Pretty as a picture and practical too

The Velar is a good-looking well-equipped and capable SUV. What’s not to like? asks Steve Teale

Buying a Land Rover or a Range Rover used to be a very simple affair. If you wanted a no-frills reliable off-roader, you bought a Defender which would last you a lifetime.

More luxury? Try a Freelander. More space and even more features? Try Discovery. And if you demand comfort and grace and hang the expense, get a Range Rover.

Things have moved on now. There are Sport versions of both Discovery and the traditional Range Rover and there is also, tested here, a new Range Rover model called Velar.

So, here’s where it gets confusing. Velar (£44,375 to £85,490) neatly fits the gap between the Evoque and the cheapest Range Rover Sport.

But it also overlaps heavily with the Land Rover Discovery. They look similar but there is a difference: the Velar has a certain je n’ais se quoi. It has classy touches which set it apart from its more workaday sibling.

If you’re a fussy perfectionist, you’ll demand Velar. If a car is merely a form of transport, well you wouldn’t be looking at Land Rover or Range Rover in the first place.

So, how does the Velar stack up? Well, tested here is the Range Rover Velar R-Dynamic HSE D300. I know, it sounds like the sort of name you might see on a laptop but basically the R-Dynamic indicates its sportiness and the HSE shows it is very well equipped.

At £70,530 on the road, it is far from cheap but you get a vehicle which stands comparison with the best that Audi, Mercedes-Benz et al can throw at it. It might sound expensive but believe me, it is keenly priced compared to premium rivals.

As ever with a Range Rover, the engine is a highlight. Power is from a 3.0-litre V6 diesel which means this car effortlessly blends the power and subtle ty of a sports car with the adventure of an earthy SUV.

Just look at the figures. Top speed of 150mph and 0 to 60mph time of 6.1 seconds would grace a sports car. Economy of 48.7mpg on a run would be good in a hatchback. Yet this car could conquer a ploughed field or a fastflowing stream. You would be mad to take such an elegant car axle deep in mud, but it’s nice to know you could.

Now, specification is astonishing. It has luxury (fabulous leather, acres of wood and aluminium), a stunning eight-speaker stereo and a raft of safety features. We can’t list them all but here’s a taster of the most important ones. It has systems to control traction, prevent excessive rolling in corners and lane departure warnings. It has gradient release control, to prevent you rolling back on hills, and electronic air suspension. The heated windscreen is laminated to make the interior quiet, and it has ‘terrain response’ which means the car will decide how to best get through whatever conditions it encounters.

One feature which divides opinion is the flush door handles. They disappear into the body to create a smooth appearance. I’m not a fan, but it seems I’m alone. For me, it’s fussy but others seem to like it.

But features apart, the Velar is a big car which feels compact. It is 4.8 metres long and has a boot which expands from 558 litres to 1,731 litres. A thing of beauty and practical, too.