I'm Mike Hanley with cars com and this is
the all-new Range Rover luxury SUV it's
been redesigned for the 2013 model year
and features and a new all aluminum
platform to save fuel but it still
features a kind of quiet refinement and
luxury we've come to expect from Land
Rovers flagship model it might be all
new but it feels like the Range Rover we
already know one of the things that's
immediately familiar about the new range
rover is its styling because it retains
the classic proportions of the outgoing
model now there are some changes that
have been made and they've been made to
improve their aerodynamics you can see
it up front with this rate grill
there's also new headlight design a new
taillight design and back but overall
the styling is still really distinctly
land rover and you don't have to see the
badge on this vehicle to know what it is
the bigger changes with the Range Rover
are those that you can't see because it
has an all-new aluminum unibody
structure that has considerable weight
savings land rover says this model
weighs about 700 pounds less than the
outgoing version and in an era when
engineers are really content to save 10
pounds here 20 pounds there this is
really a huge drop in weight for this
model
despite the big drop in weight the Range
Rover isn't what you'd call a light
vehicle this supercharged version still
weighs about two and a half tons but
with the 510 horsepower v8 engine under
the hood land rover sending go from zero
to 60 in just 5.1 seconds which is
incredibly quick for an SUV the side you
think that with the considerable weight
savings fuel economy would have a
considerable bump too but it's not
really the case here it's only up 122
miles per gallon depending on the trim
level with the most efficient version
rated at 14 miles per gallon in the city
and 20 on the highway now they're more
fuel economy gains expected for the next
model year 2014 with the launch of a
supercharged v6 and auto stop-start
technology
as expected of an SUV that starts at
more than eighty thousand dollars
the cabin is very luxurious and it's
trimmed in authentic materials like
aluminum wood and leather there's also a
greater focus on technology in this
all-new Range Rover because in addition
to the center mounted touchscreen
there's also a 12.3 inch screen that
serves as your instrument panel
replacing conventional analog gauges one
thing I think a lot of people are going
to like in this car is the commanding
forward views is really great for
visibility is also the signature
landover armrest that offer nice
adjustability don't see them in all
types of vehicles one thing that's a
little knowing though is the heated
windshield miss Carter is actually metal
filaments built into the windshield and
when you're driving at night approaching
a traffic signal light source kind of
starburst makes you think something is
wrong with your eyes like the front
bucket seats the back seats have
comfortable but firm cushioning and
there's actually pretty good space here
for adult passengers of legroom is
adequate even if you're taller about six
feet tall and the backrest is adjustable
to have a couple angle you can put it at
the range rover is one of the few SUVs
on the market that uses a split tail
gate design with the upper section and
this fold-out lower section there's 32.1
cubic feet of cargo space behind the
second row when you fold the second row
more than doubles two 71.7 there's
actually a decent sized area underneath
the cargo floor but it's taken up by a
full-size spare tire is a good thing to
have if you're gonna be off-roading
which this vehicles capable of the Range
Rovers all-aluminum construction is a
big deal and it's something we can see
competitors try and emulate in the
coming years
it's not that luxury customers are
necessarily demanding lighter vehicles
but it's that government regulations are
forcing automakers to get the weight out
regardless the range / remains a very
comfortable very capable luxury SUV