2018 Range Rover Velar Review
Car Tested: 2018 Range Rover Velar; Road Test No. 926
Price OTR Mumbai: Rs. 99.84 lakhs – 1.59 crores
The Range Rover Velar’s USPs are its looks, modern tech and road presence
The Range Rover line-up has seen an interesting addition of vehicles in the portfolio such as the Evoque, Sport, Sport SVR, Vogue, Autobiography LWB, etc. The newest addition is the Range Rover Velar and incidentally, the Velar name was first used by Land Rover when they developed the initial most lot of Range Rover vehicles between 1969-1970. Velar stands for veil or cover and this name was used back in the day to register pre-production Range Rovers when they first came out. Today, though, the Range Rover Velar is an all-new luxury SUV and in the past many months, it has generated so much hype that the automotive world has been going gaga over this car. But does the Velar really justify all this brouhaha?
Motor Quest: The Range Rover Velar has been launched to fill the void between the Range Rover Evoque and the Range Rover Sport. However, it uses the same lightweight aluminium architecture that also underpins the Jaguar F-Pace. In India, the vehicle is offered with 1 petrol and 2 diesel engines and comes with as many as 25 variants on offer!
The Range Rover Velar looks exquisite and oozes with class
Exteriors – The Range Rover Velar is just too stylish. The front end looks smooth and the typical Range Rover face gets some modern elements. The stance is very imposing and the body frame is also quite large and wide. The rear looks different from the regular Sport and Vogue variants and is full of character. The door handles are pretty cool, and they come out when you unlock the car and then go inside the door when you lock it, blending perfectly with the body line. While the Grey shade on our test car looks quite killer, I personally found the alloys to be unexciting and I guess a darker shade would’ve looked way better.
JLR has infused so much technology in the Velar
Interiors – The dashboard’s styling is more or less similar to that of other Range Rovers but what’s new is the 2 touchscreen panel on the centre console and of course the very cool touch buttons on the steering wheels. Our test car had all black interiors which certainly looked good. The steering wheel continues to bear the same design but it doesn’t have physical buttons, it has a touch panel on which the music, phone, cruise control and other buttons light up. When you get a call on your phone, the music buttons switch to answer/reject buttons which again looks pretty cool. The instrument cluster houses a large screen which shows a variety of information right from driving statistics, fuel consumption data, music and vehicle settings.
The 2-screen layout is something new and adds a futuristic appeal
The tech-laden interiors with uncountable features give a total sci-fi feel to the Velar
The top screen on the centre console is for the infotainment system. It is a tiltable screen and you can set the angle according to your needs. The audio system is a Meridian 825-Watts unit with 17 speakers and the sound is crystal clear. It also gets an Interactive Driver display while an HUD and rear seat entertainment are optional. The top screen is used for audio controls and navigation while the bottom screen is used for driving modes and AC controls. This 2-screen arrangement looks unique and lends a very modern feel to the Velar. It takes some time getting used to initially though.
Space in the cabin is just about decent
There are a good amount of storage spaces on the inside and charging sockets are aplenty too. The front seats are electrically adjustable and are placed at a good height, offering a nice field of view outside. The seats have good cushioning, under thigh support and lumbar support. The rear seat is good enough for 2 passengers only and at the most, you might be able to fit in a kid at the centre. The windows aren’t too big but the Velar gets an optional full glass roof which lends an airy feel to the cabin. The boot isn’t very big too but takes in a decent amount of luggage. Thankfully, JLR is providing a full size spare wheel as standard on the Velar.
The 2.0-litre petrol engine is the latest addition to the Ingenium family
Performance – For the Indian market, 3 engine options are available – 2.0-litre diesel, 3.0-litre diesel and 2.0-litre petrol. The 2.0-litre petrol engine is an all-new addition to the Ingenium line-up and mated to a ZF 8-speed automatic gearbox, it produces 247 horses at 5500 RPM and 365 Nm of twist at 1500 RPM. This new engine is superb when it comes to refinement and overall quietness. In terms of performance, it has been tuned quite well for city and highway driving alike. The low-end is responsive and the engine gains momentum swiftly. The engine doesn’t mind being revved and pulls cleanly all the way to 6500 RPM.
