Introduction
The new Range Rover has been quick to make it to the Indian shores. The Tata Motors-owned brand pulled the covers off the updated flagship in October last year, while bookings and prices for India were announced barely three months later. How exactly does the new Range Rover take things a notch higher than the previous iteration? Let's find out.
Exterior design
The fifth generation Land Rover Range Rover receives a much-needed update and is now more loaded and luxurious than ever. The silhouette and the overall design remain broadly similar, and we agree with the brand's approach; why fix it if it isn’t broken, right?
That said, the flagship SUV does get a fair bit of changes to the exterior design, where the design is pretty clean, smooth, and not very busy. Up-front, there's a set of LED headlamps that are now sleeker, and the highlight is in the details when you take a closer look. Talking about lighting, the fog lights are now horizontal units neatly blending in with the new air dam.
Towards the side, there is an insert on the front doors that stands out in the otherwise clean design. The smooth finish is owed not just to the flush-fitting door handles but also the blacked-out pillars and roof, with the latter giving out a floating roof design. The model rides on 22-inch wheels, and for the first time, rear-wheel steering is being offered.
The derriere gets black inserts on the tailgate, and at first glance, you're likely to mistake the vertically aligned LED tail lights for a part of the setup until they light up. Another clever design touch by the folks at JLR.
Make no mistake, the dimensions of the car are rather long, too, with the length itself stretching to more than five metres, and this is just for the standard wheelbase variant. To be specific, the length, width, and height stand at 5,052mm, 2047mm, and 1,870mm, respectively, while the wheelbase is rated at 3,197mm. The LWB version gets an additional wheelbase of 200mm over its standard counterpart.
Interiors
Step inside the 2022 Range Rover, and the first thing to catch your attention are the two large fully-digital screens. The freestanding 13.1-inch Pivi Pro curved screen works as the infotainment system, while the larger 13.7-inch behind the steering wheel is an instrument console. The SUV stands out with the conventional buttons for the AC controls, unlike most cars today that get another touchscreen unit for the same.
The second row, where most owners of the new Range Rover will spend their time, gets the option of a bench seat or two individual executive seats. The latter gets 24, yes, you heard that right, 24-way electrically adjustable seats. This also includes a one-touch operation where, in full boss mode, the front passenger seat automatically goes forward, and a footrest pops out of its back. At the same time, the leg cushion emerges from below the seat while the backrest reclines to the most comfortable position. Did we mention that both the seats get ventilation and massage function too? The centre console here extends to the second row, which houses a centre folding table, powered cup-holders, and a tablet to control various functions.
Second-row passengers also get the optional 11-inch screens to watch movies on the go. With the bench layout, the middle seat backrest moves down (electrically, duh!) and acts as a centre console with an eight-inch touchscreen controller.
For the first time, the Land Rover Range Rover gets the option of a seven-seat layout in the LWB guise. Here too, the seats in the second row are electrically adjustable for when you want to make your way to the third row. These seats also have the capability to fold flat into the boot, thus giving you the versatility of added boot space over seating based on the requirement.
If you aren’t already impressed by the 2022 Range Rover, let us tell you that the model is loaded to the gills with features. The British marquee has equipped the SUV with adaptive cruise control, adaptive air suspension, all-wheel steering, powered gesture tailgate, panoramic sunroof, Meridian 3D surround sound system, four-zone climate control, wireless charging, 3D surround camera, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Heads-Up Display (HUD), tailgate event suite, and the signature Terrain Response 2 system. Heck, you even get the brand’s ClearSight Ground View, which is essentially a camera that gives you the view right below your vehicle.
Engine and gearbox
The 2022 Range Rover gets three powertrain options, including a 3.0-litre turbo-petrol engine, a 3.0-litre diesel engine, and a 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 engine. The 3.0-litre petrol unit delivers 394bhp and 550Nm of torque, while the 3.0-litre diesel motor produces 346bhp and 700Nm of torque. Meanwhile, the 4.4-litre petrol motor produces 523bhp and 750 Nm of torque. An eight-speed automatic transmission is standard across the range.
Conclusion
The fifth-gen Range Rover, then, is a massive upgrade over the previous iteration. It’s got a clean and classy design, interiors and features to keep you busy on the move, and more trim options to choose from than most mass-market cars.
The new Range Rover is priced from Rs 2.38 crore to Rs 3.51 crore (ex-showroom). It is available in four variants, including SE, HSE, Autobiography, and First Edition. Seating layouts include a four-seat, five-seat, and for the first time on the flagship, a seven-seat configuration. Additionally, customers can choose from Standard and LWB body styles, all these culminating in a mind-boggling 33 trims.
The 3.0-litre petrol and diesel variants are priced between Rs 2.38 crore for the SE trim to Rs 3.39 crore for the First Edition LWB trim, while the 4.4-litre V8 petrol variant is priced between Rs 2.54 crore for the SE trim and Rs 3.43 crore for the top-spec First Edition LWB variant.
Photos by Venkat Desirazu
