Auto Trader Ten Point Test: Range Rover

Model tested: Range Rover Vogue SE
Price as tested:  £73,000
Range price: £55,075 - £74,795
Insurance group as tested: 17
Insurance group range: 14 -17
Tested: September 2006
Road tester: Adrian Higgins

 

Auto Trader Ten Point Test rating: 88%

 

The new supercharged Range Rover promises style, comfort, performance and fun – all in a capable off-roader.

The wheels of choice for everyone from Hollywood A-listers to well-heeled school-run mums comes with quite a price tag, but is it worth it?

We put one through its paces for a week to find out.

 

Looks | Looks Inside | Practicality | Ride and Handling | Performance
Running Costs | Reliability | Safety | Equipment | X-Factor

 

 

1. Looks

 

The Rangey’s big and clever. This is an imposing vehicle which looks fantastic. Once the preserve of the rich landed classes, the Range Rover is now as favoured by the Hollywood elite as its traditional buyers. It’s easy to see why with stylish looks which manage to be subtle and eye-catching at the same time. Conspicuous consumption that doesn’t look “flash”. How did they do that?
9/10

 

 

2. Looks inside

 

Serene. The Vogue SE model we drove featured swathes of leather and wood all thrown together with the utmost taste and style. It’s a nice place to sit. The dashboard ranks with the best ever – and that’s not just because of the TV screen in the middle, or the ones in the electrically adjustable headrests.
9/10

 

3. Practicality

 

We cunningly arranged our loan to coincide with a house move. Which was nice – especially with the 2091 litres of boot space. It is massive, and a split tailgate – the top and bottom halves can open separately means access is a doddle. Fill the car with passengers and everyone should be pretty happy with their allotted space. Land Rover boasts this is the world’s most luxurious SUV, but its workhorse history ensures it does a job too. And, of course, that practicality includes outstanding 4x4 capability with the ability to raise or lower the ride height.
9/10

 

4. Ride and Handling

 

Speed bumps pah! The ride is incredible and there’s little that the Range Rover can’t take in its enormous stride. Our passengers told us the ride was so comfortable it felt like sitting in a first class railway carriage rather than a car. A nine-hour return trip between Liverpool and London left us feeling we had plenty more miles in us before weariness would have crept in. However, the sheer size of the Range Rover means there’s some body roll to contend with.
9/10

 

5. Performance

 

Land Rover says the 4.2-litre Supercharged V8 model is the most powerful and refined Range Rover ever built. It’s a beast. You’ll hit 60mph in just 7.1 seconds and the top speed is 130mph. This is backed by a whopping 390bhp engine and the option to channel that power via the automatic or semi-automatic gears. Other options are the three-litre V6 diesel and the regular (non-supercharged) V8 petrol version.
10/10

 

6. Running Costs

 

OUCH. For in-town Chelsea Tractor driving, the Range Rover gobbles a gallon every 12.6 miles. Venture into the open countryside and you should get 23.1 mpg. Either way a trip to the petrol station will require a stiff upper lip and deep pockets. The tax will set you back £210 a year and a high insurance group also comes at a price.  However, owners can console themselves with a three year, unlimited mileage warranty. Watch out for that depreciation too, as tens of thousands of pounds slide off the value in the first year.
6/10

 

 

7. Reliability

 

The outgoing model suffered engine and air suspension problems but these seem to have been eradicated in this spanking new version, The Range Rover is an extremely well put together car and the warranty will cover you for three years. But should something go wrong after that it probably won’t be the cheapest garage bill you’ve ever paid.
8/10

 

 

8. Safety

 

There are eight airbags and drivers’ aids include ABS Brakes and Emergency Brake Assist. The Range Rover achieved a EuroNCAP rating of four stars. The lofty driving position helps keep you of trouble in the first place.
8/10

 

 

9. Equipment

 

There are four trim levels. We drove the top of the range Supercharged Vogue SE and enjoyed great features including a rear camera for parking, TV, with screens set in the head rests for the rear passengers, enabling this test driver’s wife to enjoy ITV’s The X-Factor while I drove (TV is not screened in the front while the car is moving for legal and common sense reasons). Plus there’s a six-disc DVD auto-changer, superb Harman/Kardon surround system and sat-nav with the option to view in 3-D.
10/10

 

 

10. X-Factor

This is the car of the moment, the vehicle of choice for pampered princesses and gold-teeth packin’ rappers – and us if we had the cash. Best of all the Range Rover has the star quality to ensure there is the substance to back up the style.
10/10

Rivals:
you might want to consider:
Mitsubishi Shogun
Toyota Rav-4
BMW X5

Read more car reviews