Can the new Facelifted Range Rover Velar get any better?
Exterior – Front
So, with JLR facelifts at the moment, they haven’t been what you would call extravagant. The new Range Rover Velar is no exception. To start with you may not actually notice it is a facelift but look closer and you will spot some changes. To start with we get a new set of LED Pixel headlights with a new daytime running light graphic in it mimicking the bigger Range Rover Sport. Also taken from that car is a new grill mesh pattern. the bumper is the same as before though which does make this facelift discrete but there was nothing wrong with it in the first place. It does still look quite modern and in line with the rest of the lineup.
Exterior – Side
Moving round to the side and you will be welcomed with no changes. The colour options and wheel options are the same but again there was nothing wrong with those options from the pre facelift model.
Exterior – Rear
Moving round to the back and it is the same as the front really. You wouldn’t notice the facelift if the taillights were not on. This is because they have been updated to again look like the new Range Rover Sport removing the double U and replacing it with one U. the bumpers are the same as before, but the redesigned taillights are enough to make the rear feel newer than before.
Boot Size
So, lets have a look at the boot. Opening the electric tailgate and you are welcomed with the same 558 litre sized boot with the seats up and with the seats down it is 1,731 litres. This is on par with its rivals, but you can now order restraint rails as an option which help you tie down items in the boot to stop them moving for example suitcases. Let’s have a look at what engines you can have with the Range Rover Velar Facelift.
Car and engine specs and price
So, lets start with the engine that we have in our test car. This is called the P400e, and it uses a 2 litre 4-cylinder petrol engine with an electric motor with 141 bhp. It uses a 15.4 kWh battery pack giving this car a range of 33 miles. It also has 402 bhp with its power going to all 4 wheels through an automatic gearbox. Next up is a petrol engine called P250. This uses a 2 litre 4-cylinder engine giving this car 248 bhp and the power goes to all 4 wheels through an automatic gearbox. Next up is another petrol engine called P400. This has a mild hybrid setup using a 2-litre petrol engine giving this car 395 bhp. Just like the other petrol engine the power goes to all 4 wheels through an automatic gearbox. For the diesel range you can get a Diesel Mild Hybrid engine called D200. This again uses a 2-litre diesel unit with 202 bhp and it has its power going to all 4 wheels through an automatic gearbox. Next up is another diesel engine called the D300. This uses a 3-litre engine with 298 bhp and it is mild hybrid with 4-wheel drive and a automatic gearbox. The price of the Range Rover Velar facelift starts at £54,105 with our test vehicle starting at £72,480.
Interior – Design
So, climbing inside the new Range Rover Velar and you are welcomed with a tesla style interior. We have a new dashboard design that removes the old Touch Pro Duo system, and it has been replaced with this new curved infotainment system found in every other Jaguar and Land Rover Car. This system works well, and it is easy to use. It is a bit different from the other cars though as you may have noticed we don’t get any climate control knobs. Yes, the Range Rover Velar Facelift have the climate control on the screen. Personally, how it is laid out I am not a fan of, and I do whish it was a bar on the bottom of the screen but overall I would prefer knobs. Replacing the climate control nobs though has given us more storage in the centre console and a more minimalistic look which I am a fan of. The instrument cluster is the same as before and it is easily customisable and modern looking. We also get the same steering wheel as before with the same haptic buttons which again is a shame but some manufacturers are going back to physical so we can only hope. The overall fit and finish though is pretty good and the materials that are used are of very high quality. Let’s have a look at the rear seats.
Practicality
So, climbing into the back and the first thing you will notice that every Range Rover product has, and it is annoying is that the foot well slopes upwards making it awkward for your feet, but it also means there is less space for your feet under the seat. Anyway, legroom is decent and so is headroom for a 6-footer. Again, just like the front the rear materials are premium, and we also get some physical climate control knobs for the rear as well as an arm rest and rear heated seats.
Summary
So, in summary then what do I think of the new Range Rover Velar. Well, if we were to call it a facelift, I would expect slightly more on the outside, but the inside has made up for this to make it feel new and modern and the overall car has been renewed for another 4 years till it is replaced by an all new electric model.
Exterior 4/5
Interior 4/5
Practicality 4/5
Total 14/15
Model | Range Rover Velar Dynamic HSE P400e |
Price | From £72,535 |
Engine | 2.0 Litre 4 Cylinder Petrol, 402 bhp, 4 Wheel Drive |
Transmission | 8 Speed Automatic |
On Sale | Now |
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