Range Rover P400
Mild-hybrid power gives extra breadth to SUV’s appeal
THE Range Rover’s position as the luxury SUV of choice has been coming under growing threat – not just from rivals but also increasingly pertinent questions around the environmental impact of using a car like this when something smaller and more eco-friendly might suffice.
Range Rover’s answer has been to improve its flagship’s efficiency, and offer greener models. A P400e-badged plug-in has joined the line-up and so has the P400 we’re looking at here, a mild-hybrid version with a new turbocharged and supercharged straight-six Ingenium petrol engine.
Priced from £90,010, the P400 can’t match the 75mpg-plus fuel economy the plug-in model returns, but its 25.1mpg is almost identical to the figure claimed for the Range Rover’s SDV8 diesel variant.
That’s despite this new 3.0-litre unit, with 48-volt mild-hybrid tech, kicking out 395bhp and spiriting the SUV to 60mph in 5.9sec.
On the road, the new engine is no less impressive. It uses an electric supercharger to boost its power output and response at low engine speeds, all but eliminating any lag before the twin-scroll turbocharger gets into its stride. The 48V mild-hybrid system stores power reclaimed under braking to charge a battery that then allows the electric motor to give a handy boost of torque to assist the engine when required.
The maximum 550Nm torque output is well down on the 740Nm that you get in the brawny SDV8 diesel but in the P400 it’s all available right the way from 2,000 to 5,000rpm. The petrol engine feels strong through the gears as a result, and when you ask it for a burst of acceleration it’s usually eager to deliver. Refinement is also strong, with little engine noise at cruising speeds.
The motor’s inherent smoothness and flexibility suit the Range Rover’s distinctive character. This is not an SUV that tries to be sporty in any serious way and is instead focused on delivering a cushy ride and sky-high levels of comfort.
If there is a drawback, it’s that the eightspeed gearbox is often slow to get its act together in automatic mode, and selecting the Sport setting does little to address this. You can hurry things along by using the wheel-mounted paddle-shifters but these feel plasticky to the touch and work with an unsatisfactory click.
It’s far better to enjoy this leather-lined haven with its commanding view of the road, and simply float the Range Rover from point to point in a more relaxed fashion.
The latest models also get Android Auto and Apple CarPlay as standard, together with an impressive Meridian stereo system and the usual arsenal of off-road driver aids.