The fifth-generation Range Rover (L460) offers a blend of sophisticated style, luxury, power, and capability. We spent some time in a loaded short-wheelbase SE P530, which pairs a potent twin-turbo V8 with a plush cabin and plentiful space for carrying cargo. It’s pricey for sure, but few SUVs make everyday driving feel this refined and tranquil.
Like other recent Range Rovers, this one features smoothly sculpted body panels, made even smoother by its door handles, which retract flush into its doors. Our test vehicle was finished in an opulent hue known as Batumi Gold, and rolled along on enormous 23-inch silver alloy wheels. The black panel graphic on the front door appears to be a nod to the fender vent from third-gen Range Rovers. It’s nice to reference past design elements, but we think it distracts from the SUV’s otherwise perfectly clean looks.
The Range Rover is offered in SE, Autobiography, and SV grades in short- or long- wheelbase configurations and three main powertrain choices. The P400 has a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system, producing 395 horsepower. The P550e plug-in hybrid combines a 3.0-liter inline-six with an electric motor for 542 horsepower and the ability to drive on electric power alone. At the top of the lineup is the P530 tested here, which swaps in a BMW-sourced, 4.4-liter twin-turbo, producing 523 horsepower and 553 lb-ft. of torque. This engine works in concert with an 8-speed automatic transmission and delivers satisfying and smooth acceleration. It’s notably quieter than the old JLR 5.0-liter supercharged V8, which had a more aggressive soundtrack. Fuel economy is about what you’d expect at 16 MPG in the city, 23 MPG on the highway, and 19 MPG combined.
Overall ride quality is excellent, providing great isolation from potholes, joints, vibration, and rough pavement. The cabin is extraordinarily quiet, and the Range Rover is stable and confident at highway speeds. All-wheel steering not only improves its turning radius, but the system helps provide crisp cornering. An electronic air suspension system provides variable ride height, with about 8.7 inches of ground clearance at its normal setting. Access height lowers the body by 2 inches, reducing clearance to roughly 6.7 inches for easier entry and exit, while off-road height raises it by 3 inches for up to 11.6 inches of ground clearance.
Speaking of off-road capabilities, Range Rover equips the SUV with a variety of features to improve handling and confidence if and when you leave the comfort of the pavement. The Terrain Response 2 system offers modes for Grass/gravel/snow, mud and ruts, sand, rock crawl, and wading up to 35.4 inches. The latter can even display water depth on the touchscreen. Multiple cameras help with off-road visibility and wheel placement. Now, we doubt anyone is going off-road or fording water with those big, performance rims and such a spiffy paint job, but it’s good to know the capability is there if you need it. Though if you plan on serious off-roading, the Land Rover Defender is the one to buy.
Our vehicle was tricked out with premium interior upgrades including semi-aniline leather on the seats, dashboard, door panels, and center console armrest. The light colored, Perlino leather is exquisite, but we’d be afraid of marking it up or getting it dirty, so we’d prefer a darker color. The front seats offer an almost comical number of adjustments – 24 in all. They also provide heat, ventilation, and multi-mode massage for outstanding comfort on long drives.
Some other fancy bits in the cabin include real aluminum trim, aluminum paddle shifters, and a huge panoramic glass roof overhead. There’s also quite a lot of gloss black trim on the center console. It’s not cheap plastic like in some vehicles, but still prone to showing off fingerprints and dust. The dual sun visors are a nice touch that help keep the sun out of your eyes from both the windshield and side window at the same time. Storage space is good up front with a hidden compartment beneath the cupholders, a nice-sized bin under the center armrest, and a double-decker glovebox with a 12-volt DC outlet in the upper section. In addition to USB-C and USB-A charging ports, there’s a wireless charging tray in the center console, but it only sporadically charged our iPhone.
Between the first time we drove the L460 in 2022 and now, Range Rover swapped out the two-screen setup in the center stack with a single 13.1-inch curved touchscreen. This updated setup is cleaner and better reinforces the cabin’s minimalist aesthetic. However, it sacrifices tactile controls for climate and volume for touch inputs. Haptic feedback helps to a degree, but we still prefer actual knobs for such frequently used functions. Technology includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, integrated Amazon Alexa, crisp surround-view cameras, a head-up display, and a powerful Meridian surround sound system. There’s also adjustable ambient lighting, which adds a vibrant splash of nighttime color throughout the cabin.
The on-board adaptive cruise control works well at highway speeds, as does the lane centering. However, they’re a letdown compared to the hands-free highway driving systems offered by competitors like Cadillac Super Cruise and Lincoln BlueCruise. Other safety and driver assistance features include high-speed emergency braking, traffic sign recognition with automatic speed limiter adjustment, blind spot monitoring, and rear traffic monitoring.
Second row passengers are treated to extremely comfortable seats with power recline, heat, and ventilation. There’s plenty of room for taller people, and a similarly calm and quiet environment for rear seat occupants thanks to laminated glass and excellent insulation. Independent climate control, personal vents, and USB-C chargers round out the second row features.
Cargo space is very good whether or not you’ve got the second row in use. There’s 40.7 cubic feet of space behind the second row, and an expansive 83.5 cubes with the seats folded down. The power liftgate has a separate lower gate that works as a loading shelf and doubles as a bench for tailgating. The rear seats can be raised or lowered using pushbutton controls, and you can also trigger the air suspension to lower to help with loading and unloading cargo.
The Range Rover offers a serene ride in a luxurious cabin, confidence-instilling driving dynamics, and loads of V8 power, too. With a base price of $134,100 and a fully-equipped sticker price of $155,535, this luxury SUV requires a well-stocked bank account. But it’s one of those rare SUVs that can offer both limousine-like luxury and genuine off-road ability in one.
