2024 Range Rover Velar

Land Rover started building SUVs long before they became rolling fashion accessories. But in 2018 when they were looking to expand their Range Rover lineup, they actually turned to Jaguar for a little help, basing their new Velar on Jag’s F-Pace. Well, it’s not time for an all-new Velar just yet, but they’re making sure this one stays fresh with a host of updates for ’24!

Reverse engineering is not something that usually happens over at Land Rover, but using this approach for their 2018 Range Rover Velar allowed them to quickly get an additional model into the blooming luxury SUV segment, as well as provide a more gradual middle-step between the Evoque and Range Rover Sport. Well, for 2024, the Velar gets a comprehensive makeover which adds a little more polish and refinement, plus a lot more tech.  

Range Rover calls the redesign “reductive”, and we can certainly see less busyness up front where the new face features more subtle air intakes, smoother bumper, and better integrated jewel-like LED headlights. Proportions remain long, low, and sleek, not tall and boxy like the range topping Range Rover, and it certainly stands out among the current crop of smaller 5-passenger luxury SUVs. A new rear bumper and diffuser setup gets rid of any visible exhaust tips down below; while above, LED taillights are modernized. The Velar was an early adopter of both the deploying door handle and floating roof trends which remain part of the aesthetics.  

Big updates for tech, adopting the large 11.4-inch curved glass screen from other Range Rovers, with an updated Pivi Pro infotainment. It certainly is cleaner than the dual screen setup it replaces, and despite the lack of any physical controls it still performed well. They have added some additional leather-free fabric options, and the available Meridian sound system not only cranks out some proper jams, but uses active noise cancellation. Throw in optional Air Purification Plus filtration for its roomy 2-row cabin and you can really isolate yourself from the outside world.

And that feeling does carry over to the driving too. On road, things are so serene we found it a little too easy to feel disconnected from the actual driving experience. Off-road, it performs smoothly too with a soft suspension that easily soaks up all but the worst ruts. Every Velar we’ve tested brushed off whatever we threw at it.

No additional power for ‘24, but this 3.0-liter inline-6 turbo with mild-hybrid assistance has been overdelivering since it replaced the original Velar’s supercharged V6 in 2021. Output; 395-horsepower and 405 lb-ft. of torque. With a very sensitive throttle, it delivered great power right off the line at our Mason Dixon test track. With standard all-wheel drive, there was plenty of grip for simple stress-free launches, quickly rocketing us to 60 in 5.6-seconds. 

A 247-horsepower 2.0-liter turbo-4 is the Velar’s standard engine and works with the same 8-speed automatic transmission as this 6-cylinder; shifts into 2nd and 3rd felt quick and forceful, and they smoothed out as shifts climbed. The I6 pulled consistently hard throughout the 14.2-second ¼-mile, which we finished at 98 miles-per-hour; feeling solid, stable, and most comfortable. 

We expected some body roll and understeer in our handling course, but there was good weight to the steering wheel, and quick response too.  The transmission was in a real hurry to upshift at the slightest lift of the throttle, so we used the steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters to keep it in a single gear throughout the exercise, which helped greatly.

Our first few panic braking runs were spot on with the calipers biting down hard after taking orders from the nice firm pedal. But after a few runs, some fade did set in. That soft suspension also allowed a fair amount of nosedive. Regardless overall results were very solid with short, straight stops of 111-feet from 60.

Government Fuel Economy Ratings are 19-City, 25-Highway, and 21-Combined; we saw 22.5 miles-per-gallon of Premium. Velar has a just slightly below average Energy Impact Score, using 14.2-barrels of oil yearly while emitting 6.9-tons of CO2 emissions. 

Pricing starts with a base 4-cylinder Velar P250 S at $62,775; 6-cylinder pricing starts at $71,875 for a P400 Dynamic SE.

Land Rover has often struggled to attract buyers to their lower level Range Rover offerings.  After all, if you want a Range Rover, you’re generally drawn to the flagship Range Rover. What you think of when you hear the brand’s name. We’re not sure even the nicely updated 2024 Range Rover Velar will be able to change that trend, but by all rights it should at least slow it! Indeed, the Velar is a gorgeous SUV packed full of tech, power, and Land Rover’s legendary capabilities. It’s just too fine an effort to be overlooked!