Used 2018 Land Rover Range Rover Velar

Sandwiched between the Evoque and the Sport, Land Rover’s all-new Range Rover Velar is sportier and more modern than both. Its beautiful exterior is bolstered by the elegant, tech-friendly interior, with the same level of quality materials Range Rover owners have come to expect. The Velar has its quirks, but is sporty on-road without losing the trademark Range Rover off-road capability. It’s also one of the few SUVs sold in America that’s available with a diesel engine. Few luxury SUVs offer the combination of features and capabilities of the Velar, and this Range Rover’s size falls somewhere between small- and midsize-luxury SUVs, so buyers may want to look at vehicles in both categories, such as the Porsche Macan or Cayenne, Jaguar F-Pace and Mercedes-Benz GLC.

The base Velar’s 2.0-liter turbo gas engine isn’t a rocket, but it feels spry and quick off the line and has almost as much torque as the available supercharged V6. That V6 offers a good amount of power, but it comes standard with electronic air suspension, a feature that adds noticeable weight to the vehicle while not providing as intuitive a feel of the road, especially when cornering. If you want to tow or go off-road, the air suspension is worthwhile — the Velar is more capable off-road than you might think. Otherwise, the standard suspension offers a much more engaging drive and a suppler ride. The sweetest spot in the lineup is with the 2.0-liter turbodiesel. It’s the ideal mix of effortless power and impressive fuel economy. If you don’t like diesel, you can select the gas 4-cylinder and be perfectly happy.

The Velar’s cabin brings together an elegant, simple layout, high-quality materials, and the most modern amenities available in a Range Rover to date. With the ignition off, you see a clean, tasteful layout with contrasting dark and light hues plus brushed-aluminum accents. Leather is standard, but if you prefer an alternative material, there’s a Kvadrat interior, a mix of textile and Suedecloth inserts. Push the start button, and what seemed like blank spaces illuminate for the digital gauge cluster in front of the driver, and the InControl Touch Pro Duo infotainment and climate control in the center stack.

Lower and more swept back than the Range Rover and more streamlined than the Sport, the Velar has fewer body lines and is the sleekest vehicle in the Range Rover line. In fact, the new Velar was awarded 2018 World Car Design of the Year honors. Making the side profile even cleaner are the flush door handles, which come out when you unlock the vehicle. (They have been tested to ensure that they can open even when caked in 0.15 inch of ice.) Narrow LED headlights define the front end, and you can get wheels up to 22 inches in diameter.

TOUCH-SCREEN CONTROLS
The InControl Touch Pro Duo infotainment system allows you to tap and swipe on the top high-resolution 10-inch center screen, as if you were using a tablet or smartphone. It also lets you organize the digital gauge cluster. Climate control is easy to control through a second 10-inch screen and dials.

TRACTION TECH
Features like Terrain Response 2, hill-descent control, an active locking rear differential, and the optional air suspension make exploring the backcountry a low-stress adventure. It also gives the Velar more off-road prowess than its styling would suggest.

All Velars come standard with all-wheel drive, 5-passenger layout and an 8-speed automatic transmission. The base Velar comes with the 2.0-liter turbocharged gas engine. It has heated power-folding side mirrors, a tailgate that can open with a gesture, Terrain Response, trailer-stability assist, torque vectoring, hill-launch assist and hill-descent control, autonomous emergency braking, rear parking aid, and lane-departure warning. Inside, there are 10-way-power seats and an 8-speaker sound system. The Velar rides on 18-inch wheels.

Move all the way up the ladder to the First Edition, and you get the supercharged V6 and air suspension, an on/off-road package that includes Terrain Response 2, a configurable dynamic mode, and more; adaptive cruise control with intelligent emergency braking, park assist that takes care of parallel and perpendicular parking, 360-degree parking assist, a 1,600-watt Meridian surround-sound audio system, and 20-way-power front seats, with all five spots covered in perforated Windsor leather. The windshield is heated and 22-inch wheels are available.

The Range Rover Velar is one of the few SUVs that’s available with a turbodiesel engine. There are three engines you can choose from. In addition to the 2.0-liter turbodiesel, considered the midrange engine in terms of price and power, there are also a 2.0-liter gas-powered turbocharged 4-cylinder and a 3.0-liter supercharged gas V6. All three are backed by an 8-speed automatic. The turbodiesel offers the best fuel economy, followed by the gas four and then the V6. All-wheel drive is standard.

2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4
247 horsepower @ 5,500 rpm
269 lb-ft of torque @ 1,200-4,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 21/27 mpg

2.0-liter turbocharged diesel inline-4
180 horsepower @ 4,000 rpm
317 lb-ft of torque @ 1,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 26/30 mpg

3.0-liter supercharged V6
380 horsepower @ 6,500 rpm
332 lb-ft of torque @ 3,500-5,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 18/24 mpg