The 2022 Land Rover Range Rover First Edition luxury SUV seems to deliver the expected performance from a rather pricey vehicle.
The test model Car and Driver tried was $169,900, slightly higher than the $164,000 base price - and featured a twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 engine powering 523hp and 553 lb-ft of torque.
There is a 13.1-inch touchscreen infotainment center with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support. In addition, drivers can sign up for a data plan and deliver voice commands using Amazon Alexa. Rear passengers also have access to 11.4" entertainment screens for them to enjoy. The front seats are 24-way heated and cooled, with a built-in electric massage feature. The leather seats are complemented with an Ecru walnut veneer.
Would it make a good everyday driver? Yeah, the Millennial Mom isn't so sure about that one:
In my opinion, there are too many automated functions, meaning more things that can easily be broken. (Land Rover was at the bottom of J.D. Power's Dependability Study.) For example, there were a couple times the buttons didn't work - after pressing something on the screen, it would light up (which makes you think it's going to work) then turn off immediately. There's likely a reason for things like that, but no readout that might show a diagnosis of the problem.
An auto industry test driver from Forbes apparently has a history with the Range Rover brand, and shared his experience:
"At the end of my week with the Range Rover, I contemplate the fraught relationship. Yes, the car may have a storied past and a troubling image, but it is also one of the only SUVs on the road today which feels genuine to its origin. With every carmaker - be it a luxury marque, a sports car specialist, or even makers of city runarounds tempted by the lucrative SUV market - there is something comforting in knowing the Range Rover is and was always a luxury 4x4."
