2024 Land Rover Range Rover Velar

Overview

The tailored lines of the 2024 Range Rover Velar’s exterior design fit the compact crossover’s shape beautifully, but the SUV’s driving demeanor is rather unforgettable. Despite sharing a platform with the delightfully agile Jaguar F-Pace, the Range Rover Velar has the fun tuned out of its chassis in the name of luxury. Two turbocharged engines are on offer—a 2.0-liter four and a 3.0-liter six—and all models come standard with all-wheel drive. While the Velar lacks the road manners we like in SUVs such as the BMW X3, the Genesis GV70, and the Porsche Macan, it does offer a posh cabin with more cargo space than the competition. Plus, it comes standard with the Range Rover name tattooed across its face—one luxury feature its rivals can’t match.

What’s New for 2024?

Land Rover has given the Range Rover Velar a light styling refresh for 2024 that includes a new grille design, updated lighting elements, a reworked rear bumper, and darker exterior trim pieces. Inside, the Velar adopts the 11.4-inch curved touchscreen infotainment display found in other members of the Land Rover family. A new active noise cancellation system is said to create a quieter cabin, and an optional air purifier is now available too. For those who loathe leather, the Velar is now available with wool and polyurethane upholstery, similar to the smaller Evoque SUV.

Pricing and Which One to Buy

P250 S

$62,775

$64,875

P400 Dynamic SE

$71,875

P400 Dynamic HSE

$79,675

We’d recommend going with the P250 Dynamic SE trim, which adds 19-inch wheels, leather upholstery, a Meridian premium stereo system, and a panoramic sunroof. We’d also suggest adding the Dynamic Handling package, which includes an adjustable suspension system, a drive-mode selector, and All Terrain Progress Control, which acts as a sort of adaptive cruise control for low speeds or in slippery conditions.

Engine, Transmission, and Performance

The base engine—P250 in Land Rover parlance—is a 247-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder that is genteel but doesn’t move the Velar’s heft with much authority. We sampled a four-cylinder Velar for a 40,000-mile long-term test, and that model required 7.4 seconds to hit 60 mph. The P400 powertrain—carrying a 395-hp turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six—will undoubtedly provide better acceleration performance, but we haven’t tested this powertrain yet. Much like the Velar’s acceleration, its handling is by no means sporty. The suspension competently controls the SUV’s body motions and keeps body roll in check while returning a firm, well-managed ride. Models equipped with the available air suspension can raise and lower their ride height for either more dynamic moves on-road or greater dexterity off it.

More on the Range Rover Velar SUV

Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG

The EPA has rated the Velar’s inline-six engine as high as 20 mpg city and 26 mpg highway, but the turbocharged four-cylinder is slightly more efficient, with ratings of 21 mpg city and 27 mpg highway. In our 75-mph highway fuel-economy test, the four-cylinder Velar delivered just 26 mpg. For more information about the Velar’s fuel economy, visit the EPA’s website.

Interior, Comfort, and Cargo

Dig modern architecture? You’ll probably like the Velar’s simple interior, rendered largely from horizontal lines and bold rectilinear forms. Oh, and the materials used throughout are high quality and deployed in interesting ways. Take the door trim: Instead of using a spear of wood or carbon fiber inlaid into the upper part of the door panels, Land Rover adds the owner’s choice of wood or metal into the section of the door between the upper and lower panels. Our test vehicle featured aluminum trim, and every Velar has excellent detailing throughout. The Velar’s generally boxy shape and visually pleasing rear overhang—bodywork that extends behind the rear wheels—combine to swallow more carry-on suitcases than its immediate competitors with its rear seats up or folded. We fit 10 of our carry-ons behind the rear seats and 23 with all seats folded.

The Car and Driver Difference

Infotainment and Connectivity

A slick 11.4-inch touchscreen display seemingly floats in front of the dashboard, running Land Rover’s Pivi Pro infotainment interface. Pivi Pro is both easier to use and more responsive than the previous generation InControl Touch Pro system, but it’s not without its quirks. Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, voice control, a Meridian stereo system, in-dash navigation, and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto integration are all standard.

How to Buy and Maintain a Car

Safety and Driver-Assistance Features

Land Rover makes available the latest driver-assistance technologies such as automated emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control on the Velar. For more information about the Velar’s crash test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites. Key safety features include:

Standard automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection Standard lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist Available adaptive cruise control with steering assist

Warranty and Maintenance Coverage

The Velar’s four-year, 50,000-mile limited warranty is par for the course among its competitors. Interestingly, Jaguar’s mechanically similar F-Pace carries both a stronger warranty and a five-year, 60,000-mile complimentary scheduled maintenance plan; the latter is something that Land Rover only offers as a dealer add-on.

Limited warranty covers four years or 50,000 miles Powertrain warranty covers four years or 50,000 miles No complimentary scheduled maintenance

Specifications

Specifications

2018 Land Rover Range Rover Velar P250 R-Dynamic SE

PRICE AS TESTED: $68,191 (base price: $61,095)

ENGINE TYPE: turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, direct fuel injection

Displacement: 122 cu in, 1998 cc
Power: 247 @ 5500 rpm
Torque: 269 @ 1200 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 8-speed automatic with manual shifting mode

CHASSIS:
Suspension (F/R): control arms/multilink
Brakes (F/R): 12.8-in vented disc/12.8-in vented disc
Tires: Pirelli Scorpion Verde All Season, 255/50R-20 109W M+S