Range Rover - Road Test

It is sometimes helpful to lull yourself into confidence, even if it’s not great.

Climb to the mezzanine in the cockpit Range Rover and finding that the queen has not abdicated is, for example, one of them.

In a world - automotive and beyond - where sights are becoming increasingly rare, the giant British SUV remains number one in size, grandeur, transformation and opulence.

This does not mean that the product has not evolved, quite the opposite.

Because if it is difficult to become number one, it is even more difficult to establish yourself at the top.

This requires a balance between modernity and tradition.

The first involves usingaluminum by body design (an absolute novelty in the segment SUV), a noble material that allowed, according to the manufacturer, to reduce the weight of the car by an average of 420 kg.

The innovations affected and software.: Electronics controls every aspect of the vehicle, raising driving dynamics, comfort and safety to unprecedented levels.

Tradition includes design (redesigned but very Range), irresistible off-road skills, and a selection of materials not even found in the showrooms of Buckingham Palace ...

City: complete isolation, shooting ready

Not having the size of a one-room apartment, it would be the perfect car for the city.

Slow bumps, tram rails, paving stones? Wear out those who don't have a Range.

Between the 21-inch wheels and the air shocks, it is almost pleasant to overcome bumps and see them flattened.

However, if you happen to slip into one of these narrow city supermarket parking lots or in the alleyways of our historic centers, those who have one wear out: to park it, you almost always have to clean two spaces, if any. ., and in narrow places an Englishman makes a figure of an elephant in glassware, where the "crystal" that risks breaking is paint (possibly an Autobiography shade from 7.220 euros ...).

Luckily, the perimeter cameras are standard: just press a button to see how far the walls and plants are.

Big and big, but incredibly responsive in frames: Equally credit to the engine - Turbo diesel 3.0 V6 with 600 Nm torque is not afraid of more than 2.000 kg of assortment - etc. ZF gearbox, very quickly selects and instills the correct ratio out of 8 available.

Out of town: the only limit is your imagination

For a Range Rover in the countryside, that means desert, rocky mountains, muddy countryside and whatever else comes to mind.

Because it will also be one of the noblest cars on the list, but when it comes to dirt, the Englishman doesn't hold back.

О 26 cm of front suspension travel (Rear 31 cm) and an electronic transmission control that always knows what terrain you are traveling in and automatically selects the best distribution, leaving you the freedom to choose between different strategies.

Not only: height from the ground can reach 30 cm (and up to 80 km / h), and the surmountability is 90 cm.

Lands and situations that we don't know how many Range customers will encounter, but that offer an incredible sense of "omnipotence," a psychological security that some motorists (if their wallets allow) would never lose themselves, and that only this car can offer. .

It doesn't matter if the mixture contains different BMW X5 and Porsche Cayenne from another planet: the British are no longer the thick-skinned animals of the past.

The reel remains high and the steering is slow, but road holding and directional change speed have improved.

Highway: Traveling Air Cushion

Double windows and sound-absorbing panels in every corner of the car: between the external sources of disturbance and the ears of the passengers, the engineers of the English house put everything they were allowed to.

As a result, acoustic comfort from Bentley and it is incredible how even the aerodynamic rustles, despite the gigantic dimensions of the body, remain outside the cockpit.

On the other hand, there is no flagship or Bentley that sticks to uneven surfaces: if you are lucky enough to cruise the Range, all roads will be like pool tables.

It is also confirmed that the 3.0 TDV6 is more than sufficient for the tonnage of a car that always runs fairly low but responds decisively to every petrol request.

Life on board: luxury, space and elegance

Prerequisite: In a Range Rover, you sit down, not sit down.

Poor joint mobility? No problem, a special button "deflates" the suspension, and the entry threshold is lowered to the level of the sidewalk. Once inside and closing the doors, you find yourself in another dimension.

A reality in which classic car noises are reduced to a flicker and everything within reach except for buttons and levers behind the steering wheel is made of дерево, skin or fine fabrics.

The focus that makes the Range Rover one of the most exclusive vehicles of all time. Nice living room, ay noble materials (for example, the floor is covered with a carpet so thick and soft that you want to take off your shoes) combines the modernity of touch controls and a digital TFT instrument panel with customizable graphics.

Not to mention the five seats that are also comfortable for adults, the standard heated, ventilated and massage front seats, and the rear seats that are electrically adjustable and foldable.

Not enough for you? Between refrigerant boxes, a preheater and a rear entertainment system, there is no shortage of options.

Price and value: royal quality, exorbitant prices.

Three Years or 100.000 Km Warranty: Given the figures quoted, the average buyer is certainly not concerned about repair costs.

But such extensive coverage also reassures those who have not yet overcome the concerns about the Range's reliability associated with the first - "unreliable" - generation of this model.

For the rest list speak clearly: 115.400 euro There are a lot of them, and the test sample costs a whopping 131.500. We are in the field of luxury, an elite that not only rationally, but at any cost, pays attention to the uniqueness of the product, technology and value.

They are reinsured with the queen of SUVs.

Safety: protective, but not very preventative

Looking at all (or nearly all) other motorists, you might think that in the event of a collision, the unfortunate person who collides with the Range will always have the worst.

A feeling supported by facts, given that mass and height from the ground are critical in the event of a collision between two vehicles.

On the other hand, if the obstacle is fixed, frontal or lateral, the Euro NCAP judges consider thatexcellent protection for all passengersany height.

Concerning pedestrians, the opinion is mixed: on the one hand, the bumper minimizes damage to the legs.

On the other hand, the hood is quite aggressive for the head.

It is also a pity that some of the devices that are now common even in city cars are not available.

A few examples? Rear Collision Avoidance System to prevent unintentional crossing of lane and driver fatigue sensor.

Therefore, the only means of driving assistance is Blind Spot Monitor for the detection of nearby vehicles, optionally - 530 euros. Finally, within a tonnage exceeding two tons, road holding is good and stability is never questioned thanks to the special intervention of ESP.