The Ingenium motor is quiet and refined, has good performance too
Performance isn’t too exciting, but will keep you happy for the most part
Power is dished out in a linear fashion and there are no dead spots in the rev band. The Velar also gets the usual driving modes like Comfort and Dynamic which alter the engine’s response. The Velar gets a rear-biased AWD system and you also get Terrain Response as standard while All Terrain Progress Control is optional. The Velar feels lively to drive and it is very capable off the road too. Gear shifts are smooth and quick with the 8-speed gearbox but sometimes, especially at city speeds, it feels a bit jerky. So while the 2.0-litre petrol engine is good on performance, it won’t blow your mind away because at the end of the day, it is pulling a massive almost 2-tonne heavy SUV and there are cars that offer a more engaging drive.
The Velar is said to be the most road-biased Range Rover yet
Driving Dynamics – The Range Rover Velar gets an independent suspension with a multi-link setup at the rear and the non-V6 variants like this one come with steel springs. The ride is a bit on the stiffer side and even though it is good on our city roads, it doesn’t feel as plush as that of the Vogue. Uneven surfaces and broken roads can be felt inside the cabin. The car starts feeling much more composed in Dynamic mode because the suspension becomes stiffer. The car glides over potholes with ease and the 19-inch tyres offer stupendous levels of grip. The Velar is very heavy and handling isn’t all that great, with a lot of floaty feeling and it doesn’t feel very pointy. The steering doesn’t give very good feedback especially in Comfort mode while in Dynamic it has a better feel.
The Velar gets a host of modern safety equipment
Safety and After Sales Service – On the safety front, the Range Rover Velar is loaded with 6 airbags, rear ISOFIX mounts, Emergency Brake Assist, ABS, EBD, Roll Stability Control and Cornering Brake Control. JLR has sales and after-sales presence in most major cities in India but service quality levels continue to remain neutral, with a mix of positive and negative experiences.
The Velar is a bit pricey but offers a lot of things
Verdict – The Range Rover Velar is priced slightly high and it competes with a lot of capable luxury SUVs but it looks the part, comes loaded with lots of really cool features, drives pretty well and performs nicely off the road unless you’re into really hard-core off-roading. It is also very refined and comfortable and out of all luxury SUVs on sale today, feels the freshest and newest. The Range Rover Velar makes for a good buy if you don’t mind spending a bit more than what you would on a car of this segment.
What’s Cool
* Design is wow, looks stealthy in flesh
* Cabin is well-equipped with a lot of tech
* Petrol engine has good driveability and refinement
* Comfort levels are very good
What’s Uncool
* Pricing is a bit high
The Velar is the best-looking model in the entire Range Rover line-up
Alternatives: Mercedes GLE, BMW X5, Volvo XC60, Porsche Macan
2018 Range Rover Velar Specifications
* Engine: 1997cc, 4-cyl, DOHC
* Power: 247 HP @ 5500 RPM
* Torque: 365 Nm @ 1500 RPM
* Transmission: 8-Speed AT
* Fuel Consumption: 7-9 km/l
* Fuel Type: Petrol
* Suspension: Double Wishbone (Front), Multi-Link (Rear)
* Tyres: 255/55/19
* Brakes: Discs (Front & Rear), ABS
* Safety: 6 airbags, ABS, EBD, ISOFIX, Hill Hold Assist, Hill Descent Control, Roll Stability Control, Cornering Brake Control
2018 Range Rover Velar Dimensions
* Overall length x width x height: 4797 mm X 2145 mm X 1665 mm
* Wheelbase: 2874 mm
* Ground Clearance: 213 mm
* Boot Space: 673-litres
* Fuel Tank Capacity: 63-litres
The Velar has much more appeal than its rivals
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