When the Range Rover arrived in early 2002, its nouveau-riche styling shared the spotlight with the then-radical Escalade. Serious off-roaders will want to get the locking rear differential, which is optional on the HSE and standard on the Supercharged. A two-speed transfer case, locking center differential and Land Rover’s Terrain Response system (see the thumbnail above) are standard. That allows 11 inches of ground clearance, which is about an inch more than a Hummer H2 offers. Full-time four-wheel drive is standard, and in offroad mode the air suspension can raise the vehicle 2.2 inches above its normal ride height. In close quarters, the Range Rover’s 39.4-foot turning diameter is midpack, within a foot of competitors’.īeing born of offroad utility, the Range Rover has some serious mud-trekking credentials. The wheel turns with a light touch, but turn-in precision can be inconsistent - at times it yields quick response, but otherwise its movements seem a bit vague. I’m not as big a fan of the steering setup. Land Rover says the HSE and Supercharged share the same suspension tuning. The wheels stay on course if you hit any bumps, though, giving the Range Rover a well-grounded feeling that’s uncommon in full-size SUVs. Ride quality is exceptional the suspension soaks up bumps with little disturbance to the cabin, and its well-settled response has none of the lingering reverberations I felt in the GL550.Ĭurvy roads induce plenty of body roll. Wind noise can creep up at higher speeds, but crosswinds never fazed my test car. The setup delivers a comfortable highway ride with minimal road noise. Unlike the LX 570 and Escalade, which have body-on-frame constructions, the Range Rover is built on a reinforced unibody platform with a four-wheel-independent air-spring suspension. The GL550 delivers stronger braking overall, and the Escalade’s brakes are more impressive still. I was generally unimpressed with their performance: The pedal is spongy at first and becomes grabby farther down. That’s competitive with the Escalade and GL550, though the Lexus LX 570 manages to tow 8,500 pounds.įour-wheel-disc antilock brakes are standard. With either engine, maximum towing capacity is 7,716 pounds. (In comparison, Mercedes says the base, 5,280-pound GL550 flits to 60 mph in just 6.4 seconds.) Land Rover quotes zero-to-60 mph times of 7.1 seconds for the Supercharged and 8.3 seconds for the HSE. Though I haven’t driven the Supercharged model, fellow editors who have report it’s much lighter on its feet, so if you have a particular need for speed it might be worth checking out. Here’s how the two compare: Engines Compared The Range Rover Supercharged aims to address this: Its engine is a 400-hp, supercharged 4.2-liter V-8. That’s 33 pounds more than the 403-hp Cadillac Escalade. HSE models have a 305- horsepower, 4.4-liter V-8, and the automatic comes from ZF, the transmission supplier behind Jaguar’s superb gearboxes - but the drivetrain here is tasked with hauling 5,698 pounds of SUV. Ultimately the Range Rover’s competence boils down to numbers. Sport mode is comparatively more useful: It holds lower gears longer to effect more fluid acceleration around town, though I found its penchant for frequent kickdown on the highway made for some unnecessary gear-hunting. There are Sport and manual-shift modes, though I’m not sure why - short of an offroad situation or downhill stretch - anyone would want to work the gears themselves. One high point is the standard six-speed automatic it works gamely to move things along, upshifting imperceptibly around town and downshifting on the highway without much delay. Those accustomed to the sort of acceleration competitors like the Cadillac Escalade and Mercedes-Benz GL550 can drum up will be disappointed: The Range Rover is quick enough for most situations, but its passing power is comparatively modest. Click here to see a comparison between the 20 Range Rovers. The Range Rover’s starting price is about $20,000 more than its Sport sibling, and it comes in HSE and Supercharged trims. If cabin quality is your top priority, the Range Rover may still be your best choice, but in many other respects the competition has pulled ahead.ĭon’t confuse the Range Rover with Land Rover’s Range Rover Sport, which is an entirely different vehicle based on the smaller LR3. The 2008 model year is year six of the current design, and its age is starting to show - especially in the all-important area of feature execution. The result is an SUV with exceptional craftsmanship and a chassis that’s capable of serious offroad mischief.Īlas, all good things must come to an end. It eschews faddy styling or any illusion of value, instead going for broke on interior quality and 4×4 chops. There’s no question the Land Rover Range Rover, a Best Bet for several years running, has very deliberate priorities.
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