Entering its fifth decade of production, reviewers are hard-pressed to find another SUV that has the same combination of luxurious interior, capable off-road abilities, and comfortable on-road manners as the Range Rover has.
For 2011, Land Rover celebrates the Range Rover’s fortieth birthday. However, the company’s flagship model is far from over the hill. It remains one of the most capable off-roaders and one of the most luxurious vehicles on the market. With a price that ranges from $79,685 to well over $134,000 with options, shoppers can get nearly anything they want in an SUV, provided they have the money. To celebrate the Range Rover’s anniversary, Land Rover has introduced the “2011 Autobiography Black 40th Anniversary Limited Edition,” which includes a number of unique features like special paint colors, a leather-clad dashboard and a leather-trimmed floor mats. These features aren’t necessary, but as Consumer Guide puts it, “for Range Rover's well-heeled shoppers, little else will do.”
When shopping the Range Rover, keep in mind that reliability has been a perennial issue for the automaker. Although Land Rover was recently acquired by Tata Motors, who pledged to improve the British company’s reputation for reliability, reviewers haven’t given the change a solid thumbs-up yet.
Reviewers love that the Range Rover has stayed true to its off-road roots over the years, and the 2011 model is no exception. Many writers note the Land Rover’s Terrain Response system, which allows drivers to adjust the Range Rover’s powertrain based on road terrain. They also drool over the turbocharged 5.0-liter V8 engine available on the Supercharged trim, which makes 510 horsepower and 625 pound-feet of torque, and propels the Range Rover from zero to 60 in a blazing 5.9 seconds. To be fair, reviewers probably wouldn’t turn down the naturally-aspirated 5.0L V8, either. They say it has plenty of get-up-and-go for around-town driving and every day commuting. Car and Driver noted "Big-time muscle from both V-8s."
Land Rover knows, though, that most luxury large SUV buyers won’t be pushing its SUVs to the limits out in the Australian desert or in the frozen tundra, and adjusted the Range Rover accordingly. The auto press generally concurs that the Range Rover drives more like a luxury sedan than a truck-based, off-road beast. Additionally, it comes standard with a sizeable list of high-tech interior features like its easy-to-use navigation system and front and rear parking sensors. All in all, Land Rover has managed to tune the Range Rover so it’s a great performer in the urban jungle, and the actual jungle too.
The Range Rover Sport, a smaller and less expensive version of the Range Rover, is reviewed separately.
Other SUVs to Consider
If you’d like to cross-shop the Range Rover with other luxury off-road SUVs, take a look at the Mercedes Benz G Class, the Range Rover’s closest competitor. The two have similar histories: The Land Rover was originally built as an off-road vehicle for the British Army, while the G Class was created for the German Army. The G Class starts at $105,750 -- $26,065 more than the base $79,685 Range Rover HSE. However, adding options to the Range Rover can quickly bump its price into the three-figure territory, especially if you start with the $95,465 Supercharged trim. In fact, the G550 does not offer any optional equipment – everything is standard. This means that if you’re shopping the Range Rover Supercharged plus upgrades like the Autobiography package, the G550 may actually be the more cost-effective option, even with fuel economy numbers of 11/15 mpg city/highway.Most luxury large SUV shoppers don’t really need to pay such a high premium for legendary off-road prowess in their vehicles. If you plan to use your four-wheel drive to commute in bad weather or drive to the mountains for a weekend of skiing, you should also cross-shop performance-based SUVs like the BMW X5 and the Porsche Cayenne. Neither have the off-road chops that the Range Rover and the G Class take such pride in, but most reviewers say that they have enough oomph for most SUV shoppers. Plus, the BMW starts at $46,300 and the Porsche starts at $47,700 -- $33,385 and $31,985 less than the Range Rover, respectively. Even better, the base models offer better fuel economy than the Range Rover.
Details: Land Rover Range Rover
The 2011 Land Rover Range Rover is available in five trims: the base HSE, HSE Lux, Supercharged, Autobiography, and the 40th Anniversary Autobiography Black Limited Edition. The HSE starts out at $79,685, and the Autobiography can be optioned to more than $134,000. The EPA rates the Range Rover’s fuel economy at 12 mpg in the city and 18 on the highway, numbers that are on the low side of its class of luxury large SUVs.For 2011, Land Rover made some minor changes to the Range Rover. It improved its Terrain Response system and added the option of reclining rear seats. Probably the most noticeable difference for 2011 is the addition of the 40th Anniversary Autobiography Black Limited Edition trim. This package includes a slightly restyled front grille, 20-inch alloy wheels, exterior chrome trim and a tailgate badge, as well as limited-availability paint and leather upholstery colors.
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