Land Rover Range Rover Velar (2017) Review

March 2017

Range Rover Velar launched

Designed to fill the white space between Range Rover Evoque and Range Rover Sport, the Velar is said to offer levels of luxury, refinement and all-terrain capability never before seen in the mid-size SUV segment. Land Rover calls it 'a new type of Range Rover for a new type of customer.'

The full-LED headlights are the most slender ever to appear on a production Land Rover vehicle. The flush deployable door handles emphasise Velar’s reductive, sculptured form, and contribute to the low drag coefficient from only 0.32 – this is the most aerodynamically-efficient Land Rover ever produced.

Design-enabling technology has been engaged fully to create the new Touch Pro Duo infotainment system which is the centrepiece of Velar’s interior. Touch Pro Duo features two 10-inch high-definition touchscreens integrated seamlessly behind secret-until-lit surfaces. These slim, intuitive displays work in harmony with the cabin architecture while adding an overall sense of modernity congruent with the vehicle’s exterior design. All of this is equalled by Velar’s practicality: luggage compartment volume is an impressive 632 litres-litres including a reduced-section spare wheel as standard in the UK.

The Velar offers a sustainable, premium textile seat material as an alternative to leather. The Dapple Grey material was developed together with Kvadrat, Europe’s leading manufacturer of high-quality design textiles, and is complemented with Suedecloth inserts in Ebony or Light Oyster.

The Velar features a sophisticated all-wheel drive system, four-corner air suspension, (available on 300PS Diesel and 380PS Petrol engines) class-leading ground clearance of up to 251mm (213mm with coil springs), class-leading wading depth of up to 650mm (600mm with coil springs) and Land Rover’s unmatched suite of traction technologies including Terrain Response 2 (optional) and All Terrain Progress Control (optional). Velar – like all Range Rovers – offers world-class all-terrain capability.

Exceptional performance and efficiency come from the range of six petrol and diesel powertrains, all matched to smooth-shifting ZF eight-speed automatic transmissions and all-wheel drive with Intelligent Driveline Dynamics.

Clean, refined four-cylinder Ingenium diesels are offered in 180PS and 240PS variants, noted for their low 142g/km CO2 emissions and high 500Nm torque output respectively. These engines are joined by the new, highly-advanced four-cylinder Ingenium petrol engine which delivers 250PS and enables acceleration from 0 to 62mph in just 6.7 seconds. An even more powerful, 300PS version of this engine will join the Velar range later in the year.

The V6 diesel combines an extraordinary 700Nm of torque for effortless acceleration and off-road capability with emissions of only 167g/km. The 380PS supercharged V6 petrol engine combines exhilarating performance with a unique soundtrack and enables Velar to reach 0-62mph in only 5.7 seconds,

The Velar and Velar R-Dynamic core range comprises Standard, S, SE or HSE specifications. Customers can also specify Black and Luxury Exterior Packs for an even more distinguished appearance.

Of all Velar models, the most exclusive of all will be the First Edition, which be available worldwide but strictly for one model year only. Even more luxurious than the HSE specification, this model is powered solely by the 3.0-litre V6 petrol and diesel engines and features a wealth of extra features as standard, including full extended leather interior trim to complement the perforated Windsor leather seats in Nimbus or Ebony, 1,600W Meridian Signature Sound System, Matrix-Laser LED headlights and 22-inch Split-Spoke wheels with diamond-turned finish.

Exterior paint colours for the First Edition are Corris Grey, Silicon Silver, and Flux Silver – a unique satin finish exclusive to the First Edition for the first model year only – which will be meticulously hand-sprayed at Jaguar Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations’ Oxford Road Technical Centre in the UK.

June 2017

2.0-litre petrol engine announced

The Range Rover Velar will also be available with a new 300PS Ingenium petrol engine. The 2.0-litre four-cylinder unit has 400Nm of torque and powers the Velar from 0-60mph in 5.7 seconds.

December 2019

Range Rover Velar R-Dynamic Black announced

Based on Land Rover’s top-selling D180 R-Dynamic SE, the Black limited edition features Black Exterior Pack, Privacy Glass, Fixed Panoramic Glass Roof, 21” Gloss Black Alloy Wheels, Heated Steering Wheel, Metallic Paint and Adaptive Dynamics as standard. Two metallic exterior colour finishes are available to choose from; Santorini Black and Eiger Grey, while for the interior the Ebony Perforated Grained Leather is complemented by an Ebony Morzine Headlining completing the specification.

