Opinion: The 2022MY Range Rover is a step backwards in too many areas
Did an all-new generation really constitute just this?
The general idea behind releasing new generations of a car is to make progress. If we didn't make progress then where would the human species lead to? All the time car makers are releasing new models so we don't have to experience the answer to that hypothetical(if we're lucky) question.
The issue I have with the new 2022 Range Rover though is that I'm not entirely sure that JLR have entirely avoided having to answer that. Here I will justify why I believe this.
The only changes in the exterior design have made it less desirable
Lets be truthful 90% of the exterior design looks exactly the same as the last car and from that 90% the change cannot even be detected let alone justified. However, they did change one bit of the exterior design.
That one changed part is the rear light system but my issue here is that the arrangement looks very vanilla and also the downward lines on either side makes it look depressed. In my eyes it just fails to have any design flair and when you're paying at least £94,000 I want it to stand out from the crowd to make that extra outlay seem worthwhile. This colour for a one-piece rear lighting cluster bears a slight resemblance to what is found on modern Porsches like the Cayenne Coupe below.
I will also add that Porsche are not the only users of that as the likes of Mercedes and Audi have used similar arrangements with prominent examples being the EQA and Q8 respectively. After seeing several manufacturers using the exact same tool on their boot lids surely Land Rover must have been able to do something more distinctive. Just compare the new one to the last generation below.
The interior
Now we are on to where you would spend most of your time and immediately there is an oh dear.
The 2022 Range Rover interior
That reaction is because of that touchscreen. I'm pretty sure most of you will have spotted the issue with its aesthetics but in case you haven't it's that it isn't integrated into the dashboard properly which makes it look like an afterthought and possibly even aftermarket. In one of the biggest status symbols on the road is that the best way to integrate a screen? Its sticking out and has outgrown the area reserved for it. A lot of people have complained about the BMW 4 Series range for having a grille that has outgrown the front bumper. Well if there ever was an equivalent for touchscreens in cars this would be a very good candidate.
Because of that touchscreen that overhangs at the bottom I wonder if that could ever slightly get in the way of the functions beneath to control air conditioning. The air-con controls also look further set back then on the previous generation which would likely mean that the driver would have to lean more to adjust it. Not exactly safe if you ask me.
Its not like the last car looked particularly dated or rushed in design.
One last note: Look at the gear-lever for the new car and compare it to the one in the last one. Is it me or does the new one look like it was a cost-cutting exercise?
The powertrains
Now people are hoping to see me find a point where JLR has progressed and thankfully I have. The PHEV versions now have a range of over 50 miles which should be enough to get footballers in between their tattoo parlours and Wembley stadium.
The old 5 litre V8 has also been replaced with a 4.4 litre twin-turbo V8 from BMW. Don't the engines just keep getting better?
No, they don't actually. You have your normal petrol and diesel versions which are 'adequate' and nothing more.
Oh, did I mention that the new V8 actually makes about 40bhp less then in the old car despite the turbos? Yeah, that threw me as well. At least it'll actually get you to the destination without assistance from the AA.
Summary
Despite the better engine options I do not think that the new Range Rover is better then the last one. I'm sure you have already heard from the geeks about the 700 different new ways your seat can adjust and the 1% gains made in every category on the chassis but for a new Range Rover I find it a bit of a disappointment.
I am also ware of the fact that the LWB version of this new car is also available with 7 seats which you might call an advantage. To counter I'll ask what market will the RR Sport lose to this?
Really the majority of the improvements made here are either irrelevant, underwhelming and expected or just a cut and paste job from other JLR cars. Does the average driver of one of these care about how many sensors it has?
Not all of these changes are taking them forward and some have even put them in reverse. So let's return to a thought I explored earlier in the article.
With this stall of innovation and imagination, what would the new Range Rover really do to improve the lives of those who own the current car?
I deeply suspect that the answer would start with a long pause.
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Comments (7)
It’s a Range Rover. The shape is meant to be the same. Everyone is entitled their own opinion, but the vast majority of people seem to definitely like the new redesign, and the lights.
I agree, many seemed to have liked the new Range Rover but it seemed very dull to me.
I think the new range rover is sexyyyy. the soft design on the outside makes it inviting yet gives it presence, additionally your comment on the infotainment being intrusive or blocking the ac control is pretty dumb, I doubt a large company like JLR would design that, that's why the screen has a curve. I agree that it doesn't look as futuristic as the previous gen, but it looks so much cleaner and there is less to inevitably go wrong, and the screen In the current gen is just a dust catcher and reflects light depending on how high your seat is. also I can't confirm this but I'm pretty sure the new model is a lot lighter and more aerodynamic than the current gen. but I guess it's up to personal taste really
Well a lot of it is personal taste. If I didn't have any then I'd just buy a Dacia Sandero.
I like it, whatever you say.
idc what everyone says, it's ugly
I agree on the rear end.