2008 Land Rover Range Rover Review | Buyer Guide
Range Rover Blends Luxury and Off-Road Capability
If Rolls Royce or Bentley were to design an SUV, I suspect it would look a lot like the current Range Rover—understated on the outside and sumptuous on the inside.
The 2008 Range Rover has the classic look of its predecessors, and the only concession to contemporary styling is its multi-lens headlights—an unusual grouping of four lenses, with two Siamezed together. Yet, the traditional upright and boxy design seems appropriate on a Land Rover vehicle.
It’s the cabin of the Range Rover that sets this SUV apart. Climbing into my test vehicle, I sank down into cream-colored leather seats with dark blue piping, and drank in the handsome leather-topped dash and low-luster cherry wood trim. This to me is the most elegant SUV on the market.
The Range Rover seats five in comfort, and there’s room to haul 38 cu.-ft. of luggage behind the rear seat. As you might expect, the Range Rover is loaded with amenities, like a Harman Kardon sound system, satellite radio, a heated steering wheel and a touch-screen navigation system. The only clue that this vehicle might be used in an off-road capacity are the rubber floor mats.
The Range Rover stands tall at nearly 6’3” off the ground, and passengers sit high above the maddening crowd. Forward visibility down the road is excellent, however, looking out the back in the rearview mirror is another story. Oversized headrests in the rear impede the view.
Power comes by way of two Jaguar sourced engines—a 4.4-ltr V-8 with 305 horsepower, or a 4.2- liter, supercharged V-8 that pumps out 400 hp. My test vehicle had the naturally aspirated engine, and it delivered strong acceleration, and plenty of pull going up hills. A six-speed automatic transfers power to the wheels, with the help of full-time four-wheel-drive. A Terrain Response System enables the driver to switch into low range and select settings for snow, mud, sand and rock crawl.
As with most really tall SUVs with lots of ground clearance, the Range Rover leans a lot when negotiating corners and conveys very little feel of the road. On the other hand, the ride quality is good for an SUV, thanks to the air suspension system Land Rover uses on this vehicle. Although the ride can become choppy on rough pavement, the freeway ride is very smooth.
However, where the Range Rover really shines is in off-road driving. Land Rover wrote the book about how to make a vehicle handle in rough terrain. Yet, it seems unlikely that many owners would want to use a very expensive SUV to climb over boulders. But if they do, the Range Rover will display the sure-footedness of a mountain goat. Particularly impressive is the Hill Descent Control feature. Flip a switch, take your foot off the brake, and the Range Rover will slowly crawl down a steep grade all by itself.
Range Rover pricing starts at $77,950. My test vehicle, equipped with the Luxury package, had a bottom line of $82,950.
Snapshot Review
Luxurious Cabin
Lots of amenities
Very Capable Off Road
