Range Rover long-term test: report 5
For many people, the Range Rover is the ultimate luxury SUV. But what's it actually like to live with? We're finding out...
The car Range Rover 3.0 D350 HSE Run by Darren Moss, deputy editor
Why it’s here To see whether Land Rover’s flagship model feels as special as it should during everyday use
Needs to Offer the comfort, refinement and general wow factor you'd expect from a £100k+ luxury SUV
Mileage 5052 List price £113,120 Target Price £113,120 Price as tested £122,770 Test economy 31.0mpg Official economy 35.7mpg
23 May 2023 – Built for business
The 1% rule is used in business to show that with a small change each day you can effect big changes over time. In the same vein, there are two features on my Range Rover that I’ve been getting to know recently, and while each one is a small part of the car, together they really improve my journeys.
The first is my car’s ClearSight rear camera. You may have read about it in a previous report from reviews editor Will Nightingale. He found it useful for seeing clearly out of the Range Rover when the boot was piled high with luggage, but I've found another use for it.
You see, it's especially helpful at night, because the image from the camera is brighter than the view I see through the tinted rear screen, and the video image helps to eliminate glare from headlights behind me. It takes a little getting used to, but the end result is that I have better rear visibility in the dark.
The second feature comes as a result of lots of people taking an interest in my car. Aside from Will taking my car to France, my parents, brother and countless friends have wanted to see what the view was like “way up there”. And of course, everyone set the seat and steering wheel position for their own comfort.
No problem, because as with most premium cars, the Range Rover allows me to store my ideal driving position in its memory, so returning it to my preferred setting is the work of a moment. Ah, but that's only half the story.
What I especially like about the car’s toggles is that pressing them also brings up a raft of other adjustments on the infotainment touchscreen. They allow me to fine-tune the comfort settings – how far I want the headrest to extend from its base, for example, or how much support I want from the side bolsters – to my exact requirements.
It’s easy to do, and the level of customisation is deeply impressive.
So while each of those two features may only add 1% to my enjoyment of my car, over time they’re really adding up. Perhaps that's why so many business tycoons are spotted in the back of a Range Rover.
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