Bringing efficiency and luxury to a posh SUV
Diesel engines shouldn’t be in luxury cars. They’re louder than gas engines, they smell, they run rougher and they pollute more. Right?
These stereotypes are founded in a piece of the truth with many older diesels, but getting behind the wheel of a modern diesel quickly dismisses any notion these engines can’t be smooth, quiet and luxurious. That is exactly the case with the Land Rover Range Rover Td6 HSE.
A posh British luxo-barge, the Range Rover just began offering a diesel engine in North America for the 2016 model year.
Luxury diesel
Power in this version of the Rover comes from a 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel that makes 254 horsepower and 440 lb-ft. of torque, the latter coming on at 1,750 rpm. All the power is sent to all four wheels through an eight-speed transmission, which handles shifting beautifully.
At idle, a few small clicks and a low rumble pronounce this Range Rover as a diesel, but once underway, it becomes harder to discern the difference because this engine is so quiet. Not only does it sound refined, it drives like it belongs in an expensive luxury vehicle.
Upshifts are perfectly smooth, while downshifts are timed just right as to not allow too much engine braking. Running through all eight ratios happens fairly quickly and the Range Rover is plenty fast. Hitting 100 km/h takes 7.4 seconds, which is just a little slower than the supercharged gas-powered V6.
Cruising down the highway is a drama-free affair with this engine, while being inside the Range Rover makes it all the more luxurious. A nicely weighted steering wheel combined with the overall weight, which sits around 2,540 kilograms, gives it a heavy-set feeling while cruising, nicely planting the wheels into the pavement. Comfy cruiser or trail basher Best of all, the Range Rover isn’t just an elegant cruiser. This SUV can pull you through a mud bog or over a mountain with loads of low-end torque and the Range Rover’s famous off-road prowess.
An air suspension system will lift the body to help you clear obstacles, while drive settings such as Mud and Sand will tailor the Range’s drive to make sure you don’t get stuck.
Oh, and did we mention all that low-end torque?
Sure, it will never match the unbridled power found in the supercharged 5.0-litre V8 gas burner, but you also won’t need to live at the gas station.
The benefits of going diesel are pretty clear. Fuel economy for this mammoth is pegged at 10.6 city, 8.1 highway and 9.4 combined.
Having diesel power might be new to the modern Range Rover, but simple, elegant luxury has always been the name of the game and the Range Rover continues to deliver. With a theme of less is more, interior design in this SUV is stunning. It’s the total opposite of the button overload you get from a German luxury SUV or the tech-filled interior of a Japanese luxury SUV. The leather is sumptuous and feels rich to the touch, coddling the occupants of this luxury beast.
Technology isn’t in short supply here, either. The information screen in the driver’s instrument cluster is clean and fairly easy to navigate, while the infotainment system in the centre stack is also a generally stress-free affair.
Pricing
Opting for the diesel engine over the supercharged gasoline V6 comes at a small premium, but it brings bet- ter fuel economy while giving up just about nothing when it comes to speed or comfort.
In the long run, the diesel will save you money.
This SUV starts at $82,990 in Canada.
But competitors, such as the Mercedes-Benz GLS 550 and the Audi Q7, can’t match the all-around skills of the Range Rover, which can handle itself with poise, whether on a race track or in a mud bog.
The verdict
Adding this diesel unit to the Range Rover only enhances this SUV. No loss of comfort or luxury is apparent, while fuel economy and performance are both stellar.
In the search for an all-around, go-anywhere luxury SUV, few can match what the Land Rover Range Rover offers.