Used 2019 Land Rover Range Rover Velar

The 2019 Land Rover Range Rover Velar departs from the traditional Land Rover style, touting a sleek, sporty look that falls somewhere between the avant-garde Evoque and stalwart Discovery Sport. Not quite compact but not large enough to call midsize, the Velar lands in a middle zone allowing it to be cross-shopped against a wide range of luxury SUVs including the Jaguar F-Pace, Porsche Macan and Mercedes-Benz GLC. Inside, the Velar impresses with its stunning interior, high-quality fittings and advanced electronic and safety equipment. Land Rover gives the Velar a sporty attitude making it an enjoyable curve-carver, yet unlike many of its luxury rivals, this luxury-crossover SUV can faithfully carry its occupants far off-road.

The base Velar’s 2.0-liter turbo gas engine isn’t a rocket, but it feels spry and quick off the line and has almost as much torque as the available supercharged V6. That V6 offers a good amount of power, but it comes standard with electronic air suspension, a feature that adds noticeable weight to the vehicle while not providing as intuitive a feel of the road, especially when cornering. If you want to tow or go off-road, the air suspension is worthwhile — the Velar is more capable off-road than you might think. Otherwise, the standard suspension offers a much more engaging drive and a suppler ride. The sweetest spot in the lineup is with the 2.0-liter turbodiesel. It’s the ideal mix of effortless power and impressive fuel economy. If you don’t like diesel, you can select the gas 4-cylinder and be perfectly happy.

An elegant, simple layout, high-quality materials, and the most modern amenities available in a Range Rover to date are found in the new Velar’s cabin. With the ignition off, you see a clean, tasteful layout with contrasting dark and light hues plus brushed-aluminum accents. Leather is standard, but if you prefer an alternative material, there’s a Kvadrat interior, a mix of textile and Suedecloth inserts. Push the start button, and what seemed like blank spaces illuminate for the digital gauge cluster in front of the driver, and the InControl Touch Pro Duo infotainment and climate control in the center stack.

The Velar’s styling isn’t as upright as the Range Rover but more sweptback and fluid than the Discovery Sport. That makes the Velar a rather attractive prospect with a look all its own. Unique features like the flush-mounted side door handles that extend when the vehicle is remotely unlocked are a nice touch, as are the R-Dynamic’s 20-inch wheels (you can opt for 22s, if that’s how you roll). The black roof and D-pillar add even more visual punch, but the lack of integrated roof rails require those needing more cargo space to opt for the available roof-rail package and crossbars.

TOUCH-SCREEN CONTROLS
Land Rover’s InControl Touch Pro Duo infotainment unit serves multiple functions, with a clever touch-and-swipe feature similar to that of a tablet or smartphone. Along with the audio, Apple CarPlay and Android auto functions, the system also allows organization of the digital instrument cluster, with a second similar 10-inch screen below for the climate controls.

TRACTION TECH
Where some luxury SUVs claim off-road ability via their all-wheel-drive system, the Velar puts its money where its grille is, offering an advance Terrain Response 2 for differing off-road conditions, available air suspension for varying ground clearance and an active locking rear differential for when the going gets tough.

All Velars come standard with all-wheel drive, 5-passenger layout and an 8-speed automatic transmission. The base Velar comes with the 2.0-liter turbocharged gas engine. It has heated power-folding side mirrors, a tailgate that can open with a gesture, Terrain Response, trailer-stability assist, torque vectoring, hill-launch assist and hill-descent control, autonomous emergency braking, rear parking aid, and lane-departure warning. Inside, there are 10-way-power seats and an 8-speaker sound system. The Velar rides on 18-inch wheels.

Move all the way up the ladder to the First Edition, and you get the supercharged V6 and air suspension, an on/off-road package that includes Terrain Response 2, a configurable dynamic mode, and more; adaptive cruise control with intelligent emergency braking, park assist that takes care of parallel and perpendicular parking, 360-degree parking assist, a 1,600-watt Meridian surround-sound audio system, and 20-way-power front seats, with all five spots covered in perforated Windsor leather. The windshield is heated, and 22-inch wheels are available.

As with most luxury brands, there are multiple engine options for the 2019 Land Rover Range Rover Velar, including a not-so-common turbodiesel. Standard is a very good 2.0-liter gas-powered engine that is smooth and efficient, with 247 horsepower and 269 lb-ft of torque. The optional turbodiesel also displaces 2.0-liters, touting 180 horsepower and an impressive 317 lb-ft of torque as well as a 30-mpg highway estimate. Last is a supercharged 3.0-liter V6 good for 380 horsepower. While this engine may seem the ultimate performance option, it’s not as smooth or quiet as the 2.0-liter turbo, nor is its fuel economy all that impressive. Regardless of engine choice you’ll get an excellent 8-speed automatic transmission teamed to Land Rover’s legendary all-wheel-drive system. The Velar is tow-rated at 5,500 pounds.

2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4
247 horsepower @ 5,500 rpm
269 lb-ft of torque @ 1,200-4,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 21/27 mpg

2.0-liter turbocharged diesel inline-4
180 horsepower @ 4,000 rpm
317 lb-ft of torque @ 1,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 26/30 mpg

3.0-liter supercharged V6
380 horsepower @ 6,500 rpm
332 lb-ft of torque @ 3,500-5,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 18/24 mpg