2023 Land Rover Range Rover Review: Upper-Crust All-Roading
The big-body, full-size 2023 Range Rover started the luxury SUV segment in 1969. Since then, it's spawned a few other Ranger Rover models, but this is the fifth generation of the original, launched in the USA in 2022. For decades, it had a segment all to itself, competing with more traditional luxury cars like the BMW 7 Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Since then, most high-end manufacturers have joined the club, so a quick review of the Land Rover Range Rover's competitors reveals that it occupies the space between cheaper rivals such as the BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS, and more expensive ones, such as the Bentley Bentayga and Rolls-Royce Cullinan.
The new 2023 Land Rover Range Rover SUV with the L460 model code had to move to the brand-new MLA-Flex platform to accommodate new mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains and the upcoming 2024 EV model. For the first time, the Land Rover Range Rover is available in two sizes right from the start of production. Another first is the seven-seat option for the long wheelbase. But don't think the Range Rover has gone soft. Land Rover used its extensive knowledge of luxury off-roading to make this Range Rover the best one yet. A variety of powertrain options are available. You can get a turbocharged straight six with mild-hybrid assistance or a plug-in hybrid based on the same engine. The current top dog is a BMW-sourced 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8.
What's the Price of the 2023 Land Rover Range Rover?
The rather complicated price structure of the new 2023 Land Rover Range Rover starts at an MSRP of $106,500 for the SWB SE P400 and $112,500 for the seven-seater LWB SE P400. The SWB SE P440e PHEV will cost you $110,500 and the V8 SWB SE P530, $129,000. The Autobiography P530 has an MSRP of $166,000 in SWB form, $168,000 in seven-seater LWB form, and $170,000 in five-seater LWB form. The SV P530 costs $201,500 in SWB form and $226,500 in five-seater LWB form. These prices don't include optional extras or the $1,475 destination charge.
The 2023 SV Carmel Edition was introduced later and retails for a jaw-dropping $345,000, but a mere 17 units were said to be produced.
2023 Land Rover Range Rover Handling and Driving Impressions
The Range Rover is a large SUV and doesn't take too kindly to being pushed enthusiastically through a corner. There's a good reason for this - the Range Rover is meant to be comfortable first and foremost. The Range Rover Sport is a better choice if you want an engaging driving experience. If, however, you want a giant sensory deprivation tank that will do the most to keep the outside world outside, this is the SUV for you.
The Range Rover is equipped with electronically controlled air suspension with active anti-roll bars and a road-scanning system. It will watch the road ahead and prime the suspension for whatever imperfection is coming up. It's eerie driving down a tar road that suddenly changes to gravel. You expect a few bumps or at least some vibration, but the road merely changes color as the Rangey makes a seamless transition. If this car didn't have a windscreen to look out of, the average person likely wouldn't be able to tell the difference.
Matching the smooth ride are refined engines, starting with the base 3.0-liter six-cylinder turbocharged mill with mild-hybrid assistance that produces 395 horsepower. A plug-in hybrid version of this powertrain delivers a more potent 434 hp, but if it's performance you care about and not fuel bills, the 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 with 523 hp is the one to go for, with its 0-60 time being as swift as 4.4 seconds depending on the configuration. However, all models are supremely refined.
Verdict: Is The 2023 Land Rover Range Rover A Good SUV?
After half a century in the business, Land Rover has figured out the luxury SUV brief and the latest rendition of the famous Range Rover nameplate moves right to the top of a tough class. A BMW X7 is cheaper and handles far better and a Bentayga is a lot faster and more premium, but also more expensive. Occupying the middle ground might be a masterstroke for a change and the Range Rover does justify its price by not only being luxury-car comfortable but also able to actually go off-road if you're so inclined, something you wouldn't do with an X7 or GLS. For the first time, you get two body sizes and a seven-seater option as well, so the latest Range Rover well and truly has all the bases covered, even if it handles a little ponderously. In a luxury SUV, comfort is arguably more important, and if a cloud-like ride in utter silence on any surface is what you want in a premium SUV, almost nothing this side of a Cullinan can touch it.
What 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Model Should I Buy?
Starting at around $106k, the new Range Rover base trim's price is high, but it's the best value in the range, with the six-cylinder MHEV powertrain's performance being perfectly adequate and its fuel economy decent. But this kind of car appeals to a luxury buyer who only wants the best and power is important, while fuel economy is typically a secondary consideration. The Autobiography is a big jump of more than $50k over how much you pay for the base SE, but the standard V8 power offers rapid performance and it comes with various big-ticket options as standard, such as the rear-seat entertainment system, the superb 35-speaker Meridian audio system, ventilated and massaging seats, and a head-up display. Even with the best assists, parking such a big beast - especially in LWB form - can be harrowing, so the Autobiography takes care of that as well with its automated parking system. If you're going to spend the big money, you might as well get the Autobiography and be done with it. However, if you only want the V8 power and the nice 22s and you're perfectly happy with the SE spec, the SE P530 is a compelling alternative, being the only V8 Land Rover Range Rover with an MSRP of less than $130k.
