When it comes to Land Rover and their infamous Range Rover line, there are a couple of things that you can definitely expect, no matter which version. You will get a vehicle that’s luxurious, with powerful and comfortable (on and) off-roading abilities and classic styling. That’s why people have kept coming back to Range Rovers for over 50 years and counting. The new 2023 versions are no exception. They have all of the style and luxury that you could want, but with a new longer wheelbase that allows for some pretty interesting new additions from the previous year’s model. The folks over at Car and Driver had the luck of testing out one of these new Range Rovers and here is what they learned.
A New Year Means a New, More Powerful Engine Option
Though the previous P400 Land Rover engine will still be available this time around, it will no longer be the only fully gas option. The previously seen P400 has a delightful 3.0 straight-six that is both turbocharged and supercharged. It produces 406 lb-ft of torque, and a little under 395 hp, and can make it to 60 mph in just 5.5 seconds, which is nothing to sneeze at coming from something the size of a Range Rover.
After looking at the stats of the more “basic” P400 engine, when we say that the new P530 gas engine is even more powerful, you can see how impressive that really is. The P530 engine is a twin turbo V-8 that is actually built for Land Rover with Land Rover’s specs by BMW. This hearty engine will get you to 60 in a mere 4.3 seconds. It can produce up to 523 horsepower and puts out a respectable 553 lb-ft of torque. In addition to this exciting extra power, the P530 engine is also prepared for just about anything you have to throw at it in the great outdoors. It is designed so that you can safely ford streams that are around 35 inches deep, and the oil pan is redesigned so that your engine will get the lubrication that it needs while driving at even the most extreme angles. Like up the side of a mountain to cross a 34 inch deep stream.
More Space Means a Longer-Range Plug-In Hybrid Option
With gas prices the way they are, it can’t hurt to have electric and hybrid options as well. Though the new and improved plug-in hybrid version of this Range Rover is not yet available, it will be a definite improvement on the last iteration. The previous version only has a fully-electric range of 19 miles. But with all of that extra space, there is room for a bigger battery, which will extend that measly 19 miles to a more impressive 48.
And though there will be fully-electric battery-powered options available in the future as well, those details are still forthcoming.
More Space Means More Options: Finally a Third Row
Yes, an expanded wheelbase means more room in general, but really matters is what is done with that space. One of the simplest options that Land Rover took is adding a third row of seats and giving another inch or so of legroom to the second row. And because it is a Range Rover, there is no impossible wrestling to get into that third row of seating. It’s a simple slide up second row that may allow you to get in the back without having to remove your kid’s child safety seat first (depending on what kind of seat it is). And once you are back there, its no chore to stay, because the third row has pretty much everything you would want, including heated seats, USB-C ports, cooling vents and the all-important cupholders.
How Much to Take Her Home? The Price of Range Rover Luxury
As per usual, the model that Car and Driver tested wasn’t exactly the base model, but when it comes to a Range Rover, the “base” model is still miles above what you can get in a typical domestic vehicle. The base model of a smaller-engined 7-passenger P400 will run you a little under $112,000, at $111,350. The base model of a V8 5-passenger P530 is a tad steeper at $159,550.
If you want some more info and gorgeous pics take a gander at Car and Driver’s original write-up. When it comes to a Range Rover, it’s hard to pick a favorite.
