New Range Rover – still simply the best?

Luxury. Premium. Opulent. These are adjectives that conjure up sumptuous objects, great ease, comfort and abundance. Excessive? Perhaps! These adjectives are bandied about extensively and, at times, exaggeratedly, in the automotive industry, mostly by brands describing a particular model with a lofty place on their catalogue. 

But as I mentioned, this can be grossly misplaced and therein lies the rub. Of course, this is easily spotted by those with a keen eye but most people are oblivious. 

It is here that the subject of this article comes in — the regal Range Rover. Over the years, the Rangie has been at the forefront of SUV luxury — the pioneer of melding ultra-luxury and off-road capability into one vehicle, if you will. Think of it as the perfect one-car garage bastion, the one that does almost everything so well that, if you were given the option to choose just one car, it would rate right up there. 

With the “Big Body”, as it was nicknamed after the launch of the Range Rover Sport back in the mid-2000s, there needed to be a discernible pecking order as the Sport and Big Body would not only appeal to different buyers, but also have different price tags. Both have remained popular, right up to the latest offerings. 

While we have yet to drive the new Range Rover Sport, the Autobiography on test here is an impressive machine. There’s a comprehensive list of reasons why. 

Aesthetically, it might look a lot like the outgoing car and, to some extent, I see why the designers didn’t stray too far off the silhouette and general design book. For starters, it needs to be instantly recognisable as a Range Rover, while stamping its authority as the absolute pinnacle of the British luxury car brand. 

I believe they’ve nailed the design brief. That rear, in particular, is noteworthy and will leave you with no doubts about whether this is the latest model, thanks to a black LED light strip that doubles as a design element and looks impressive, particularly under the night sky.

I also liked the clean look, with no model or engine designation badges on the bodywork. This adds another layer of regal-ness because the Range Rover doesn’t require any peacock antics or shouting from the rooftops to be recognised — definitely a classy touch. 

Our First Edition Autobiography variant came cloaked in a Sunset Gold Satin optional paint coat (a cool R121 800), which looks absolutely spectacular. 

At each corner of the Rangie is a 23-inch alloy wheel connected to an air suspension that adds to the supreme waftability of this thing. 

Unlocking the doors sees the flush door handles emerge from their recesses, while the automatic side steps do their dance from underneath the car to make your climb aboard that much easier. It is nifty, especially for children and mature adults who might have mobility issues. 

Once aboard, you are greeted by a cabin with simple, high-quality architecture, bereft of a sea of buttons. Some might argue that it makes the cabin look a little spartan compared to, say, a Bentley Bentayga. Still, I reckon the Rangie’s minimalist interior approach adds to, rather than detracts from, its overall ultra-luxury feel. 

There are layers of quality wood veneer, swathes of premium leather and the tactility that befits a vehicle in this price bracket. 

There’s a 13.1-inch infotainment screen up front that houses most of the vehicle’s functions and aids in the simplification of the cabin layout. 

Thankfully, there is rear entertainment for the kids in the form of two 11.4-inch screens, replete with a set of Bluetooth-enabled headsets, helping to make long journeys enjoyable and peaceful experiences. 

Then comes the drive itself. Powered by the 3.0-litre, six-pot, turbodiesel engine with 258kW and 700Nm, shuffled via an 8-speed automatic transmission to all four wheels, this powertrain suits the vehicle’s character to the nth degree. 

It is a silky-smooth operator with creamy mounds of torque, pulling the Rangie with so much conviction that I’m inclined to believe that the V8 petrol variant might be a bit excessive for the application. 

While diesel engines become rarer as tighter emission regulations come into effect, I must commend Land Rover for offering this particular engine to its lofty Range Rover. It is one of the best diesel engines currently on the market.

What truly stands head and shoulders above any other aspect of the vehicle is its incredible ride quality. It is like rolling on cotton fields, rather than tarmac, with the air suspension doing its level best to iron out road imperfections while maintaining body control, to the point that the large 23-inch wheels have negligible compromise on ride quality. 

Rear-wheel steering makes the large Rangie easy to manoeuvre through tight spaces. 

Off the beaten track, the thing hardly flinched. While we could have taken it further into rockier terrain, we were mindful of the large 23-inch wheels and expensive paintwork and reluctantly restrained ourselves. 

That aside, fresh out of the box, I cannot think of a more luxurious and capable SUV. At R3.5 million, the recently unveiled BMW XM will be squarely benchmarked against the Range Rover (but we are yet to drive that vehicle). 

As it stands, this is easily one of the best SUVs I have driven and possibly one of the best cars launched last year. Luxury. Premium. Opulent — the new Range Rover has these in spades and then some.