Range Rover 2026 review | Still the definitive luxury SUV

What is the Range Rover?

The Range Rover is the original full-size luxury SUV, and remains the model that defines Land Rover’s most upmarket offering. Since its launch in 1970, it has combined genuine off-road capability with long-distance comfort and a high-end interior. It remains one of the most recognisable premium cars on UK roads.

In today’s line-up, the Range Rover sits at the top of the Land Rover range. Models such as the Discovery and Defender may have edged further upmarket, but the Range Rover is even more luxurious – and prices reflect this. As a result, it not only competes with large luxury SUVs like the BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS, but also more expensive alternatives such as the Bentley Bentayga.

The Range Rover comes with four-wheel drive as standard across the range, along with the latest version of Land Rover’s Terrain Response system. UK buyers can choose from a mix of petrol and diesel engines with mild-hybrid assistance, powerful petrol V8s and plug-in hybrids that are capable of covering a significant distance on electric power.

Both standard- and long-wheelbase versions of the Range Rover are available, with the latter also offered in a seven-seat layout. This allows buyers to prioritise either outright luxury and rear-seat space, or a little more versatility for family use, without stepping down to a different model. At the top of the ladder, the flagship Range Rover SV costs north of £160,000 – and that’s before you have perused the options list.

How practical is it?

The Range Rover is a very large vehicle, which translates into excellent space for passengers and luggage. With five seats in place, the boot offers 818 litres in both the standard- and long-wheelbase versions – a figure that makes it one of the most practical cars in the luxury SUV class. In the long-wheelbase seven-seat variant, luggage capacity behind the second row increases to 857 litres, although using the third row reduces the load area to just 212 litres.

The trademark split tailgate remains a useful feature. An optional multi-functional boot floor can be fitted, which doubles as a loadspace divider to keep items from moving about in transit and, when folded out, serves as a seat back for anyone sitting on the lowered tailgate. There’s also an optional Tailgate Event Suite, which adds extra lighting and speakers to enhance comfort and atmosphere at outdoor gatherings.

There’s an abundance of space in the middle-row seats, even in the standard wheelbase Range Rover, while the long-wheelbase version has true limousine levels of legroom. The seven-seater also provides plush accommodation for full-sized adults in the third row, but you won’t have all that much luggage space with all the seats in use. The BMW X7 fares better here if that’s a concern, but it’s worth pointing out that the seven-seat Range Rover is more comfortable with all its seats in use than an Audi Q7 or Volvo XC90.

If you are considering the Range Rover as an executive chauffeur vehicle, there’s an optional rear executive seating package that replaces the rear bench with two individual reclining seats with built-in massage functions.

Up front, the driving position is one of the Range Rover’s biggest strengths. The familiar elbow-on-the-windowsill ‘command’ position is something that really defines the car and is a huge selling point. We’d argue that, with the huge glasshouse providing great visibility, plus the vastly adjustable seats and comfort features, this is a more spacious, more practical and comfortable long-distance cruiser than even traditional, saloon-shaped alternatives such as the Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

What's it like to drive?

We can only speak for the standard-wheelbase D350 that we have driven so far, but this is likely to be one of the biggest sellers, and we can see why. It is absolutely sublime to drive. Yet in the scheme of the Range Rover’s reassuringly expensive lineup, it is one of the more affordable models to buy and run.

There’s masses of acceleration when you want it, and the engine is barely identifiable as a diesel, with only a distant mutter of engine noise giving away the colour of the pump it drinks from. Maybe there’s a touch more wind noise over the windscreen than we expected, and the eight-speed automatic gearbox occasionally makes itself known as it shifts up or down a gear. But even by these exacting standards, the refinement in the Range Rover is exceptional.

More than that, the standard active air suspension and all-wheel steering system make the Range Rover an absolute peach when it comes to comfort and handling. It has a very zen-like quality that makes it feel instantly confident and reassuring, whether you’re on a nice country road or winding through town. And with that all-wheel steering delivering a turning circle similar to that of a Volkswagen Golf, and lovely, light-yet-precise steering, it’s a doddle to drive even in crowded urban areas.

However, it’s worth noting that the optional 22-inch wheels can bring a heavier thump than you might expect over potholes and rough roads. We’d stick with 21s for the best ride possible. More than that, this is a huge vehicle. Even the standard car is more than five metres long, while the long-wheelbase Range Rover tops 5.2m, not to mention a width of 2.2m with the wing mirrors out, plus a kerb weight of 2.5-2.8 tonnes depending on specification. Even with brilliant visibility, all the driver aids you can think of and a remarkably tight turning circle, you are always conscious of how big the Range Rover is.

