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Land Rover Range Rover Velar 2.0 Facelift Review
18 Jan 2024|17,023 views
Facelift (What's New)
Redesigned front grille, head lights, taillights and rear bumper
11.4-inch Pivi Pro infotainment system
Redesigned centre console
I'm not afraid to admit it. Driving both the Land Rover Range Rover and the Range Rover Sport proved to be rather nerve-wrecking exercises for this storyteller. Don't get me wrong, both cars are utterly serene and effortless on the open road.
But once you're at your destination and need to manoeuvre the car in a tight underground carpark, their sheer size as well as their tall shoulders do make judging available space difficult when you're trying the steer them through a tight corner.
This Range Rover Velar, however, always managed to feel just right.
The grille of the Velar has been redesigned, while at the rear, the car's tailpipes are now hidden away
While both the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport are entirely new vehicles, this Velar has arrived on our laps after having received a facelift.
The exterior changes can be hard to spot, but for those who must know, there's new head lights, which are now super-slim Pixel LED items, as well as new taillights. More important, I think, is the redesigned grille as well as the rear bumper that now hides the car's tailpipes.
Combined, these two changes give the Velar more than a striking resemblance to its two aforementioned stablemates - a touch I think all who love the imposing, minimalist, and slab-sidedness of both vehicles will appreciate.
The 11.4-inch Pivi Pro infotainment system now houses the air-conditioning controls, so the centre console can adopt a new minimalist design
But the most significant change to this new Velar comes in its cabin. Here, a new 11.4-inch Pivi Pro infotainment system now sits at the centre of the dashboard.
This system now houses all of the car's air-conditioning controls, so the centre console of the Velar now does away with the twin rotary dials employed in the firm's other vehicles.
We don't typically like the placement of air-conditioning controls within the infotainment screen of our cars, as it is typically the first thing we reach for here after starting up the engine. But it must be said, the execution here is hard to fault.
A shortcut column as well as the ability to change the air-conditioning settings quickly via buttons on either side of the screen makes the infotainment system easy to use
The infotainment system starts up quickly enough, and you only need to tap on the indicated temperature on either side of the screen to adjust the fan speed, or press and hold on the same and slide up or down to adjust the temperature.
I've found the rest of the infotainment system to be intuitive enough in the rest of the Land Rover lineup and it's the same case in this Velar. The home page here now even offers access to a new shortcut column that houses buttons to turn off the engine start/stop system, adjust the ride height, and set the air-conditioning to full blast - exactly the three controls I would have added myself.
And the other upside of this new infotainment system is that you now get a centre console that looks just as sleek as the exterior of your car. Having said all this, I think moving the engine start/stop button from its current position behind the steering wheel onto the centre console would have helped overall ergonomics.
The 400W, 12-speaker Meridian premium sound system is only offered on the 'Dynamic HSE' variant of the Velar
And driving this Velar is just as effortless as navigating its infotainment system.
Its more compact dimensions compared to its stable mates make it easier to place on the road and to steer through tighter carparks. And the 245bhp 2.0-litre engine also hauls the Velar's 1,950kg with minimal strain, aided in part by an eight-speed gearbox that does not shy away from letting the revs build.
Push the car harder and this drivetrain delivers a pleasing snarl to boot, although those with a heavy right foot will find the Velar has a tendency to lurch forward when moving off from a standstill, and the fact that the steering wheel-mounted paddles don't work until you set the gearbox into its sportier shift pattern is likely to frustrate.
The Velar's 245bhp 2.0-litre engine makes light work of its 1,950kg weight, aided partly by a gearbox that is eager to let the rpms rise
It's a good thing then, that the Velar is so pleasing to cruise about in at a more relaxed pace. Equipped with air suspension (only available on 'Dynamic HSE' trim cars), it does a mighty fine job of mimicking the luxurious and pliant progress that's on offer in the firm's larger offerings, even if you're not nearly as well isolated from the engine's vocals.
Throw in the fact that there's a total of 748 litres of boot space available here, beating the 550 litres available in the BMW X3 and the 620 litres within the Mercedes-Benz GLC, and it looks mighty hard to beat.
So, should you get the Velar? Opt for this 'Dynamic HSE' variant at $361,888 before COE, and you'll be paying a sizeable premium above the $357,888 that the Mercedes-Benz GLC300 is asking for, or the $360,888 that it will cost to get the BMW X3 xDrive30i (both prices inclusive of COE and as of 17 January 2024). Both these rivals, however, don't quite offer the same exclusivity as the Velar, while their respective brands don't come with the same off-road pedigree that you get from a Range Rover.
The Velar continues to offer the premium driving experience of Land Rover's larger offerings, but at a lower price point and a more sensible price point
But for those who find that premium too much, a Velar 'S' also available here, that starts from a more palatable $298,888 before COE and makes do without luxurious touches including air suspension, Windsor leather seats, or a panoramic roof, amongst others. But it comes with the same infotainment system as well as all the safety features available in the car we drove here.
If it's a reasonably-sized Range Rover you're after alongside a reasonably-sized price tag, that would be the option to go for.
