2012 Land Rover Range Rover ReviewSee all 2012 Land Rover Range Rover's for sale |
9.0 out of 10 |
The Basics:
It doesn't have the raw power or the handling precision of its German competition, and America's plushest, biggest SUV offerings have more room. Still, the 2012 Range Rover is one of the most capable, most luxurious sport-utility vehicles available, whether it's used on-road or off-pavement.
Sleek in its slab-sidedness, the Range Rover artfully adapts its heritage cues to a spare modern style--and that makes it a unique and eye-catching piece, one that's recognizable at first glance.
Performance is excellent, in a straight line or around corners, on dry roads or wet, muddy trails. It seems up for any task, and it's one of the few truly capable SUVs left when it comes to the "utility" part of the equation, its off-road technology the most sophisticated in the class, and clearly oriented around its maximum capabilities, not watered down.
The Range Rover's also downright opulent inside, with excellent fit and finish and plenty of room for five passengers. It won't seat seven, though, and the cargo space can seem a little small to anyone who's used a GL-Class or an Escalade for more than profiling.
There's no crash-test data in its corner, but the Range Rover has a standard safety package strong enough to recommend it--with the newer frills like rearview cameras and blind-spot monitors much appreciated.
Luxury and entertainment features abound, as you'd expect for the class, but sometimes the Range Rover's high-tech pieces trip over themselves with kludgy functionality. In some ways, it's a rolling supercomputer, but the displays from its foot-wide touchscreen could move along faster. Its harman/kardon 720-watt audio system? Nearly perfect.
The big Achilles heel of the Range Rover is in gas mileage. At 12/18 mpg, it's low even for the class, and we've typically observed real-world numbers closer to its combined 14-mpg EPA rating. So long as you budget in some fuel along with its $80,000 purchase price--$170,000 if you want the ultra-luxe Autobiography edition--the Range Rover won't fail to proceed, nor will it fail to please.
Likes:
- On-point styling
- A luxury cabin, par excellence
- Quiet, supple ride
- Amazing off-road capability
Dislikes:
- Lacks third-row seat option
- Gas mileage is terrible
- Controls are counterintuitive
- Reputation for poor reliability
Other Choices:
- 2012 BMW X5
- 2012 Cadillac Escalade
- 2011 Lexus LX 570
- 2011 Cadillac Escalade
- 2012 Mercedes-Benz GL Class
Reason Why:
Land Rover says no vehicle competes with the Range Rover, and while we tend to agree, we can think of a handful of vehicles that make great substitutes. The BMW X5 lacks the tastefulness baked into the British SUV, but it's quite capable off-road, and has a sizzling M companion with 555 horsepower. The Cadillac Escalade offers up different body styles and glitzy bling for its dedicated fans, while the Lexus LX crushes the earth with the usual application of expected luxury features in the customarily unexciting way. The Mercedes-Benz G-Class has the same old-school military feel, but its luxury is glued on; the GL-Class does a more convincing job on the luxury front and has seating for seven, as well as a diesel option for very good fuel economy.
The Bottom Line:
It can't rightly be called a value, but the 2012 Land Rover Range Rover delivers a truckload of ability and exclusivity along with its admittedly huge Monroney.
This 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Review originally appeared at TheCarConnection.com where you can see more photos and news on the Land Rover Range Rover
All of our reviews come from experts at TheCarConnection.com.
