2019 Range Rover Velar Review, Pricing, and Specs (2024)

Overview

Compact luxury crossovers are a cliquey bunch. Porsche's Macan is the hot hatch, Mercedes-Benz's GLC-class is the luxury choice, and Audi's Q5 is the nondescript sales winner. Land Rover's Range Rover Velar is the stylish one, leveraging Range Rover's signature rectilinearity against slim lights and a tapering roof for visual pop. Two new touchscreen displays dazzle occupants and drastically reduce the number of hard buttons in the cabin. All-wheel drive and a turbocharged four-cylinder engine are standard; a diesel four-cylinder and a supercharged V-6 are available.

What's New for 2019?

The lovely 2019 Velar's sophom*ore year is marked by some slight tweaks to its available content and a larger, 21.6-gallon fuel tank. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are available for the first time and are bundled together in the Smartphone Pack package and the Velar's Premium Textile interior upholstery can now be ordered as a standalone option. The Driver Assistance package bundles together last year's Drive Pro, Park, and Park Pro packages into an all-inclusive driver-assistance feature bundle which includes automated emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control with active steering assist, and a self-parking feature. A high-performance SVAutobiography model will join the Velar lineup for the 2020 model year.

Pricing and Which One to Buy

The 2019 Velar can be powered by either a turbocharged 2.0-liter gasoline-fed four-cylinder, a 2.0-liter diesel-powered four, or a supercharged 3.0-liter V-6. Given the V-6's coarseness and the Velar's overall emphasis on style rather than performance, we'd stick with the gas turbo four and spring for the mid-level P250 R-Dynamic SE. That's a mouthful, but it nets buyers a decent mix of style and features such as 20-inch wheels, leather seats, a 17-speaker Meridian audio system, power rear liftgate, and in-dash navigation.

Engine, Transmission, Performance, and Towing

Likes: Quick with the V-6, high maximum towing capacity, standard all-wheel drive.
Dislikes: Lethargic four-cylinder engine, gritty-sounding V-6 and diesel, feels heavy on the road.

Unlike Goldilocks's home invasion, shopping for a Velar does not offer a "just right" powertrain combination. Every model uses an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive, but one must pair those items with one of three flawed engines. The base 247-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder is well behaved enough, but it struggles to move the Velar's substantial heft. The available 180-hp diesel four-cylinder makes up for its more relaxed power delivery with its substantial torque, but its clattery soundtrack disappointingly penetrates past the Velar's dash despite the rest of the cabin's isolation from the outside world. Ditto the supercharged 3.0-liter V-6, which is powerful but drinks plenty of fuel and transmits a gritty song through the dash, too. The V-6 managed a 5.7-second run from zero to 60 mph in our testing; our long-term test vehicle was powered by the turbocharged four-cylinder and needed 7.4 seconds to hit 60 mph. The Velar has a tow rating of 5512 pounds.

Much like the Velar's acceleration, its handling is by no means sporty. The suspension ably controls the SUV's body motions and keeps body roll in check while returning a firm, well-managed ride. Models equipped with the available air suspension can raise and lower their ride height for either more dynamic moves on-road or greater dexterity off it.

Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG

The Velar's weight likely is to blame for the turbocharged four-cylinder gas engine's being just 3 mpg better (23 mpg combined) than the more powerful supercharged V-6 option. Our Velar test vehicle with the V-6 was a laggard with a posted 22 mpg in our real-world highway fuel-economy test. That's 2 mpg short of the EPA's highway estimate; with the turbocharged four-cylinder we managed 26 mpg.

Interior, Infotainment, and Cargo

Likes: Modern and stylish interior, slick dual-screen infotainment system, loads of cargo space.
Dislikes: Too few physical controls, glitchy infotainment software, high lift-over height into the cargo area.

Dig modern architecture? You'll probably like the Velar's clean-cut interior, which is rendered largely from horizontal lines and bold rectilinear forms. Oh, and the materials used throughout are high quality and deployed in interesting ways. Take the door trim: Instead of using a spear of wood or carbon fiber inlaid into the upper part of the door panels, Land Rover adds the owner's choice of wood or metal into the section of the door between the upper and lower panels. Our test vehicle featured aluminum trim, and every Velar has excellent detailing throughout.

Of course, we'd be remiss if we discussed the interior without tipping our caps to the wildly futuristic-looking dual dashboard touchscreen displays. Their fonts and on-screen graphics make a strong visual statement that matches the cabin's modern vibe, even if their functionality could be smoother. Land Rover calls its infotainment system InControl Touch Pro Duo, and it's standard on every Velar. It includes Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, voice control, eight speakers, an auxiliary audio-input jack, and two USB ports. A better audio system with more speakers, navigation, and SiriusXM satellite radio requires additional options or a move up through the Velar's trim levels.

Pretty can actually be practical. The Velar's generally boxy shape and visually pleasing rear overhang—bodywork that extends behind the rear wheels—combine to swallow more carry-on suitcases than its immediate competitors with its rear seats up or folded. We fit 10 of our carry-on suitcases behind the rear seats and 23 with all seats folded.

Safety and Driver-Assistance Features

Land Rover makes available the latest driver-assistance technologies such as automated emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control on the Velar. Neither the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration nor the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has tested the Velar for crash worthiness. Key safety features include:

• Standard automated emergency braking
• Standard lane-departure warning
• Available adaptive cruise control

Warranty and Maintenance Coverage

The Velar's four-year, 50,000-mile limited warranty is pretty much par for the course among its competitors. Interestingly, Jaguar's mechanically similar F-Pace carries both a stronger warranty and a five-year, 60,000-mile complimentary scheduled maintenance plan; the latter is something that Land Rover only offers as a dealer add-on.

• Limited warranty covers 4 years or 50,000 miles
• Powertrain warranty covers 4 years or 50,000 miles
• No complimentary scheduled maintenance