Land Rover unveiled the facelifted Range Rover Velar, freshening up its style and technology for 2023. While exterior changes are hard to spot, the interior has been overhauled and the PHEV variant got a larger battery resulting in an increased range.
The Range Rover Velar was originally introduced in 2017 and was updated in 2020. This time however changes are more significant, in a quest to spark customer interest in the sleek SUV that fills the gap between the Evoque and the Range Rover Sport.
Starting with the exterior, the Velar is still handsome after six years, so its designers limited their input to small details. Those include the redesigned Pixel LED headlight graphics, the new grille pattern inspired by the new Range Rover, the “super LED” taillights, and the slightly different diffuser/skid plate on the rear bumper. Finally, the color palette has been expanded with the addition of the new Metallic Varesine Blue and Premium Metallic Zadar Grey shades.
Read: 2023 Range Rover SV Carmel Edition Is A $345,000 Ultra-Exclusive, Ultra-Luxury SUV
Interior changes are a lot more significant, as the dual touchscreen layout of the outgoing Velar has been replaced by a cleaner and more modern design for the center console. The centerpiece is the new 11.4-inch curved glass touchscreen which now integrates all functions, including the climate controls. Thus, the Velar has no physical controls of any kind, apart from the ones mounted on the steering wheel. According to Land Rover, 80% of the tasks can be performed within two taps of the home screen. The system is compatible with over-the-air updates, bringing improvements to the Pivi Pro7 infotainment, navigation, onboard diagnostics, chassis and powertrain.
Land Rover brags that the Velar has the quietest cabin in its segment thanks to the available Active Road Noise Cancellation feature of the optional Meridian 3D Surround Sound System with 17 speakers. Furthermore, the Cabin Air Purification Plus filtration system will ensure that the air is perfectly clean.
The Kvadrat wool blends and Ultrafabrics polyurethane textiles offer a leather-free option for the upholstery, while those who still want leather can get it in new colors (Cloud, Caraway, Raven Blue, and Deep Garnet). Depending on the trim, the Velar can be specced with Moonlight Chrome or Satin Burnished Copper accents on the steering wheel and the dashboard. Besides the pictured Shadow Grey Ash wood veneer trim on the center console, owners can opt for aluminum with Technical Light Anodised or Dark Anodised finish.
Improved PHEV, Carry-Over Petrol And Diesel Options
The plug-in hybrid Range Rover Velar P400e has been upgraded with a new 19.2 kWh lithium-ion battery (up from 13.6 kWh). As a result, the EV range is now up to 64 km (40 miles) in the WLTP cycle, representing an increase of 11 km (7 miles) compared to its predecessor. The new battery is also compatible with rapid DC charging, going from 0-80% in 30 minutes when plugged into a 50 kW charger. A full charge takes 2.5 hours from a standard 7 kW AC charger.
The rest of the powertrain lineup includes petrol and diesel options, with most of them featuring 48-Volt mild-hybrid tech and all of them exclusively mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox sending power to all four wheels. All of the six-cylinder and PHEV trims come standard with Adaptive Dynamics (active suspension), while the Electronic Air Suspension is optional. More specifically, the range comprises the following variants:
P250: 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol with 247 hp (184 kW / 250 PS) and 365 Nm (269 lb-ft) of torque
P340: 3.0-litre six-cylinder petrol MHEV with 335 hp (250 kW / 340 PS) and 480 Nm (354 lb-ft) of torque
P400: 3.0-litre six-cylinder petrol MHEV with 395 hp (294 kW / 400 PS) and 550 Nm (406 lb-ft) of torque
P400e: 2.0 four-cylinder petrol and single electric motor PHEV with a combined 398 hp (297 kW / 404 PS) and 640 Nm (472 lb-ft) of torque
D200: 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel MHEV with 201 hp (150 kW / 204 PS) and 430 Nm (317 lb-ft) of torque
D300: 3.0-litre six-cylinder diesel MHEV with 296 hp (221 kW / 300 PS) and 650 Nm (479 lb-ft) of torque
The 2024 Range Rover Velar is already available to order in the UK, Europe, and Australia. In the UK, the updated Velar is priced between £54,045 ($66,600) and £79,825 ($98,369), while in Australia pricing ranges between AU$106,150 ($75,093) and AU$157,900 ($111,702).
In The U.S., prices range from $61,500 for the 2.0L turbo model to $78,400 for the 3.0-liter six-cylinder variant.
