Still at the top: The Range Rover is timeless in terms of luxury
In 2022, I went to my first vehicle launch, in Cape Town, for the Range Rover.
I remember thinking that this was the finest vehicle I had ever sat in, whether I was driving, in the passenger seat or lounging around in the back.
On that journey, we drove from Stellenbosch all the way to Paternoster, and while it was a long roadtrip, the time with the car just didn’t feel sufficient.
The experience was amazing. But, as the saying goes, “You don’t know someone until you’ve lived with them.” The same applies to cars.
Three years later, I finally managed to get the Range Rover P530 HSE on test for a week.
Given how cars have evolved over the years, I wanted to see if the vehicle still felt as amazing as it did back then.
I had the Chery Tiggo 9 on test at the same time — a vehicle that is priced at just under R1 million, while the Range Rover goes for R3 821 300.
I posted a TikTok video comparing the features on the surface and what you can get for under a million.
In terms of features alone, both vehicles have the lovely pop-out door handles, massaging seats, big sunroofs and reclining back seats.
Many people understood the point I was making, but a lot asked the question: “How can you compare a Chinese car to a Range Rover?”
Well, in terms of the drive, you cannot. Not yet, anyway.
The Range Rover P530 HSE comes with a 4.4 litre twinturbo V8 engine that delivers 390kW of power and 750Nm of torque.
But it is so much more to it than the power that this big beast gives you.
For starters, the Range Rover has electronic air suspension that makes you feel like you are driving on a cloud, no matter what terrain you are on. The roadworks on the N3 have certainly not suited some of the cars that I have been driving lately but the Range Rover ate them up like they weren’t there.
The adaptive dynamics system continuously analyses the road and adjusts the suspension’s damping for a balance between comfort and control.
So, the combination of the two allows a drive that is seamless and smooth — but the vehicle has so much power it also makes it fun.
Besides that, the Range Rover is equipped with settings to go off-road and tackle any terrain.
There was, of course, body roll at higher speeds when navigating bendy roads, but that is normal for a car of this size.
But, from a driving aspect, the vehicle is just money. From a petrol perspective, it is just as much money. The 4.4 litre V8 is extremely thirsty and I could not drop the vehicle to below 14 litres/100km.
Luxury
If you have the money to buy a R3.8 million luxury car, you might also be tempted to be chauffeured in that vehicle.
As mentioned, the Range Rover comes with reclining back seats and you can fold the passenger seat so you can relax at the back. There are also automatic blinds on the rear windows that can be moved up or down to suit you.
If you are driving, or the front passenger, you have heated and cooled seats, a massage feature that has multiple options, and adjustable arm rests which are very useful.
You can enjoy the luxury of the vehicle, no matter where you are sitting.
The Range Rover is not blinged out like most vehicles in its class. It offers comfort with its large leather seats, but the aura around the vehicle is just serene.
You won’t find any fancy stitching or any sporty aspects on the interior. Range Rover has a way of keeping it simple and classy, while reminding you that you are in a first-class cabin.
There’s hardly any road noise, thanks to the impressive active noise-cancellation system, which monitors wheel vibrations, tyre noise and engine sounds transmitted into the cabin and generates a cancelling signal, which is played through the system’s 35 speakers.
Verdict
There’s no doubt that, three years after its launch, the Range Rover is still the pinnacle of SUV luxury and that is a testament to the vision of Ratan Tata, who acquired the Jaguar Land Rover brand from Ford in 2008 and took an outdated manufacturer to the height of opulence.
At R3.8 million, you will not find many on the road, but when you do, take a moment to admire it, because it really is what it claims to be.