Range Rover Velar 2017 Review - International

No amount of reading press material for the Range Rover Velar can prepare you for the reality. Seeing the car in the flesh is to be confounded by the new SUV's principal strength – its design. Inside and out, the Velar impresses with attention to detail, ergonomic user friendliness, fit and finish, and a balance of packaging with aesthetics and driving functionality.

To illustrate with one obvious example: the Velar is an agreeable looking car. It's built on the same wheelbase as the Jaguar F-PACE and there's little in the way of front overhang. So this 'most aerodynamic Range Rover ever' (0.32Cd) has the sort of footprint that complements high-performance handling, but with an approach angle that won't scrape the guts out of the thing climbing down off a steep ramp. Admittedly, that's with the air suspension jacked up to the full height.

Nevertheless, the point remains. For versatility the Velar can overcome all the conflicts the designers care to throw at it, and for driveability it has enough 'cat' DNA in it to make the pigeons in this market segment just a bit anxious.

First Editions flying the flag
Two vehicles were sampled for the drive program. The first was the D300 Velar, powered by Jaguar Land Rover's 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 diesel and riding on 21-inch alloys that are optional for the fancy-pants First Edition.

Even after several years in the market the diesel V6 is dependably refined and largely free from diesel vibration and labouring. From the moment the drive program began, the Velar impressed with how little noise intrudes. This is an extremely quiet machine. Tyre noise was more prevalent on some sections of Norway's Fjordland roads, but there was also a whisper of wind noise and some background rumble from the drivetrain at touring speeds.

The other Velar driven was the P380 supercharged petrol V6, which also displaces 3.0 litres. The wheels were the 22-inch alloys fitted as standard for First Edition models. While the principal performance characteristic of the diesel V6 was abundant torque, the petrol V6 skews more towards power and revs. It's a lovely engine and, like the diesel, is familiar from other Jaguar Land Rover applications, including the 280kW F-TYPE we drove at Australia's Best Driver's Car in 2016.

Fuel consumption, according to the trip computer, was 10.4L/100km for the supercharged V6 model before I handed it over – after giving it some stick along hilly, winding roads on the way to the overnight stay. The diesel fared better at 6.0L/100km, but mostly because we were abiding by Norway's 80km/h blanket speed limit and traffic was almost non-existent. The following day it posted a figure of 8.5L/100km, which was closer to what most Australians will likely see, day to day.

The eight-speed automatic transmission was smooth and capable matched to either engine, shifting up at the redline even when set to Sport mode, with the driver using shift paddles.

Capable in the bush
Land Rover laid on some four-wheel drive tests, which revealed that the Velar is unusually capable, we think, measured against its likeliest rivals in the market. On one test it was comfortably parked at a lateral angle of 29 degrees. For another test the Velar ascended a steep climb that's a ski run in winter. On the way back down the Velar's Hill Descent Control confidently kept speed to whatever seemed appropriate at the time, adjustable through the cruise control system switchgear, all the while soaking up bad corrugations and larger rocks and ruts in its path.

By Land Rover standards the off-road tests weren't particularly demanding – and we know that the Mercedes GLC is more competent than punters might expect – so we look forward to our first comparison of the Velar with its logical rivals.

On the road, the Velar handles flatly in Dynamic mode (and is neat and tidy in Eco and Comfort modes too, for that matter), but the electrically-assisted steering didn't feel overly communicative and in Dynamic mode was fidgety on centre. Over longer journeys even driving enthusiasts are likely to prefer Comfort mode at touring speeds, but the Velar's steering improves once there's some steering lock applied. Steering response is good, too, with the Velar turning in adroitly.

Pretty package, but does it all come together?
I found the seats to be accommodating, but the cushioning was quite firm and the shape didn't suit me as well as I would have liked. These are not seats that wrap themselves around you, although there's more than enough bolstering to keep you in place in off-road driving scenarios or under heavy braking or high-g cornering.

The Velar may be a little difficult for kids to enter. Its hip point is quite high for a car that many might perceive to be a softroader. In the back the seats are located higher still, which does ensure the little ones will always have a good view around them, hopefully staving off car sickness.

There's room under the front seats for rear-seat passengers to place their feet, and plenty of headroom back there too. Adjustable vents are located in the rear of the centre console, but there are also additional vents in the B pillars for use by rear-seat passengers.

The ergonomic practicality of the instruments, the head-up display and the TouchPro Duo system make the driving position very effective for everything from changing drive modes, selecting one's favourite music, making a phone call or about a dozen other things – without having to back out of the navigation graphics, which can display in the instrument display as well as the head-up display and the upper monitor in the centre fascia.

The way Land Rover has integrated all the various functions in such a logically presented infotainment system is highly impressive. And it feels like there's just no end to the systems' flexibility, each sub-system providing some previously unexpected 'Easter egg' function, such as the Drive Assist system, which displays outputs from cameras either side of the car to keep the nice alloy wheels pristine whether parking close to a kerb, or steering around a sharp-edged rock on a tricky, narrow bush track.

The window switches in the Velar are where they arguably should be in all Land Rover products, near the door pulls, not far forward on the door cappings as is the case for other Rovers.

But the Velar lacks some of the commanding position that Land Rovers and Range Rovers have boasted in the past. On an off-road test section it was hard to see which way the track was headed, without Land Rover event staff on hand to guide the way.

There's a space-saver spare in the boot, under the floor, which has a removable rubber mat over the carpeted floor. This is the one aspect of the Velar's design that buyers might consider a compromise – not least of all because the Velar has shown it can go places other softroad SUVs can't. On the plus side for families in urban environs the boot features curry hooks and finger pulls to flip forward the rear seats for additional load-carrying capacity.

Across the board, the Velar has proved itself to be very capable on and off-road, in shopping centre car parks or even just in the driveway, making the neighbours jealous. If JLR Australia can't sell the Velar in large numbers, the sales and marketing team should be shot.

2017 Range Rover Velar D300 First Edition pricing and specifications:
Price: $168,250 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 3.0-litre V6 twin-turbo diesel
Output: 221kW/700Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 6.4L/100km (NEDC Combined)
CO2: 167g/km ( NEDC Combined)
Safety Rating: TBA

2017 Range Rover Velar P380 First Edition pricing and specifications:
Price: $168,862 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 3.0-litre V6 supercharged petrol
Output: 280kW/450Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 9.4L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 214g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: TBA

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