2014 Land Rover Range Rover

SUPER ABILITIES
It may not leap tall buildings, but the 2014 Range Rover can sure scale other objects. When elevated nearly a foot via air suspension, this SUV can clamber over obstacles or wade through creeks. Low-range gearing and Terrain Response, meanwhile, can make off-road amateurs look like pros.

ON-ROAD COMFORT
There’s an old yarn about how a Land Rover is most often the first vehicle seen by remote populations because it’s the only one that can reach them. But the 2014 Range Rover’s quiet, supple highway ride is equally stellar.

Though tough on the outside, the 2014 Range Rover's interior is soft and luxurious. Two rows of seats hold five passengers, with plenty of cargo room in back. Rear legroom is much better than past models, and the front seats offer a commanding view. Leather seating is standard, with plusher Oxford leather available. Even the cloud-like headrests will make you feel like royalty. Range Rover Autobiography editions take lux to the extreme with semi-aniline leather and an available Executive Class Seating which replaces the 3-passenger bench with a pair of deeply sculpted seats that both recline and massage.

Totally revamped the prior year for its 4th-generation debut, the 2014 Range Rover is slightly bigger than its predecessors but a whole lot lighter. At 196.8 inches in length – shorter than a full-size sedan – it is still relatively easy to maneuver. Though sleeker and with contemporary flair seen in places like its headlight and taillight housings, the Range Rover retains the boxy design that has been inherent to its rugged looks since 1970. Those blocky aesthetics also translate to good cargo space and excellent visibility from within. Below the paint is a unibody structure made of aluminum that has helped shed up to 700 pounds versus the previous generation.

Options for the 2014 Range Rover vary with trim level and are abundant. The Vision Assist package includes a surround camera system, blind-spot monitoring, and the Terrain Response 2 system. Yet-louder and more primo Meridian sound systems are available, including one that will please the most discerning audiophile with 1,700-watts of bliss pumping from 29 speakers. Other extras of note include executive 4-passenger seating in Autobiography models, 4-zone climate control, and heated/ventilated front and rear seats with a massage feature. Driving aids include adaptive cruise control, parallel-park assist, and an active rear locking differential.


Under the Hood (50-125 words + hp/mileage modules)
A new engine powers base Range Rover and HSE models for 2014: a 3.0-liter supercharged V6 that replaces the previous naturally aspirated V8. The new, smaller engine has 35 less horsepower than the outgoing V8, but better fuel economy. Still, at an estimated 18 mpg combined, the V6-powered Range Rover isn't exactly a fuel miser. The Supercharged and Autobiography trims retain a very powerful – and thirsty – supercharged 5.0-liter V8 engine. All 2014 Range Rover models use an 8-speed ZF automatic transmission and have a defeatable engine start/stop function to eke out better fuel economy. The tow rating for all models is a commendable, if random-sounding, 7,716 pounds.

3.0-liter supercharged V6
340 horsepower @ 6,500
332 lb-ft of torque @ 3,500-5,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy, est.: 16/22

5.0-liter supercharged V8
510 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm
461 lb-ft of torque @ 2,500 rpm
2013 EPA city/highway fuel economy: 13/19 mpg
(2014 model's EPA rating is still to be announced)