Range Rover Velar review

Velar. It’s an odd name, isn’t it? But believe it or not, it isn’t the result of a few glasses of wine and a Scrabble bag; there is history to it.

When Land Rover developed the original Range Rover back in the 1960s, the firm wanted to conceal its identity, so it derived Velar from the Latin word 'velare', meaning to hide.

History lesson over. So, what is the 21st century Range Rover Velar? Put simply, it’s a rakish five-door SUV that fills the huge £30,000 price gap between the entry-level Evoque and the cheapest Range Rover Sport. It’s also the most road-biased Range Rover yet, even though it’s still incredibly capable on the rough stuff, thanks to standard-fit four-wheel drive and a raft of clever tech.

Engines range from a tame 2.0-litre diesel with 178bhp, all the way up to a 5.0-litre V8 petrol that's supercharged to produce a mighty 542bhp. In between those bookends are more powerful 2.0-litre petrols and diesels and a 3.0-litre V6 diesel.

As for rivals, it’s up against the likes of the BMW X4, Mercedes GLC Coupé and Porsche Macan, although you could also have a seven-seat Audi Q7 for that kind of money. High-spec models cost a similar amount to the Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupé and BMW X6.

Over the next few pages, we’ll take a look at how the Velar drives, what it’s like inside and how costly it will be to own. Or, if you've already been seduced by the Velar's sleek lines, head to our deals pages to make sure you're getting the best price.