Range Rover Velar D180 2019 UK first drive

When the Velar first arrived, Land Rover pitched it as a luxury mid-size SUV, and priced it as such. The firm’s most road-focused model to date then steadily expanded towards the more affordable end of the price spectrum, with its engine losing a few cylinders in the process.

The D180 is hardly the only four-pot car in its class right now, with the BMW X4, Mercedes-Benz GLE and even the entry-grade Porsche Macan offering the same, though the latter drinks from the green pump rather than the black one.

JLR’s Ingenium diesel engine does need to move a little over two tonnes of car, though, and has just 177bhp with which to do it. That combination was never going to make for pulse-raising straight line figures, the Velar barely squeaking in under nine seconds for the 0-62mph dash, but a healthy 317lb ft of torque ought to make up for it in everyday use. It’s partnered with an eight-speed automatic gearbox, with power naturally being sent to both axles.

The D180 is driven here in S guise, which improves on the standard specification with 19in alloy wheels, upgraded LED headlights, a powered tailgate, power folding door mirrors, a Meridian sound system, and Navigation Pro infotainment with traffic sign recognition. The R Dynamic trim then further butches up what is already a very handsome car, with metal paddle shifters and pedals adding some sporting flair inside the cabin.

Capable, but unsurprisingly not to the extent of the more powerful engines found elsewhere in the line-up. Though I’m not sure you’d want to drive the Velar with anything less under the bonnet, it would be wrong to label it underpowered. Motorway overtakes are dispatched without too much drama, and it feels responsive enough around town, although the automatic gearbox isn’t particularly quick to drop down when attempting to fill gaps in traffic. 

Refinement isn’t its strong point, either at idle or under load, with a somewhat gruff-sounding tone that betrays its cylinder count at slower speeds. Wind and road noise are both well managed, though, so at motorway pace the cabin is a very pleasant place to be. 

Even lower-grade models are well equipped, with twin touchscreens in the centre console giving precise control over climate, driving modes and other settings. Physical dials make on-the-fly adjustments a lot easier than a purely touch-based system, and look the part too. That said, the basic instrument cluster (a small screen flanked by analogue dials) felt a little out of place in the otherwise tech-laden cabin, so we’d definitely tick the option box to add the fully digital cluster.