Pricing for the Velar R-Dynamic Black starts at £56,995 or £499 per month and is available to order immediately. Just 500 examples of the limited edition model will be sold.

September 2020

Range Rover Velar updated with plug-in hybrid model

New 2.0-litre four-cylinder P400e plug-in hybrid offers a combined 404PS and 640Nm of torque from its 300PS petrol engine and 105kW electric motor, with a 0-62mph time of 5.4 seconds. A 17.1kWh lithium-ion battery, located under the boot floor, can be charged to 80 per cent in 30 minutes using a fast DC charge point, or 1 hour 40 minutes using a standard 7kW wallbox.

A new range of 3.0-litre straight-six Ingenium engines is also introduced to the Range Rover Velar for the first time. The latest generation of smooth and efficient petrol and diesel engines are available with 48-volt mild hybrid electric vehicle (MHEV) technology for reduced fuel consumption and heightened refinement. The new straight-six engines, developed in-house, are available as D300 (300PS diesel) and P400 (400PS) petrol all-wheel drive variants, each fitted with air suspension as standard for signature Range Rover comfort.

The new engines are available with mild-hybrid electric vehicle technology (MHEV) in addition to the latest engine technologies, for efficient performance. The MHEV system uses a Belt integrated Starter Generator (BiSG) in the engine bay to harvest energy usually lost under deceleration, which is then stored in a 48V lithium-ion battery located beneath the rear loadspace. It is able to redeploy the stored energy to assist the engine when accelerating away, while also delivering a more refined and responsive stop/start system.

The new P400 straight-six engine generates 550Nm torque and delivers an impressive 0-60mph time of 5.2 seconds (0-100km in 5.5 seconds.) The engine features an electric supercharger supported by a twin scroll turbocharger and Continuous Variable Valve Lift (CVVL), for refined performance.

The D300 diesel generates 650Nm torque, offering 0-60mph in 6.1 seconds (0-100km/h in 6.5 seconds) with fuel economy of up to 37.2mpg (6.3litres/100km) and CO2 from 199g/km. Series sequential turbos and an advanced after-treatment system make it one of the world’s leading clean diesel engines.

The new in-line Ingenium diesel engine designs meet Real Driving Emissions Step 2 (RDE2) standards and Euro 6d-final real-world driving compliance with 48V Mild-Hybrid Electric Vehicle (MHEV) technology boosting responses and fuel economy. As a result, the new Ingenium diesel unit – also now available in the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport – is one of the world’s leading clean diesel engines.

Additionally, the next generation four-cylinder Ingenium D200 (204PS diesel) is introduced on the Range Rover Velar, offering more power, lower CO2 and improved fuel economy. The engine is offered with the same 48-volt mild hybrid technology as the rest of the range, with CO2 from 165g/km and fuel economy of up to 44.9mpg.

Further updates include the introduction of Land Rover's updated infotainment systems, Pivi and Pivi Pro.

Pivi is designed around ease of use, with a simple interface reducing the number of interactions to enhance safety. Crisp new graphics and super-fast responsiveness are enabled with a new electrical architecture under the surface, ensuring the screens and navigation system are ready to go in seconds, thanks also to a dedicated power source. Customers can access software updates ‘over-the-air’ reducing the need to visit a retailer. An embedded data connection means customers have access to the latest maps, apps and vehicle software modules with updates scheduled via the touchscreen at a time to suit them.

Spotify is integrated directly within the infotainment menu for the first time, with data included, while there’s Bluetooth connectivity for two phones at once.

Also available is the new second-generation wearable Activity Key, which can totally replace the traditional key fob when necessary. The water-resistant and shock-proof wrist device now incorporates an LCD watch and allows customers to start, stop, lock and unlock the vehicle, with no need to take a traditional key fob out with them.

Additional new design features introduced on Velar include a new steering wheel design which has integrated smart buttons ready to receive the latest ADAS software updates over-the-air. A tactile new Drive Selector also replaces the rotary gear selector.

The ‘Range Rover Velar Edition’ provides even more customer choice and features a combination of exterior and interior upgrades. Based on the R-Dynamic SE specification, enhancements include a black contrast roof and matching 20-inch black alloy wheels, for sophisticated presence. The distinctive new special edition model is available exclusively in Lantau Bronze metallic paint, as well as the new Hakuba Silver, Santorini Black or Eiger Grey.