The Range Rover Velar comes with a choice of three engines. At the bottom of the range is a 2.0L 4-cylinder turbocharged unit making 247 horsepower. Even with the base engine, Land Rover claims the Velar will hit 60 mph in 6.4 seconds, making the Velar pretty quick with this engine. For drivers who need even more power, a 3.0L Supercharged V6 makes 340 hp, while an up-tuned version of the same engine makes 380 hp, good for 0-60 in 5.3 seconds. And of course, in keeping with tradition, the Velar is also available with a much more frugal diesel engine, a 2.0L 4-cylinder turbo making 180 hp and 317 lb-ft of torque. Power is sent to all four wheels via an 8-speed automatic transmission.
The Velar is available in two basic trims for 2020, base and R-Dynamic. Within those two trims, Land Rover offers several specification packs for a few of the trims, giving buyers a surprising bounty of choices.
At its core, the Range Rover Velar comes with 18-inch wheels, LED headlights, an 8-speaker, 250W sound system, heated mirrors, 10-way adjustable front seats and an Advanced Driver Assistance system which features an autonomous braking system, a lane departure warning system, a rearview camera and intelligent cruise control. The S package will add an 11-speaker sound system, perforated leather seats, auto-dimming and power folding outside mirrors with a clever approach light and bigger, 19-inch wheels.
The R-Dynamic comes with 20-inch wheels, a different front and rear bumper design, burnished copper accents for the interior, front fog lights and a 17-speaker 825W sound system.
Off-road Capabilities
Civilized On-road Manners
Luxurious Cabin Appointments
The Range Rover Velar powertrain lineup expands considerably this year with a new less-powerful V6 option. In addition, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are now standard. Other updates for this year include a standard air suspension system and bigger gas tank for V6 models.
The Velar looks like it should cost considerably more than its base price of around $50,000. That price plus its unique packaging means it does not have much company, even among compact luxury crossovers. While BMW has also attempted a similar combination of SUV coupe in the X4, the end results aren't nearly as cohesive as the Velar. Both models feature powerful 2.0L turbocharged engines, both make excellent fuel economy and both offer solid off-road capability without sacrificing road-going manners. Both the Velar and X4 offer high-performance variations with 3.0L V6 engines. The Velar does features more interior cargo room and at the end of the day, it looks better.
