Published:
6 August 2024The idea of threading a two-plus-metre-wide and five-plus-metre-long car down some of central England’s most winding lanes is not a prospect many drivers would relish. In short, big cars – and double-cab pick-ups are about this big; perhaps a little longer and narrower – can be a pain.
But while there’s no escaping the overall girth of a Range Rover, it is easier to gauge its extremities than in, say, most large Q-flavoured Audis or a G-something Mercedes. The glasshouse is larger than on most big-SUV rivals, which prefer a more road-focused, coupé-ish design stance and a lower driving position.
This has the effect of making it harder to see the bonnet edges and also down the flanks of the car– a doddle in the broad mirrors of the Range Rover. This is a car that has to sell the world over, so it still feels over generously proportioned for the UK, but poor visibility could have made it worse.
That ability to place it on the road extends to how accurate and responsive its controls and steering are. If you want to place it on the third cat’s eye you can see, you’ll do it; if you want to clip the very inside of a bend to give room for oncoming traffic, you can.
This control is combined with more agility than you might expect given the weight, too. Those anti-roll bars and the air springs mean the Range Rover, if never truly athletic, resists roll and changes direction ably. And around town – or in and out of tight field entrances – the active rear steer makes a big difference to its abilities and a driver’s confidence.
