Range Rover PHEV 2018 Review

Not so new

Hybrid technology is nothing new at Land Rover. It has made an electrified V6 diesel since 2014 but its replacement, the awkwardly named P400e, is claimed to be vastly more sophisticated.

Introduced as part of the mid-life updates to both the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport, it brings a new plug-in hybrid powertrain that engineers admit undoes some of the old diesel hybrid's wrongs.

That’s why the new version does away with diesel altogether, preferring to combine a powerful 221kW turbocharged 2.0-litre Ingenium petrol engine with an 85kW AC electric motor.

Channelling its power through a ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic that's equipped with a twin multi-plate clutch in place of a torque converter, the Range Rover P400e is capable of running in pure-electric mode or parallel hybrid mode, in which both powertrains are blended for efficiency and power.

The reason for ditching the diesel is two-fold. Not only is the transition from pure-electric to petrol power smoother, the 2.0-litre comes with a significant weight-saving over the old V6, helping offset the added 150kg penalty of the 13.1kWh lithium-ion battery that lives in the rear wheel well.

It's not only the spare wheel that the battery pack robs. To accommodate the lithium-ion cells, the boot floor has been raised, reducing luggage space by 100 litres.

The rest of the necessary electrical components, including a 7kW charger and an inverter, are placed under the floor.

Surprisingly, Land Rover claims that, in total, the P400e version of its full-size Range Rover has a kerb weight of 2509kg – almost identical to the V8 diesel.

Impressive, considering it’s the plug-in version that's the faster car, courtesy of its combined 297kW/640Nm outputs that launch the large SUV to 100km/h in just 6.8 seconds, before topping out at 221km/h.

Only the supercharged 5.0-litre V8 petrol Rangie is quicker.

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Real-world savings

Despite all that punch on tap, the British car-maker says that, thanks to its plug-in tech, the P400e will cover 51km on pure-electric power and average fuel consumption of just 2.8L/100km, while emitting only 64g/km of CO2.

Unfortunately, all of those figures are wildly optimistic in most real-world conditions unless you manage to keep the battery charged and exploit EV range — or live in a city and use your luxury SUV for short commutes.

Talking of charging, the lithium-ion batteries take around 7.5 hours to fully charge from a normal power socket and just two hours and 45 minutes from a 32-amp fast-charger.

Unfortunately, we didn't get to properly evaluate how much you can squeeze from the on-board battery but engineers insist 35km is possible in mixed conditions. But that figure sounds less likely with the three-zone air-con cranked on a typical summer's day Down Under.

As well as the plug-in powertrain, the new PHEV — like the rest of the Range Rover line-up — benefits from the car-maker's latest 10-inch touch-screen infotainment system that's a huge improvement but misses out on Google Maps, and it’s not as intuitive as some of its rivals.

Created for execs and iPad-addicted family members, Land Rover has managed to squeeze an astonishing 17 USB and conventional power sockets into the cabin.

More good news is the adoption of wider, even more comfortable seats both in the front and rear, thanks to the clever decision to copy Mercedes and move the seat controls to door panels.

Helping improve refinement are thicker acoustic glass and an on-board noise cancellation feature.

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On the road

Behind the wheel it's hard not to declare the added features make the Range Rover more refined than ever.

Engineers admit they've made significant improvements to the patchy prototypes motoring.com.au drove back in November and, we're happy to report, they're not lying.

Gone is the uncontrolled, undamped ride we experienced in the development mules’ 'comfort' mode, but far more impressive than that is the now-seamless transition from pure-electric motoring to petrol power.

There's absolutely none of the transmission shunt the early cars suffered. At times, so impressive is the switch from EV to fossil fuel that it's a struggle to hear the 2.0-litre turbo engine kicking in.

Once it does fire up, the longitudinal four-cylinder's uninspiring drone remains muffled even when being worked very hard for its living.

OK, if you're used to the current Rangie’s petrol V8 (or even diesel V8) you might miss the accompanying soundtrack, but we'd wager many more people will come to love the near silence of wafting along in a larger SUV on pure-electric power.

Interestingly, in an effort to make the PHEV drive less like a hybrid and more like a Range Rover, its creators have dialled back the amount of brake regeneration to such an extent that it's barely perceptible.

It all adds up to a car that feels effortless to drive.

Body control is impressive at speed on a typical country road in its new Dynamic mode, but cornering lean remains as evident on the hybrid as it does on its equivalent petrol and diesel siblings.

Praise must be given for the amount of grip generated by the optional 22-inch rims fitted with Pirelli Scorpion mud and snow tyres, allowing ground to be covered at an alarming rate.

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Off the road

While developing the plug-in version, engineers were told that at no point were they allowed to compromise the standard car's off-road capability.

So, they haven't.

Hence the PHEV has the same 900mm water fording capability as the standard car and it comes with the same low-range gearbox ratios.

Its creators claim that, if anything, the electric motor's ability to deliver 100 per cent of its torque from 0rpm makes it even more capable off-road.

With the body raised to its maximum 75mm, not even a treacherously muddy off-road course on road tyres got us stuck. But here’s a handy tip: you shouldn't wade in pure-electric mode because water will enter the exhaust system and cause carnage with hot catalytic converters.

Back on the road it's hard not to see the appeal of a quieter, more refined Range Rover that can carry out its urban tasks without polluting its local environment. But there are some significant drawbacks.

First off, the hybrid tech means the full-size Rangie's towing capability drops from a class-leading 3500kg to a distinctly average 2500kg.

Next, if you use your Range Rover to soak up long-distance drives and have little chance to replenish its battery pack, without doubt the V6 or V8 diesel versions will make far better financial sense.

The obvious low-polluting rival for this full-size British SUV is Tesla's Model X, but with Australia's chronic lack of charging infrastructure the Range Rover will be the easier, less stressful ownership proposition -- especially if you enjoy an escape to the country.

Back in the city, with a home charger installed in the underground garage of your multi-million-dollar luxury apartment, it's hard not to see how -- for a select few -- Land Rover might have created the perfect luxury SUV.

At the end of the day its blend of serenity, refinement and near unbeatable comfort provides the sort of calm and peaceful cabin that only owners of significantly pricier Rolls-Royce and Bentley models get to experience.

The new Range Rover PHEV isn't cheap, but for environmentally-aware financiers and captains of industry it will be worth every cent.

2018 Range Rover P400e PHEV pricing and specifications:
Price: $210,000 plus ORCs
On sale: March 2018
Engine: 2.0-litre turbo-petrol, 85kW electric motor
Total output: 297kW/640Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 2.8L/100km
CO2: 64g/km
Safety rating: N/A