When we first drove the 2014 Land Rover Range Rover in Utah, we were able to see all of the Range Rover’s off road capabilities. We literally took this large luxury SUV rock-climbing; Land Rover’s legendary off road capability is out of this world and frankly we don’t know of another SUV that can do what this one does off road in such luxury.
But that was out in the woods. We know the Range Rover can handle Utah, but how does it handle Los Angeles? To find out, we spent a day with the Range Rover Autobiography. Land Rover’s highest trim level is available in regular and long-wheelbase models, and the interior looks more like that of a Learjet than an SUV.
The luxury craftsmanship in the Range Rover is out of this world. The gorgeous full Semi-Aniline Leather is so soft to the touch that all you want to do is caress the seats all day long. Upon entering, a 12.3-inch thin film transistor screen showing virtual instruments dominates the display. This is something that I am not to found of. Electric display clusters are not my thing and I can’t help but think that a high quality vehicle should stick to luxurious analog instruments. But technology is what this Range Rover is all about, and it’s as much of a technological showpiece as any high-end Mercedes or BMW. The Range Rover Autobiography comes with the best stereo system we have ever heard. The Meridian 1700-watt sound system features twenty-nine speakers with 3D surround sound. It’s the best sounding system we have ever heard and tested. The quality of the music is crisp and clean, whether it’s it’s from satellite radio or an iPod being transmitted via Bluetooth. Amenities like a navigation system, heated seats and multi-zone climate control are standard, of course.
The 5.0 liter supercharged V8 engine is powerful, cranking out 500 horsepower and 461 pound-feet of torque. This engine is mated to a very nice eight-speed automatic transmission with auto start/stop function. I am usually not a believer in start/stop but in this vehicle I didn’t notice the engine starting and stopping, thanks in part to the smooth power delivery and partly to the cabin’s impressive sound deadening. The supercharged engine puts the power to the road fast and accelerates quickly. Even with that big engine under the hood, though, the Range Rover drives best at just cruising speeds. During a drive to San Diego, the Range Rover behaved great in traffic and the radar-based cruise control would stop and start the vehicle in heavy traffic–perfect for L.A. This vehicle also has the ability to parallel park itself.
The Supercharged Range Rover comes with a base price of $99,100. The Autobiography package adds a cool $36,000 for a total of $136,095. A hefty price to pay? Perhaps, but the equipment list reads like a luxury car’s: in addition to the Range Rover’s heated seats, panoramic sunroof, interior mood lighting, and navigation system, the Autobiography package added the semi-aniline leather interior, an extended center console, power reclining rear seats, “wingback” headrests and a laundry list of other amenities. This SUV is happy to be your personal limousine–even more so with the upcoming long-wheelbase version, which was just introduced at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The Range Rover Autobiography may be bred for the woods, but it’s also right at home here in L.A.
