FRANSCHHOEK, Western Cape – Considering the positively gaping hole created between the Range Rover Sport and the entry-level Evoque when the latter arrived way back in 2011, the launch of the box-fresh Velar – which inherits its name from a series of late-1960s pre-production mules that ultimately heralded the original Range Rover – should come as no surprise.
What is fascinating, however, is that the fourth member of the Rangie family doesn’t slot quite as neatly between its established siblings as one might expect.
Indeed, with an overall length of 4 803 mm, the Velar is a whopping 438 mm longer than the five-door Evoque (although we expect this model to grow a little in its upcoming second generation), yet just 53 mm shorter bumper-to-bumper than the Range Rover Sport.
It’s a similar case when it comes to local pricing, with the Sport range kicking off just north of R1-million and the Velar line-up starting a smidgen south of the seven-figure-mark, with plenty of overlap between the two … and even with the Land Rover Discovery (Evoque pricing, meanwhile, begins well below R800 000).
Should the Whitley-based automaker thus expect its newest creation to take a hefty bite out of the Range Rover Sport’s impressive monthly registrations (it routinely outsells the Evoque in South Africa)? Well, while logic might suggest an immediate risk of sales cannibalism, the two vehicles are really rather different; each designed to appeal to a separate set of buyers.
A fresh target market
Like the Evoque before it, the sleek new Velar’s primary task is to lure in shoppers who would have otherwise not considered a Range Rover, while the Sport, like the flagship Range Rover above it, appeals largely to an existing, older customer base. Indeed, the Velar clearly targets a somewhat younger, trendier consumer, as evidenced by its more car-like underpinnings, myriad customisation options (although specifying your vehicle exactly as you want it could result in a wait of between four and six months) and a local line-up that stretches to an almost-incomprehensible 42 derivatives. Choice? Sir has plenty…
The British brand offers four specification levels (base, S, SE and HSE), each with the option of an R-Dynamic pack, which lends the SUV a sportier look (courtesy of items such as a unique front bumper, gloss-black mirror caps and some added interior trim), as well as a pair of limited-run “First Edition” variants, fitted as standard with every conceivable extra from an options list that will leave your eyes spinning and your wallet considerably lighter.
Then there’s the choice of the latest petrol and diesel Ingenium four-pots (the former was not available to sample on the day), as well as the automaker’s familiar V6 units, again offered in petrol and oil-burning flavours. Sorry folks, no heavy-hitting V8 just yet…
Diesel oomph
We spent much of our time with the largest diesel, a 3,0-litre six-cylinder (complete with parallel-sequential turbochargers) that directs its 221 kW and 700 N.m (the latter on tap from as low as 1 500 r/min) to all four corners via a ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic transmission. That’s enough oomph to propel this two-tonne luxury barge to three figures in a claimed 6,5 seconds.
And, fittingly, the burly oil-burner is as refined as it is responsive, with very little diesel clatter and virtually no vibration making it into the well-insulated cabin. While the 2,0-litre four-cylinder diesel is noticeably more vocal and the lively 280 kW supercharged V6 petrol prone to taking far heartier swigs from its 63-litre tank, the D300 serves up the most pleasing mix of refinement, economy and performance.
While the Velar – which features supercar-like flush exterior door handles that are deployed when the vehicle is unlocked – borrows the dynamically gifted Jaguar F-Pace’s aluminium underpinnings (also shared with the XE and XF sedans) as well as its 2 874 mm wheelbase, it is markedly more comfortable – over a variety of surfaces – than its Leaper-badged cousin. The steering, too, feels more geared towards comfort than feedback.
The six-cylinder Velar models are fitted as standard with air suspension (boosting ground clearance from 213 mm to 251 mm), allowing them to waft over poorly finished tarmac in proper Range Rover fashion, even on alloys measuring upwards of 20 inches. Being softly sprung naturally results in obvious body roll through the bends, but grip levels are high enough to offset any loss of driver confidence when pushing on.
Off the tarmac…
And off the beaten track? Well, while Land Rover will make much of the Velar’s “all-terrain capability” thanks to standard features such as the brand’s familiar Terrain Response system and hill descent control (along with options like wade-sensing and an active locking rear differential), we didn’t have the opportunity to put it to a proper off-road test.
We did, however, spend a fair amount of time negotiating damp gravel roads, where the Velar displayed the sort of surefootedness one would expect from a fairly high-riding SUV (although it was the sort of surface on which we saw Volkswagen Polos and the like happily gunning along in the opposite direction).
Interestingly, the Velar offers a lower, more car-like driving position than we’re used to from a Range Rover. Still, it’s a fantastic place to sit, considering the high perceived quality of the materials (bar some scratchy plastic low down on the doors), the refreshingly minimalistic facia and the level of technology on offer.
The Tata-backed brand’s new Touch Pro Duo infotainment system – comprising two, stacked 10-inch touchscreens – takes pride of place in the centre of the dashboard, with the lower display adding two physical rotary controllers (in addition to a volume button) whose functions change according to the chosen mode. The system is highly configurable, and together with the (optional) 12,3-inch, Audi-like digital instrument cluster, allows the driver to place relevant information pretty much wherever they prefer.
Using the touchscreen system (and particularly the lower display, to which the climate control functions default) on the move, however, isn’t the easiest task. The capacitive buttons on the steering wheel, too, take some getting used to. On the whole, though, it’s an splendid, spacious cabin (rear leg-room is particularly generous) that should become increasingly user-friendly with familiarity.
Between segments?
Exactly where does the Velar fit into the mid-size SUV battle? Again, it’s not exactly clear-cut. In terms of size, the newest Range Rover sits somewhere between the BMW X4 and X6 (and likewise between the Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupé and GLE Coupé), while more direct rivals include the Porsche Macan and aforementioned (cheaper) F-Pace, although these (along with the upcoming Alfa Romeo Stelvio) are far more dynamically poised. Pricing, though, is another story, stretching past R1,3-million for the range-topper (if you don’t count the more expensive First Edition models, that is), before even a single tick has been added to the options column.
Steep pricing or not, the mighty impressive Velar – which ushers in a fresh, overwhelmingly well-received design language that has since been echoed by the facelifted Range Rover and Sport models – seems destined to achieve its goal of attracting new customers to the brand. It places more emphasis on style and technology than the outright “go anywhere” ability for which its larger siblings (and various Land Rover cousins) have become renowned, but that’s at least part of what makes it distinct enough from the similarly sized Sport to succeed … and not step on any of its siblings’ toes in the process.
