Let’s begin with some background. India’s Tata Motors owns Jaguar and Land Rover. Historically, they’ve been vehicle brands. But now, a new entity called JLR forms a corporate umbrella over Jaguar and the three Land Rover sub-brands, including Defender, Discovery, and Range Rover. So, this review is about the 2024 Range Rover Velar. The name Land Rover remains in spirit, relegated to an emblem on the 2024 Velar model’s new grille.
It’s been a minute since we last published a Range Rover Velar review. The midsize, two-row luxury SUV debuted in 2018, and since then, the Velar has seen many changes. Here’s the summary:
In addition to the new brand strategy, the 2024 Range Rover Velar lineup differs. The SUV comes in S, Dynamic SE, and Dynamic HSE trim, with a turbocharged four-cylinder (P250) or a mild-hybrid turbocharged six-cylinder (P400) engine. As of this writing, the Dynamic HSE remains unavailable in the U.S. market.
As you can see, though the Velar is now seven years old, regular updates have kept the SUV fresh. In this 2024 Velar review, we’ll focus on the most substantial updates since the last test drive and how they potentially impact its overall consumer appeal.
Photo: Christian Wardlaw
The Range Rover Velar competes in the Midsize Premium SUV market segment. According to data collected from verified new-vehicle buyers for the JD Power 2023 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study, Midsize Premium SUV owners rated their vehicles in 10 primary categories.
Listed below in descending order, you’ll find their preferences, from what they like most about their vehicles to what they like least:
Due to a low sample size, the Range Rover Velar did not rank in the 2023 APEAL Study.
In the following sections, our independent expert analyzes a 2024 Range Rover Velar Dynamic SE P400 equipped with the following options:
The test vehicle’s price was $80,533, including the $1,275 destination charge.
Photo: Christian Wardlaw
The 2024 Range Rover Velar’s exterior styling shows minor modifications to the grille, lighting, and wheels. The most impactful change is the rear bumper, restyled to emphasize the SUV’s width. The changes work, making the Velar look wider and lower instead of taller and thinner.
Inside, the new 11.4-inch touchscreen infotainment system floats in front of the dashboard like a ghostly iPad. Beneath it, a new center console design eliminates all controls except for the transmission shifter. The look is clean, but it sure would be nice to have a beautifully crafted knob to control stereo volume and radio tuning. The 2024 Velar desperately needs one.
One of the new colors for 2024 is the Cloud over Ebony leather combination in the photo above. In addition, starting in 2024, you can also get a Kvadrat wool and textile blend in your Velar if you prefer animal-free upholstery. That material looks terrific in Volvos, so I’m sure it would also appeal to Range Rover customers.
Range Rover claims it has revised the 2024 Velar’s Pivi Pro infotainment system to put 80 percent of all tasks within two taps of the home screen. In addition, quick-access shortcuts are more widely available as a main tile on the configurable home page or as icons along the perimeter of the display. Pivi Pro also adds wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, and integrated Amazon Alexa, while the Online Pack of connected services continues.
All these things are true, and Pivi Pro is better than before. The tech is more agreeable from the screen size and feature access to the seamless ability to wirelessly connect your smartphone and charge it in the hidden storage compartment underneath the touchscreen.
However, I still find it frustrating to use.
It didn’t help that the test vehicle’s Online Pack wasn’t active, and since I don’t have an Amazon account (incredible, I know), I couldn’t use Amazon Alexa. That left me to futz around with the basic voice recognition technology.
Fortunately, Apple CarPlay and Siri handled my navigation needs by voice commands. Otherwise, the Velar’s lack of climate and stereo controls was a source of irritation without a helpful digital voice assistant to quickly execute spoken commands.
Photo: Christian Wardlaw
In 2022, the Velar added Adaptive Cruise Control with Steer Assist to its advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS) menu. It pairs the adaptive cruise control system with lane-centering assistance to create a hands-on, Level 2, semi-autonomous driving aid.
I extensively tested this technology on the coastal highways, rural farm roads, and freeways of Ventura County in Southern California and came away unimpressed.
The adaptive cruise control works fine but takes too long to recognize a vehicle that has cut into the gap ahead. Steer Assist was a struggle in curves, puzzling over turn lanes and freeway exit and entrance ramps, and requiring regular overrides from the driver to correct course. I disliked using it, and the Velar was far more pleasurable to drive without it.
In 2021, the Velar dropped its supercharged V6 and V8 engines in favor of turbocharged inline six-cylinder powerplants equipped with 48-volt mild-hybrid technology. Range Rover applies a P400 designation to this engine this year, which cranks out 394 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque. According to the automaker, it scoots the 2024 Velar to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds and can tow just over 5,500 pounds of braked trailer.
Yes, the Velar is quick, and the engine, eight-speed automatic transmission, all-wheel-drive system, and adaptive damping suspension behave best when set to Dynamic mode, and you drive with enthusiasm. Range Rovers are known for their off-roading prowess, so the Velar Dynamic SE P400’s handling on a writhing mountain road is impressive.
On the highway, the Velar effortlessly accelerates to freeway speeds and passes slower vehicles like they’re sitting still. In Comfort mode, the ride quality is supple, and the SUV is quiet, with little powertrain, road, or wind noise encroaching on the cabin.
In urban driving situations, the Velar P400 is less delightful. The automatic engine stop/start system suffers from rough engagement, the power delivery is sometimes uneven, and the brakes can feel sticky. In Comfort mode, the Velar exhibits noticeable acceleration squat, brake dive, and body roll. You must use deliberate, fine-tuned inputs to drive a Velar smoothly in the city.
As for the mild-hybrid’s fuel economy, I averaged 19.5 mpg on my evaluation loop, falling short of the EPA’s official rating of 21 mpg in combined driving.
Photo: Christian Wardlaw
Range Rover sells four SUVs: Evoque, Velar, Sport, and Range Rover. Of this quartet, the Velar appeals to me the most.
Competitive prices pit it directly against rivals like the BMW X4 and BMW X5, Jaguar F-Pace, Maserati Grecale, Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe and GLE SUV, and Porsche Macan. It looks great, inside and out. It offers good comfort for four adults and decent cargo space. It has more off-roading capability than alternatives in the segment. And it drives remarkably well when you want to have some fun.
Fault lines appear with the technology. The infotainment system isn’t as user-friendly as BMW iDrive 8.0, or Mercedes Benz User Experience (MBUX), and the Steer Assist lane-centering assistance system is impossible to trust, heightening driver stress instead of reducing it.
Christian Wardlaw is a veteran automotive journalist with nearly 30 years of experience in test-driving vehicles. In addition to JDPower.com, his work has appeared in numerous new- and used-car buying guides, newspapers, and automotive industry trade journals.
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