Looking for a premium compact SUV? There's also these options to consider:
The Lexus NX comes with a sleek new infotainment screen, and a linear 2.4-litre engine
Facelift (What's New)
Redesigned front grille, head lights, taillights and rear bumper
11.4-inch Pivi Pro infotainment system
Redesigned centre console
I'm not afraid to admit it. Driving both the Land Rover Range Rover and the Range Rover Sport proved to be rather nerve-wrecking exercises for this storyteller. Don't get me wrong, both cars are utterly serene and effortless on the open road.
But once you're at your destination and need to manoeuvre the car in a tight underground carpark, their sheer size as well as their tall shoulders do make judging available space difficult when you're trying the steer them through a tight corner.
This Range Rover Velar, however, always managed to feel just right.
The grille of the Velar has been redesigned, while at the rear, the car's tailpipes are now hidden away
While both the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport are entirely new vehicles, this Velar has arrived on our laps after having received a facelift.
The exterior changes can be hard to spot, but for those who must know, there's new head lights, which are now super-slim Pixel LED items, as well as new taillights. More important, I think, is the redesigned grille as well as the rear bumper that now hides the car's tailpipes.
Combined, these two changes give the Velar more than a striking resemblance to its two aforementioned stablemates - a touch I think all who love the imposing, minimalist, and slab-sidedness of both vehicles will appreciate.
The 11.4-inch Pivi Pro infotainment system now houses the air-conditioning controls, so the centre console can adopt a new minimalist design
But the most significant change to this new Velar comes in its cabin. Here, a new 11.4-inch Pivi Pro infotainment system now sits at the centre of the dashboard.
This system now houses all of the car's air-conditioning controls, so the centre console of the Velar now does away with the twin rotary dials employed in the firm's other vehicles.
We don't typically like the placement of air-conditioning controls within the infotainment screen of our cars, as it is typically the first thing we reach for here after starting up the engine. But it must be said, the execution here is hard to fault.
A shortcut column as well as the ability to change the air-conditioning settings quickly via buttons on either side of the screen makes the infotainment system easy to use
The infotainment system starts up quickly enough, and you only need to tap on the indicated temperature on either side of the screen to adjust the fan speed, or press and hold on the same and slide up or down to adjust the temperature.
I've found the rest of the infotainment system to be intuitive enough in the rest of the Land Rover lineup and it's the same case in this Velar. The home page here now even offers access to a new shortcut column that houses buttons to turn off the engine start/stop system, adjust the ride height, and set the air-conditioning to full blast - exactly the three controls I would have added myself.
And the other upside of this new infotainment system is that you now get a centre console that looks just as sleek as the exterior of your car. Having said all this, I think moving the engine start/stop button from its current position behind the steering wheel onto the centre console would have helped overall ergonomics.
The 400W, 12-speaker Meridian premium sound system is only offered on the 'Dynamic HSE' variant of the Velar
And driving this Velar is just as effortless as navigating its infotainment system.
Its more compact dimensions compared to its stable mates make it easier to place on the road and to steer through tighter carparks. And the 245bhp 2.0-litre engine also hauls the Velar's 1,950kg with minimal strain, aided in part by an eight-speed gearbox that does not shy away from letting the revs build.
Push the car harder and this drivetrain delivers a pleasing snarl to boot, although those with a heavy right foot will find the Velar has a tendency to lurch forward when moving off from a standstill, and the fact that the steering wheel-mounted paddles don't work until you set the gearbox into its sportier shift pattern is likely to frustrate.
The Velar's 245bhp 2.0-litre engine makes light work of its 1,950kg weight, aided partly by a gearbox that is eager to let the rpms rise
It's a good thing then, that the Velar is so pleasing to cruise about in at a more relaxed pace. Equipped with air suspension (only available on 'Dynamic HSE' trim cars), it does a mighty fine job of mimicking the luxurious and pliant progress that's on offer in the firm's larger offerings, even if you're not nearly as well isolated from the engine's vocals.
Throw in the fact that there's a total of 748 litres of boot space available here, beating the 550 litres available in the BMW X3 and the 620 litres within the Mercedes-Benz GLC, and it looks mighty hard to beat.
So, should you get the Velar? Opt for this 'Dynamic HSE' variant at $361,888 before COE, and you'll be paying a sizeable premium above the $357,888 that the Mercedes-Benz GLC300 is asking for, or the $360,888 that it will cost to get the BMW X3 xDrive30i (both prices inclusive of COE and as of 17 January 2024). Both these rivals, however, don't quite offer the same exclusivity as the Velar, while their respective brands don't come with the same off-road pedigree that you get from a Range Rover.
The Velar continues to offer the premium driving experience of Land Rover's larger offerings, but at a lower price point and a more sensible price point
But for those who find that premium too much, a Velar 'S' also available here, that starts from a more palatable $298,888 before COE and makes do without luxurious touches including air suspension, Windsor leather seats, or a panoramic roof, amongst others. But it comes with the same infotainment system as well as all the safety features available in the car we drove here.
If it's a reasonably-sized Range Rover you're after alongside a reasonably-sized price tag, that would be the option to go for.
Looking for a premium compact SUV? There's also these options to consider:
The Lexus NX comes with a sleek new infotainment screen, and a linear 2.4-litre engine
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- A New Exterior
- A Redesigned Cabin
- A Pleasant Drive
- An All Round Great
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