The Drive Pro package (blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assist, a driver-drowsiness monitor, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, automated emergency braking, and traffic-sign recognition with speed limiter) added $2450, and the Vision Assist package (surround-view camera system, adaptive xenon headlamps with automatic high-beams, and configurable interior lighting) was $2300. Our test example’s run through the land of options kicked off with its understated Aruba exterior finish for $1800 that was accented by a black contrast roof for another $650 the Black Design package (black exterior trim and badging) added a cool $2100 and triggered the additional $1400 upgrade to 21-inch gloss-black wheels. Potholes and pavement imperfections are dispatched with a surprisingly taut thud and never devolve to a level of immaturity unbecoming of a $100K vehicle. By manipulating the pressure in the air springs, it helps both vehicle and passengers stay on an even keel, and it also adapts damping to the conditions at hand. While no match for the 0.91 g posted by the GLS63, the Range Rover does resist the urge to lean in the corners like a broken bar stool thanks to Land Rover’s Dynamic Response suspension setup. Pushed on our 300-foot skidpad, the 21-inch Goodyear Eagle F1 SUV tires managed to hang on for 0.77 g before the stability control intervened. The electrically assisted power steering at least offers linear response, but if you’re looking for stimulating discussion about the tire/road relationship, you’ll be disappointed. Braking from 70 mph requires 186 feet-is this a bad time to mention that the GLS63 did it in 166? Poor pedal feel does little to help the Range Rover’s braking situation, as the force applied was rarely commensurate with stopping distance. Making a big box accelerate, however, is simple compared to making it stop. Sharp-penciled SUV shoppers unconcerned about giving up a little cachet at the club and a second or two at the drag strip can save more than $30K by checking out the GMC Yukon Denali with the 6.2-liter V-8 it posted a 14.3-second quarter-mile in our testing. The Porsche Cayenne Turbo S and BMW X5 M are outliers here, two unabashedly sporting vehicles that better the Range Rover in nearly every on-road performance metric but come from an entirely different place both spiritually and aesthetically. If for some improbable reason you still need more thrust, you have but a few off-the-shelf full-size luxury SUV options: Pony up another 70 grand or so for the 550-hp Range Rover SVAutobiography Dynamic, or cross the street and take a look at the similarly priced Mercedes-AMG GLS63, which completed the quarter-mile run in an even quicker 12.8 seconds. Newbies to the brand accustomed to the flaccid seating of less exclusive full-size SUVs might be a little put off by the firm padding beneath the Range Rover’s buttery-smooth leather hides, but rest assured our collective derrières remained unbruised even after hours in the saddle. Just know that it can get tight back there, so plan your seating chart accordingly. Four ride in spacious comfort, and folding up the plush center armrest in the second row increases the body count to five. It was first introduced for the 2013 model year, and today’s fourth-gen Rangie still displays all the traditional characteristics that define the model: You sit high, the windowsills are low, visibility is excellent, and there is a palpable sense that at least a few of the ivory- and espresso-hued interior surfaces were designed using a tailor’s chalk and tape rather than a computer.
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