VOILA, VELAR

Four years after its local introduction, the Range Rover Velar is refreshed for the 2023 model year

The stylish younger brother to the fullsize Range Rover offering, the sleek Velar is perhaps not yet the off-roading guru its big brother is. The British firm has seen fit to embrace the fact that the Velar’s target market is more concerned with how it fares on the road.

Upfront, the Velar’s kerb-side appeal was enhanced with a new grille as well as the company’s new “pixel” LED headlamps that include a sliver of daytime running lights. At the rear, the bumper’s lower half was redesigned so the tailpipes are hidden, and there are new LED taillamps.

Buyers can opt for a leather-free cabin, which uses a combination of wool by Danish textile experts Kvadrat and polyurethane inserts. The new material is claimed to have been put through 60 000 cycles of abrasion testing – roughly the equivalent of 10 years of usage – as well as a simulation of three years’ worth of harsh sunlight.

The company’s latest Pivi Pro infotainment system also appears in the Velar, with effortless connection to wireless versions of Apple Carplay and Android Auto and a new wireless charging pad in the centre console. Up to 80% of tasks work within two taps on the touchscreen and updates to the Velar’s ECUS can be performed over the air.

Petrol and diesel models are offered, but by far the most compelling is the P400e plug-in hybrid, which can be driven up to 64 km on electric power alone owing to a larger 19,2 kwh battery. It has a combined 297 kw and 640 N.m of torque and Range Rover claims the P400e should be capable of 684 km of range using the 2,0-litre turbopetrol and electric motors.