FIVE TRIALS
We enjoy the Range Rover Vogue and put it fully to the test
1 DAILY DRIVING
You easily use a classic Rangie on a daily basis – and plenty of people do, including to tow their other classics around – but the Vogue’s various accoutrements make it much easier to live with than the earlier two-doors. The power steering system takes some of the heft out of tighter urban manoeuvres and the optional anti-roll bar reins in some of its more wayward tendencies on longer drives. Luggage capacity is unchanged from the earlier cars, but don’t underestimate how much more family-friendly those extra doors are – we still can’t believe that it took BL 11 years to get around to adding them!
2 IN THE SERVICE BAY
Many owners still service their Range Rover themselves. The V8’s commonality with other British classics means that it’s still relatively easy to pick up spares and there’s plenty of space beneath the clamshell bonnet to get at the various components without grazing too many knuckles. If you prefer taking it to a specialist, bet on around around £150 for an annual service and £250 for a biennial intermediate service, while the major service (every four years) is around £400. The great thing with the Range Rover is that you don’t have to jack it up to reach its undersides, either, which speeds up jobs like oil changes.
3 ON THE SHOW CIRCUIT
Only events with a strict ‘tax exempt-only’ entry criteria are likely to turn away a four-door Rangie and plenty of shows that’ll embrace the Vogue with open arms should return once lockdown ends. The British Motor Museum is banking on holding its Gaydon Land Rover Show on 8-9 May, Land Rover Legends is being held in parallel with the Thruxton Historic on 12-13 June, and our colleagues over at Land Rover Owner International are putting on their own show at the East of England Showground on 11-12 September. There are also plenty of shows up and down the country supported by clubs.
4 THE LONG WEEKEND
The V8’s whopping torque and slick fourspeed auto make for a brilliant partnership on longer voyages. The Vogue laps up long motorway slogs with ease and the commanding driving position, comfy seats and ample room make it a soothing place to spend a few hours behind the wheel. In fact, the only drawback is when you inevitably come to fill up – you’ll struggle to get much more than 25mpg even on a longer journey, although plenty of examples now being offered in our classifieds have been retro-fitted with LPG tanks to lessen the wallet impact. Just make sure that it’s been properly installed.
5 THE B-ROAD BLAST
Overfinch-tweaked cars with GM-sourced 5.7-litre V8s, sports suspension and beefier, ABS-assisted brakes aside, this isn’t really the Range Rover’s forte, although the roll bar-equipped Vogues and Vogue SEs respond better than earlier cars. In fact, the sort of roads you’ll really want to explore in one of these cars will likely be bookended by signposts reading ‘Unsuitable for motor vehicles’. Rope in a friend with another suitably equipped off-roader – it’s always advisable to take someone with you in case you get stuck – look for lanes with suitable rights of way and that’s where you’ll have a blast.