2024 Range Rover SE LWB 7-Seat Review by David Colman +VIDEO

The "entry level" Rangie that’s fast, beautiful, and lavish

David Colman

Photos and Story by David Colman
Special Correspondent
THE AUTO CHANNEL

The bonging noise started early. We had just left home for our first daylong drive in the splendid regal looking Belgravia Green Range Rover when Britain's finest SUV issued a mysterious three-bong chime. By the time we'd made it 9 miles to the Freeway, a dozen more unprovoked alerts had sounded. This pattern continued for our 100-mile round trip on US 101. We thought perhaps the chimes were provoked by the "Adaptive Cruise with Steer Assist" so we canceled Cruise Control. No Help. Nor did it seem to be related to Lane Keep Assist, since using the turn signal for every lane change made no difference.

Luckily, our county boasts its very own Tata/Rover/Jaguar dealership. An extremely helpful Service Administrator hopped into the passenger seat and said, "I think I know what your problem is -- it's warning you that the speed limit has just changed." This made sense since it would account for the apparently random nature of the occurrence. So our kindly Admin started shuffling through an apparently endless array of menus which flashed past on the Rover's curved 13.1 inch "Pivi Pro Infotainment System" screen. All these digital menus have become necessary because Rover has deleted virtually ALL physical buttons and knobs from the dashboard for 2024.

After failing to find the magic screen, our kindly Admin resorted to backup help from a fellow tech who had the drill down pat. Seems that more than one new Range Rover owner has come begging for help to quell the warning bong. It seems that when Rover introduced the current fifth-generation Range Rover for 2023, they shifted many commands to the screen's central nervous system, but also retained a number of physical buttons for essential operations. Unfortunately, that blue plate combo is gone for 2024, so you'd best apply for a PhD in Digital Operations from Range Rover U.

Resolution of that minor drama freed us up to enjoy the many luxuriant benefits of Rover custodianship. For starters, this thing is absolutely, stunningly gorgeous, both inside and out. Its massive physique makes it look like the decathlete of SUVs, with muscular but streamlined flanks, aero-chiseled nose and sleek looking two-door tailgate. The interior is a symphony of leather, nickel plating and clean lined design. Yes, this beauty is undeniably expensive. It carries a list price of $113,400 plus $1,300 for Gloss Grand Black veneer, and $1,200 for a Meridian 3D Surround System. That jumps the final tally to $118,610.

The operation of the exterior door handles characterizes how carefully Rover tailors the finished look of the exterior. Once you've programmed the remote key fob for "walk away" operation, the four "deployable" door handles automatically pop out from their flush nests to give you and you passengers sizable handholds. Otherwise, they stay buried and invisible. Once you've slid into the "Caraway" colored cabin, you'll luxuriate in the stupendous support provided by the dual front thrones, each fitted with massive adjustment pads fitted to the door panels. Both seats are covered with "extended Windsor leather," fitted with heating and ventilation, as well as memory settings. The center tunnel contains a storage bin so deep that small objects will disappear from sight like pebbles in a well. The center console contains just a single button for engine stop/start, a short and stubby shift lever, plus a wireless device charging pad that can be covered when not in use. The layout here is slick, ultra-modern, and stunningly beautiful. All visible surfaces are covered in finest grade leather which also graces the large center pad on the steering wheel. Surrounding trim on the wheel and center console surfaces is uniformly tailored in Caraway hide. You might think this is as plush as an SUV can get, but Rover offers enough variants of the Range Rover to cover a price range that tops out at $234,000. So consider our test vehicle to be the entry-level model.

Rover fits the Rangie, as it is lovingly called by its enthusiast owners, with self-leveling air suspension, which kneels down to ease entry, then rebounds to ride height appropriate for whatever terrain you need to traverse. They call this feature the Electronic Air Suspension and Adaptive Dynamics," and link its behavior to a "Terrain Response 2 System" that offers selectable driving and off-road modes. Blessedly unfussy 21 inch alloy rims support 275/50R21 Michelin Primacy A/S tires with a stout TW 540 rating. With full-time four-wheel drive running through a twin-speed transfer box, the Range Rover is a consummate off-road tool, well equipped to maneuver through almost any catastrophe you can throw at it.

It's also damn fast in a straight line. Its 8-speed automatic gearbox can be manually controlled by using "Noble Polished Gearshift Paddles" but you rarely need resort to manual labor because the 3.0 liter supercharged, turbocharged, and intercooled inline-6 cylinder engine produces 395hp and 406lb.-ft. of torque. That's enough suds to scorch the standing start quarter mile in 14.2 seconds at 97mph and zip from zero to 60 mph in 5.5 seconds. Considering the Rangie weighs in at 5,932 pounds, that's stout straight line speed indeed. Top Speed is manufacturer estimated at 150 mph

2024 RANGE ROVER SE LWB 7-SEAT

• ENGINE: 3.0 liter inline-6, turbocharged, supercharged and intercooled, DOHC, 24 valve, aluminum black and head, direct fuel injection
• HORSEPOWER: 395hp@6500rpm
• TORQUE: 406lb.-ft.@2000rpm
• FUEL CONSUMPTION: 18MPG City/24MPG Highway
• PRICE AS TESTED: $118,610

HYPES: Fast, Beautiful, Lavish

GRIPES: No Free Scheduled Maintenance

STAR RATING: 10 Stars out of 10

©2024 David E Colman