Range Rover Velar. 1st generation, 2023 restyling
Land Rover, together with the Range Rover division, introduced the restyled Range Rover Velar SUV. It is actually the second restyling after the start of production of the first generation models in 2017, but officially it is the first. First, the SUV was modernized in 2020, acquiring new Ingenium engines and a new P400e hybrid version. In 2021, another modernization took place. As a result, the vehicle received different individual interior elements, an over-the-air update function, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto wireless interfaces. Now the company has decided to improve the exterior: although Velar is a beautiful vehicle, it has been on the assembly line for 6 years. The external metamorphoses have turned out to be quite successful, as the design has remained 100% recognizable. But the interior has almost completely changed, and now raises a lot of questions…
In 2022, the most durable and reliable vehicle ever created by the British brand, the Defender SUV was the most popular model in the Land Rover range: 66,805 units were sold, while the Velar sold 27,668 units.
The restyled 2023 Range Rover Velar is now available for order in Europe and North America. In Germany, prices start at 69,600 euros, while in the UK, the entry-level SUV will cost 54,000 pounds. It is still unknown when the restyled Velar reaches Israel and how much it costs.
Exterior
As a result of restyling, the 2023 Range Rover Velar received a different front grille and new bumpers. The rear bumper is located lower. The company decided that this way the silhouette of the vehicle looks more energetic. The headlights have also changed: now they are matrix, 67 LEDs each, but have a simpler pattern with small LED rectangles in the headlights, Range Rover’s signature feature, flattened into stripes. But in high beam mode, these headlights cover the range of almost half a kilometer. The taillights are also new, and the brake light line is now “fashionably” located across the entire width of the body, which stylistically unites the SUV with the Range Rover.
Interior
The center console has changed a lot. According to the designers, it has faced a ‘reductionist design’ or Swedish minimalism. Thus, two touch screens so loved by the owners have been replaced by a single 11.4-inch curved Pivi Pro multimedia display. As the manufacturer promises, the new multimedia system ‘significantly improves usability’: the main functions are always displayed on the main screen, and 80% of secondary functions are available in no more than two menu clicks. Navigation and climate control are also there… Even the off-road driving mode selection system, Terrain Response 2, is now controlled via the multimedia system…
In 2017, the interior of the just-released Velar seemed to be the pinnacle of automotive design and modern technologies: the center console with a separate climate screen and multifunctional encoders was subsequently copied by many competitors (mostly Chinese). But nowadays aesthetic minimalism is becoming more and more fashionable, and so the Velar has become the first model in the Land Rover range to comply with its requirements.
There are no separate physical buttons left either on the console or on the central tunnel. There is only a joystick for controlling the automatic gearbox. We haven’t tried it ourselves yet, but it seems that such “total” touch control will make the operation quite unusual (a soft synonym for the word “inconvenient”)… Have you ever tried to select a certain function at full speed? And it’s not even particularly pleasing that the interior contour lighting has been expanded… But the possibilities for remote updating have been significantly improved. So, the manufacturer can not only update the multimedia system firmware ‘over the air’, but also change the functions and settings of the SUV main systems, including engine management, transmission and suspension.
There are no more extra seams, the decor has become more concise: in terms of visual purity of the interior, the restyled Range Rover Velar can now compete with the bright representatives of Swedish minimalism, such as the latest models from Polestar and Volvo. There are more interior trim options, and the set of ‘environmentally friendly’ materials has been increased: Kvadrat wool fabric, a combined version with Ultrafabrics polymer fabric elements, but leather is still available. At the same time, the choice of trim levels has been reduced: there are S, Dynamic SE, Dynamic HSE and Autobiography versions.
Powertrains
All versions of the 2023 Range Rover Velar are equipped with Ingenium family engines. All gasoline and diesel modifications, except for the P250, are supplemented by a 48-volt MHEV system with a starter-alternator and a small buffer battery. All variants have an 8-speed automatic gearbox and all-wheel drive.
Gasoline versions
- P250: 2.0-liter engine with 250 hp
- P340: 3.0-liter engine with 340 hp
- P400: 3.0-liter engine with 400 hp
Diesel versions
- D200: 2.0-liter diesel engine with 204 hp
- D300: 3.0-liter diesel engine with 300 hp
Plug-in hybrid
Only the plug-in hybrid version of the Range Rover Velar, which appeared in 2020, has changed during the restyling of 2023. The output of the P400e modification equipped with a 2.0-liter gasoline turbocharged engine and an electric motor has remained the same (404 hp and 640 Nm). But the capacity of the traction battery has increased from 17.1 to 19.2 kWh. As a result, the driving range in ‘pure’ electric mode has increased from 53 to 64 km, and with a full tank and a charged battery, the SUV can travel 684 km. The power of the DC charger has also increased from 32 to 50 kW.
