Range Rover Velar Touch Pro Duo: Technology Review

There is a lot going on with the technology in our long-term Land Rover Range Rover Velar. It’s optioned up with everything bar heads-up display – and in this update we’ll take a closer look at the Touch Pro Duo infotainment set-up.

Let’s begin with the obvious aesthetics, the two central 10.0-inch screens coupled with the dash screen, satellite steering wheel clusters and general lavish look of the Velar’s interior oozes sumptuousness.

In particular, the fusion of control dials (including a very welcome physical volume knob) and the lower central screen is quite spiffy. Being able to dial-up selections, rather than continually poking a glossy touch-screen all the time, with the resulting finger marks, is quite refreshing.

Touchscreens do abound, however, along with the resulting finger oil slicks, and unfortunately JLR has not yet mastered the User Interface (UI), so at times the little icon target space results in miss-pokes of the system. Some further UI refinement could simplify some of the ways features are accessed and presented. This is mitigated by the screen customisation options, so not too much of an issue.

The top central screen is pure touch and pops up to an (adjustable) more vertical position when the car is started, this is impressive, allowing the best possible place for the Velar’s camera systems (both reversing and 360-degree). But we have to wonder what the result would be if a pen, or other similar object, slipped behind that gap between dash and screen. We did not “test” this out, but the result would be awkward when the screen needs to recess back.

This top screen is the primary display, and is highly customisable to owner preference, the layout can be set and a variety of wallpapers can be selected from to give some personalisation. The default layout does provide a clarity of options for access to entertainment media, a Bluetooth connected phone or satellite navigation.

The lower screen is best devoted to climate controls, managing the heated and massaging seats or other vehicles settings such as driving modes and suspension height. It can, however, at the flick of a finger also show items such as media playback which is great when the top screen, for example, is devoted to another function such as satellite navigation.

The driver’s dash continues to borrow inspiration from Audi and Volvo, allowing various customisation options for the information presented to the driver. Here again you can have a display that shows the essential driver info such as speedo (with integrated cruise control indications) and tacho along with a central part of the screen devoted to maps, audio or other information as needed. You can, if you so desire do away with the traditional dash dials and have yet another full screen devoted to satellite navigation maps.

One of the best ideas of the Range Rover Touch Pro Duo system are the steering wheel control clusters. These are miniature button pads integrated with contextual screens that change function depending on need.

For example, select the central menu button on the left control cluster, and the functionality of those buttons instantly changes to allow menu navigation and selection. It is a neat idea that reduces clutter of physical buttons on the steering wheel, looks elegant and, as an ergonomic thought, is a great solution. However, the buttons themselves are largely inaccurate and frustrating to use. It takes practice and too much concentration to achieve the needful, which is just annoying. This is one area of improvement that could be made.

Another is the slightly sluggish response to button presses. It is not too bad, just occasionally Touch Pro Duo system across touchscreens and steering wheel clusters, does not give assuredness that selections will immediately be obeyed.

This was no more evident than when, on a long journey utilising the excellent auto-zooming sat-nav system and with the Meridian sound system speakers booming to Bluetooth attached music that the system froze.

Froze dead. Only the Touch Pro Duo system stopped, the driver’s dash speed and tacho kept working and the vehicle was unhindered but the infotainment system rebooted. Restarting, moments later back up and running with the radio and sat-nav back to normal.

It was disconcerting, and we raised this with JLR. Essentially, the answer is keep your software up to date, a quick checked showed that our long-term Velar was indeed in need of a software update that will address the issue.

If Bluetooth is not your thing you can connect your smart device via cable to one of the two USB ports under the centre armrest (as well as two accessible from the rear seats), they will charge rather slowly as these are low-amp USB ports but it will allow access to Land Rover’s InControl Apps feature selection of applications.

The integration to the main screen is very well engineered with InControl Apps allowing access to phones contacts, calendar, Spotify, radio and audiobook applications as well as a myriad of other applications handy for the drive. It is pretty slick and certainly a nice alternative to the regular Apple CarPlay and Android Auto set ups. Not that there is anything wrong with that, it is just a bit snazzier and in keeping with the ambiance of the Velar’s cockpit.

Adding a data sim to the slot in the centre console opens up a world of connected options. We have covered these previously, but in summary not only can you get info from the web to enhance the sat-nav and other systems, but using the smart-phone connectivity certain car functions can be used remotely.

You can locate your vehicle from an unlimited distance, even start the engine and pre-condition the car for your arrival. Plenty of fodder for a lawyer, however, JLR has put a great deal of thought into how these and many other connected features are integrated into the Range Rover ownership experience.

Beyond the Touch Pro Duo infotainment system this Velar is a high-tech wonder on the road. The aforementioned tailgate manual reference is eclipsed by the tech available to the Velar’s lighting system.

Forget the interior ambient lights and side lamps and follow-me-home lighting features. The technology behind the headlight is impressive: For driving on lonely country roads the Class 2M laser assisted high beams will bring clear illumination to the way ahead.

Combine this with the Adaptive Front Lighting and Adaptive Driving beam features in the upgraded matrix headlights and you have a system that detects urban areas from suburban or country, allows for bad weather and surrounding vehicles to adjust the light mix accordingly.

Even on a multi-lane freeway outside of the city, the system will adjust the height of independent matrix beams to not blind other vehicles but provide wonderful vision for the Velar driver.

So much so that it is hard to understand why the Lane Keeping (both departure warning and steering assist) is so hit and miss in this car. We have a set of roads, both urban and suburban (the latter where this system is most useful) where we test this, and in all cases the detection of lanes is a bit of a lottery. Day time is certainly better than night, and thankfully those freeway situations certainly are more consistent than in the city, but generally speaking this is not the best lane detection system we have used.

The Adaptive Cruise control however is very good in city driving situations. We especially like the way the vehicle will pull up rather earlier than other systems, and then slowly idle towards the rear of the vehicle ahead. This means more often than not the Velar will immediately move off when the traffic does without intervention.

In some respects, the technology in the Velar is burgeoning on bursting this luxury SUV’s seams, but since they are double stitched high quality seams, things are ok. We love the satellite navigation features as well as the integration of InControl Apps. The impressive aesthetics and smart steering wheel control clusters, lighting options and general quality feel are very pleasing. Even the cool retractive door handles add a level of wow to this vehicle.