Still, with serene refinement, calm body control, poised handling, feelsome pedal response and controls that make chauffeur-worthy smooth driving feel like second-nature – and indeed near-unstoppability in seriously tough off-road conditions – the Range Rover is still every bit the luxury all-rounder.

Technology, equipment & infotainment

Land Rover has made clear improvements with the infotainment system in the latest Range Rover. All versions get a large 13.1-inch central touchscreen, which runs the company’s latest Pivi Pro system. It includes sat-nav, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, online music streaming, Amazon Alexa voice control and more. The graphics are excellent, and the layout – which includes configurable shortcuts on the homepage – is fairly straightforward. That said, the screen can require a firmer press than expected, and response times aren’t always as slick as the best systems in this class.

The digital instrument display replaces traditional dials and is crisp and easy to read, while a head-up display is available as an option. Rear-seat passengers can even have their own 11.4-inch screens to watch, although it has to be said that, in the age of the iPad, this pricey option makes most sense in those Range Rovers being used for chauffeuring rather than as family cars.

Even the entry-level Range Rover SE is generously equipped. Standard features include the full infotainment system, 21-inch alloy wheels, a fixed panoramic glass roof, heated seats, a heated steering wheel and heated windscreen, 20-way electrically adjustable front seats, three-zone climate control, keyless entry, soft door closing and Windsor leather upholstery. A comprehensive set of safety aids is included, such as adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, traffic sign recognition and a 3D surround-view camera.

Stepping up to HSE adds 22-inch wheels, 20-way heated and ventilated seats, full digital matrix LED headlights that can maintain high beam illumination without dazzling oncoming traffic, an upgraded Meridian sound system, a hands-free tailgate and a camera function built into the rear-view mirror. Autobiography specification adds further luxury touches, including 24-way heated and ventilated seats with a massage function, a sliding panoramic roof, four-zone climate control, the fancy Tailgate Event Suite and more.

There are also the Range Rover SV models, which bring a vast amount of personalisation options, ranging from leather-free interiors to ceramic trim inserts and contrasting upholstery for the front and back seats.

Range Rover running costs

The Range Rover is an expensive luxury SUV. Compared with alternatives such as the Bentley Bentayga, it can be argued that it offers relatively good value, but it remains a six-figure purchase. Build quality and interior finish go some way towards justifying that outlay, but there’s no escaping the fact that this is a costly car to buy.

The plug-in hybrid versions appeal on paper thanks to huge official WLTP fuel economy figures approaching 400mpg, but you’re advised to treat these with caution. The key question is whether you can charge regularly and complete most journeys on electric power alone. Officially, the P460e and P550e can achieve up to 75 miles of range, but even Land Rover suggests this is likely to be closer to 60 in the real world. After that battery power is used up, you’ll be lucky to see better than 30mpg, but if that’s not too often then the plug-in hybrid could be a great option, especially if you live in a city.

If you regularly cover long motorway distances, the diesel engines are likely to make more sense. They return around 39mpg according to official WLTP figures, regardless of which power output you go for, and from our experience in the D350 will manage over 30mpg without trying very hard, and will creep usefully above that on an easy motorway drive. The V8 petrols have decent official economy of around 25mpg – even with mild-hybrid assistance – and are best reserved for buyers who prioritise performance over running costs.

Resale values are harder to pin down. Range Rovers traditionally hold their value reasonably well in the first year or two, but depreciation tends to accelerate after that, as it does with many high-end SUVs. Given the latest model’s higher pricing and improved quality, long-term residual values are still something of an unknown.

Servicing is required every year or 12,000 miles and costs are unlikely to be modest. Overall, while the Range Rover is no more expensive to run than many direct rivals, it is a costlier proposition than less luxurious alternatives such as the Audi Q7 or BMW X7.

Range Rover reliability

Land Rover fared poorly in the 2025 What Car? Reliability Survey, finishing 26th out of 30 manufacturers included. The current Range Rover did not feature in the survey of luxury cars and SUVs aged up to five years old, but the previous-generation model performed respectably, placing sixth in its class.

This fifth-generation Range Rover is a substantially new model, and Land Rover has invested heavily in its Solihull plant with the aim of improving build quality and reliability. On that basis, there’s reason to hope that dependability will improve compared with older models, and our experience of the car suggests a very high standard of fit and finish. However, long-term reliability remains something buyers will want to monitor.

It would have been reassuring to see a longer warranty to underline that confidence. As it stands, the Range Rover comes with a three-year, unlimited-mileage warranty, which is unchanged from before. That’s still better than some rivals, which limit cover to 60,000 miles, but it’s not class-leading.

Only a handful of more leftfield luxury alternatives, such as the Genesis GV80 and Lexus RX offer lengthier standard warranties.