speed automaticFuel: 7.2L/100km (ADR Combined)CO2: 190g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Not tested
How much does the 2022 Range Rover P400 SE cost?Price: $225,500 (plus on-road costs)Available: June 2022Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo-petrolOutput: 294kW/550NmTransmission: Eight-speed automaticFuel: 9.4L/100km (ADR Combined)CO2: 219g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Not tested
How much does the 2022 Range Rover D350 HSE cost?Price: $241,400 (plus on-road costs)Available: June 2022Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo-dieselOutput: 258kW/700NmTransmission: Eight-speed automaticFuel: 7.2L/100km (ADR Combined)CO2: 190g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Not tested
How much does the 2022 Range Rover P530 SV LWB cost?Price: $391,800 (plus on-road costs)Available: June 2022Engine: 4.4-litre V8 twin-turbo petrolOutput: 390kW/750NmTransmission: Eight-speed automaticFuel: 11.8L/100km (WLTP)CO2: 275g/km (WLTP)
Safety rating: Not tested
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Keyword: Range Rover 2022 Review – International