2024 Range Rover Autobiography ‘First Edition’: The land yacht that does it all
While the fifth re-inderition is still a young platform in the Range Rover line up, there have been welcoming changes to the design; subtle at the front, noticeable on the rear fascia
The Range Rover could be considered as the jack of all trades in terms of an SUV (sports utility vehicle). An all rounder in luxury and utility. It is quite hard to compare anything else to one of these mammoths on the road because not many car manufacturers can nail both the 'sport' or the 'utility', while keeping owners in cushy leather seats.
In Bangladesh's context, the only two models that comply with our taxation system to be feasible options are the P400, which comes with an inline six single turbo, or the P550e, with inline six twin turbos, plug in hybrid mounted to a 18.4 kW battery. The one we tested was a P550e Autobiography 'First Edition' with bonus niceties for being mildly more special.
While the fifth re-inderition is still a young platform in the Range Rover line up, there have been welcoming changes to the design; subtle at the front, noticeable on the rear fascia. The front remains in familiar fashion with their signature staggered grille with an embossed Land Rover logo.
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The headlight design is more angular compared to the last generation, complimenting the rather orthogonal nature of the car and the front bumper on the other hand, leaves behind the fins on the last generation and welcomes minimalism with a bar with fog lights on either side, which also work as DRLs.
The angular nature carries forward once you look at the side profile, which is rather 'long' to say the least. The design still remains sharp as the last generation, whilst still being easy to look at, as the cut off points do not stick out as an eye sore. Down the fenders sit 20'' wheels with Pirelli tires with Brembo brakes poking behind the spokes.
The rear fascia is where the noticeable change lies, where the square taillights have been replaced by thin vertically placed rectangles, which was quite the conversation when it came out in 2022, but nonetheless it does complement the sheer size of the long wheelbase we had our hands on.
Get inside you will immediately be welcomed into a world of smooth wood veneers and cushy leather seats where you almost morph in. The dash also comes wrapped in soft touch leather. Most of the essential controls in the car are physical (a lost jewel in modern cars) and lie in the central console: However, that doesn't make the new Rover look dated by any means; the controls are clean and easy to find, unlike a certain American brand making electric cars!
The steering wheel is wrapped in leather which is heated as well, and most of the infotainment and the digital tach behind the wheel can be controlled with the buttons on the steering itself. The infotainment comes with a 13.1-inch display, sitting right above the center console and supports Apple Carplay and AndroidAuto. It also comes with a super crispy Meridian sound system which will provide you almost studio quality sound if tuned right, with the right amount of highs and lows, it is one of the best sound systems we have tested in a modern car as of lately.
The amount of screen's do not end though, in the back there are two more screens on each side for rear passenger infotainment and there is also an android tablet-esque detachable device which controls climate control and shows various information about the car itself. The seats are comfortable in the second row as well and can easily fit taller individuals. There is adequate cargo space for storing things, with almost 1200 liters with seats folded.
Driving the Range Rover is truly an experience to say the least; it is unlike any other SUV that I have driven in the same caliber, and you have to take my word for it. The air suspension is extremely lofty, which makes you feel like you are floating and bumps are practically non-existent, where the seats contribute to the damping as well. Compared to the last generation, the suspension is softer, although, like all Range Rovers, turning radius is a bit on the tighter side, where three point turns definitely need some getting used to. Visibility on the other hand is adequate enough to move around in the streets of Dhaka, where roads in general are already narrow.
Interaction points in the car feel tactile and of high quality, and it is rather easy to get accustomed with the interior. Other than that, the steering response is light but just a bit on the slower side. Once you put the foot down however, the land yacht does not fail to move, with a 0-100 time in 5.5 seconds, it can be felt from the damping.
Overall, the 2024 Range Rover does not cut many corners as a unit itself, Its sheer size and up-to-date interior will respectively ensure road presence and comfort; which the customer base of the Range Rover have been loving for generations.
Perhaps, apart from the design changes, they would love this one too, and if you do plan on upgrading to one of these, it is practically one of the best SUVs on the market, period. Although, if the hefty price tag of Tk3.5 crore scares you, you just have to stick to the counterparts from the land of the rising sun.
