Land Rover has modernized the Range Rover Velar. The exterior design remains the same as the outgoing model, but the Velar is under the skin and the interior has been quite refreshed. Following the Jaguar F-Pace and the Land Rover Defender, the Range Rover Velar is now also on the market as a plug-in hybrid P400e. The V8 from SVAutobiography, on the other hand, has to leave the field for the time being.
Land Rover presented the Range Rover Velar in 2017. This SUV came between the Evoque and the Range Rover Sport, with its purchase price closer to the latter. The Velar shares much of its engineering with the Jaguar F-Pace, which was also recently updated. As with the Jaguar, the most interesting changes are found under the skin of the Velar.
The exterior of the Velar remains virtually unchanged. The headlights and rear lights – normally common things to deal with in a facelift – still look the same, while stable mate F-Pace has been renewed in this respect. Land Rover will come with two new paint colors: ‘Hakuba Silver’ and ‘Portofino Blue’. In addition, two new wheel designs are available in 19- and 21-inch sizes. Land Rover says there are now more customization options for the Velar. A new version is the Edition, which is based on the R-Dynamic SE version. The Edition has the extras that the panoramic roof is in black and that matching 20-inch wheels are screwed underneath. Not very earth-shattering.
Pivi Pro
The Velar’s interior has some more changes than the exterior. The new steering wheel and the revised automatic gear selector immediately catch the eye. This replaces the rotary knob that was previously on the center console. Furthermore, the Velar now has the new Pivi Pro infotainment system from Jaguar Land Rover. The screens in the interior have a higher resolution than before and the menu structure has also been thoroughly revised. The 12.3-inch Interactive Driver Display can be arranged according to your own wishes. The system is also self-learning, so that it can recognize certain routines and anticipate them. Of course, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also present, in addition, Spotify is directly integrated into the infotainment menu. It is now also possible to perform over-the-air updates thanks to the new EVA 2.0 architecture of the electronics. This also ensures that the system runs a lot faster, so that it starts up faster and responds better to your input, according to Land Rover. The driver can consult information about the car via the Remote App on the smartphone or preheat the interior at the touch of a button. These kinds of systems in itself are not new, but it is nice to know that the Velar now also has them.
Another big change in the interior of the Velar is the use of materials. Land Rover now also supplies a new type of fabric, made up of 30% wool, as a counterpart to leather upholstery. The advantage of this, according to Land Rover, is that the upholstery always has a pleasant temperature. When it is cold, it feels nice and warm. When it is warm, it will not become sticky and the covering will remain relatively cool. Furthermore, the Velar now has Cabin Air Ionisation, an air filter that works with nanotechnology and therefore keeps small particles and allergens out of the car, Land Rover claims. Other comfort-enhancing additions are the 3D Surround Camera and Active Road Noise Cancellation. The camera allows the driver to see around the car through the screen and with ‘ClearSight Ground View’ get a virtual view under the hood, useful for off-road use. Via Active Road Noise Cancellation, the rolling noise is largely filtered out with opposite sound waves, which, according to Land Rover, creates a noise reduction of 4 dB in the interior of the new Velar.
Goodbye V8, hello plugin
In addition to the changes in the interior and exterior, the Velar will have access to a whole range of new engines. We already knew these from other JLR models, but are now also finding their way to the Velar. The P400e is the most interesting powertrain for the Dutch market. As in the F-Pace and the Defender, this variant has a 2.0 four-cylinder with electric assistance, which produces 404 hp and 640 Nm of torque. Charging is possible up to a speed of 32 kW. In that case, the battery is already 80% full after half an hour. The WLTP range of the P400e is 53 km. Incidentally, you can still drive through 50cm deep water with the plug-in. Finally, in the automatic driving mode ‘Hybrid’, the powertrain works together with navigation via the so-called ‘Predictive Energy Optimization’. Based on the route, the system calculates which form of drive is most efficient on certain parts, so that the battery capacity is optimally used. Incidentally, there is also a four-cylinder without electric assistance in the form of the P250. This engine has remained unchanged from the pre-facelift.
In addition, the V6 engines have been replaced by two versions of the JLR inline six, which feature mild hybrid technology. The petrol P400 delivers 400 hp and 550 Nm, with which a sprint to 100 km / h in 5.5 seconds is possible. The D300 releases 300 hp and 650 Nm on the crankshaft. For diesel engines who can use a little less power, there is also the D200 with four cylinders, 204 hp and 430 Nm. This engine is also equipped with mild hybrid technology. Air suspension is optional for the variants with four cylinders, including the plug-in. It is supplied as standard on the six-cylinder. We have to disappoint fans of brutal violence: inquiries from Techzle show that the Velar SVAutobiography with its 575 hp V8 will not return for the time being.
The starting price of the Velar is € 75,928 for the P400e. Diesel is possible from € 78,224 with the D200. With the pre-facelift, the D180 was the cheapest variant at € 77,305, so thanks to the plug-in hybrid it has become slightly cheaper to get into a Velar. The complete price list will follow at a later time.