Climbing into the driver's seat of the all-new Range Rover is like stepping up to a throne. And that's just the beginning of one of the most regal driving experiences on the road today because, no matter if you're bashing through the outback or lumbering through traffic jams, you simply can't help but feel like the king of the road in the latest fourth-generation Rangie.
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For starters, it's a big car. Actually, it's a massive car, measuring almost five metres long, two metres wide and – although it's heavily raked windscreen and sloping roofline make it 20mm lower than its predecessor – it still stands 1.85m tall (and that's with the adjustable air suspension at its lowest, carparking, height to ease entry and egress).
It would be an imposing sight to have a Rangie bearing down on you in the rear view mirror. But, despite its size and commanding driving position that has you peering over the roof of even small SUVs, it's hardly an intimidating car to drive.
The five-seater cabin in our TDV6 test car was fitted with second-tier Vogue specification that includes heated 12-way adjustable leather front seats with Captain's Chair-style armrests, a heated leather steering wheel, three-zone climate control and an eight-inch touch screen with Bluetooth phone and audio streaming, sat-nav and digital TV.
And, although there are more luxurious appointments in the HSE and Autobiography levels above it, the Vogue's cabin is still an extremely special place to sit. The seats are both generous and supportive, the fully-digital TFT instrument panel and touch-screen audio offer both clarity in use and high-tech functionality, and the rich mix of leather, dark wood trim and brushed aluminium all add up to make the Rangie feel more like a limousine than an agricultural off-roader.
There are some nice touches, such as rubber surrounds on the aircon and audio dials, as well as the rotating gear selector that rises from the centre console, which hark back to its more utilitarian roots.
The optional 825W Meridian audio system, which costs $2270 and was fitted to our test car, is one of the best in the business, with near-perfect staging and clarity, even at ear-bursting volumes. It's epic, but be warned that you'll get plenty of confused looks in traffic with the amount of bass booming through its privacy glass windows.
While this fourth-generation is only marginally larger in overall dimensions to its predecessor, its radical all-aluminium monocoque architecture (the first time such construction methods have been used on an SUV of any scale) has allowed Land Rover to improve the overall packaging of the Range Rover.
The extended wheelbase has increased space for rear-seat passengers – which is generous enough, but not in the same league as conventional large limousines – and has provided more cargo-carrying capacity, with 909 litres of storage space accessible by the traditional split-folding rear tailgate.
The 3.0-litre turbo diesel V6 might be the entry-level engine, but it works magnificently well in the Rangie. Its 190kW maximum power output sounds like it would struggle to shift its 2160kg kerb weight. But, considering it produces an impressive 600Nm from just 2000rpm – just 100Nm less than the larger 250kW 4.4-litre turbo diesel V8 and only 25Nm less than the heroic 375kW supercharged 5.0-litre petrol V8 – it does so with consummate ease, revving smoothly and with minimal turbo lag.
The ratio spread in the sublime-shifting eight-speed automatic gearbox also helps access the torque perfectly with swift acceleration from standstill and effortless overtaking ability at highway speeds. But its trump card is its amazing fuel economy. Land Rover claims the TDV6 has a combined average fuel consumption of just 7.5L/100km, and it is not difficult to record levels under 10L/100km in normal city conditions.
A key to the Range Rover's improved efficiency is that the aluminium construction has helped shaved more than 400kg from its kerb weight compared to the last model. You can feel that weight reduction in the way it handles, too. The steering still doesn't offer car-like levels of precision, despite our car riding on 21-inch alloy wheels with hybrid on-road/off-road tyres, and the soft air suspension makes the Rangie pitch heavily under brakes and roll through heavy cornering. But it does provide a level of comfort – not to mention serious off-road credentials – that is unmatched in this class.
At $178,900 plus on-road and dealer costs, the Range Rover TDV6 isn't a cheap car and costs about the same price as the entry-level limousines from its German rivals. But if you're looking for go-anywhere royalty, it is still the king.
