Forza Horizon 4 - Velar

The Range Rover Velar is a rather unusual member of the Range Rover family that some people suggest that it's more road-oriented than being a real Range Rover. Having won this car from the recent Horizon Winter Playlist, I had my dibs on this unusual Range Rover addition.

So, what's it all about this Range Rover Velar? 

Named after a dummy company responsible for the pre-production testing of the first-ever Range Rover, the Velar uses the same underpinnings as the Jaguar F-Pace and it slots above the Evoque. Under the hood,  the Velar offers almost the same choice of petrol and diesel engines as its close relative, the Jaguar F-Pace, with the most powerful in the range for the time being is the one with the Supercharged 3.0L V6 petrol engine producing 380HP of power and 450Nm of torque. To retain the same Range Rover capability as its relatives, the Velar comes with  the available Terrain Response 2 and All Terrain Progress Control, It even comes with Intelligent Driveline Dynamics, which uses artificial intelligence to determine torque distribution, traction, and dynamics while being connected to its Dynamic Stability Control system, Torque Vectoring System and the Active Locking Rear Differential.

It's obvious that a certain someone said that the Velar doesn't behave like a proper Range Rover because first, it's not good on the track. Second, spacing's not big enough for big dogs from Canada. Third, not as agile as a horse. And fourth; you'd better be off with an F-150 Raptor instead. Reminds you of something, huh? 

Anyway, the Velar is quite the dark horse of the Range Rover lineup because while it's not as good as its big brother, the real Range Rover, it's good offroad only when you want to and on the road, it behaves like its F-Pace equivalent. Not bad but perhaps it can do better like most crossovers should in the name of being all-rounders. Yes, it's road-focused but it's almost a Range Rover full stop and you can spend the rest of the week exploring other places with this dark horse.

In the spirit of translating theories into actions, I flew first-class to LEGO Valley where I took the Velar for a little demonstration while up against other SUVs in an all-out torture to see which SUV stands tall. Let's get this party started, shall we?

That was a real torture but I can't believe the Velar survived the act.

The Velar may definitely not the best SUV to keep if you're in a mood for trekking outer worlds but for the fun of it, it's not really a bad crossover full stop.

Wish I want to conclude this impression but because of a certain someone, I had a brainwave because with its main rivals in the roster, I think the Velar wants to take on a real experiment, something that reminds me of a certain TV show I just saw with these three crossover pitting each other with disastrous results.

Check that out very soon because the Velar is ready for a real test. A test that is worth checking out!

Range Rover Velar

Since the beginning, the Range Rover has been served as the flagship of the Land Rover lineup, but now, the Range Rover has been expanded into numerous models under its helm. There's a Range Rover Sport, which remains the only Range Rover model to have seven seats, and there's the smaller Range Rover Evoque that combines style and practicality at such size. Now, the Range Rover family welcomes their newest addition; the stylish and yet functional Range Rover Velar.

2018 Land Rover Range Rover Velar

2018 Land Rover Range Rover Velar

There is one major reason why they called their newest Range Rover addition the Velar because this coupe-crossover's name harks back to the codeword used on the first Range Rover, which is basically a three-door SUV in the beginning. The goal of the Velar is capture the inspiration of the first Range Rover in terms of design while offering five-door practicality you would expect on a posh crossover. That's just statements from Land Rover themselves but under keen observation, the Velar's sizing is bigger than the Evoque but slightly smaller than the bigger Range Rovers, making it more of a middleman to the family than a chieftain of the tribe, even good-looking.

2018 Land Rover Range Rover Velar interior

2018 Land Rover Range Rover Velar interior

Despite being smaller than its big brothers, the Velar's interior is about as cozier as a Jaguar XF in so many ways but what's revolting about the Velar's interior is that the dashboard's jam-packed with touch panels rather than buttons because every luxury carmakers know that the future of dashboards belong to touch panels and the thing about the use of touch panels is when your hands get smothered with too much finger foods, you'd better pack some hand sanitizers before touching those. That's a top tip but even though the dashboard's littered with too much touch panels from top to bottom, it's surprisingly accommodating and spacious as well. You'll find many great ways to enjoy it.

2018 Land Rover Range Rover Velar

Now, let's look what is like to drive the Velar and under the hood, the Velar offers almost the same choice of petrol and diesel engines as its close relative, the Jaguar F-Pace, with the most powerful in the range for the time being is the one with the Supercharged 3.0L V6 petrol engine producing 380HP of power and 450Nm of torque. With the 8-speed automatic gearbox, which is standard on all models, it does 0-60mph in 5.3 seconds and top speed normally limited to 155mph. That sounds quick even by SUV standards and then there's its signature Range Rover capability. Of course, for those who want more pull for their buck, there's the 300HP 3.0L V6 diesel engine delivering 700Nm of torque.

Of course, while there are most SUVs that can do all kinds of jobs better than the Velar, this new crossover sets the class apart with its legendary Range Rover capability inherited from the entire family tree. Like the available Terrain Response 2 and All Terrain Progress Control, these handy-capable features allow the Velar to tackle almost all corners of the world; be it the Sahara desert, the Australian Outback, the African jungles, Patagonia, be any place as long as you are looking for a shortcut that will lead you to your point of interest quicker than luxury saloons. Then, there's the Intelligent Driveline Dynamics, which uses artificial intelligence to determine torque distribution, traction, and dynamics while being connected to its Dynamic Stability Control system, Torque Vectoring System and the Active Locking Rear Differential. And then, there's the electric power-assisted steering which adds a bit more feel every time a driver steers the Velar but sometimes, it can be prone to understeering and this calls for more painkillers when your arm aches from steering this crossover. It maybe an SUV but with that level of dynamics, the Velar really feels like an luxury saloon in so many angles and it's the ideal crossover for people who don't want to be late for their dinner reservations with their dates.

Speaking of dinner reservations, the Velar offers a wide range of advanced driver assistance systems, either standard or optional to ensure its preparedness on today's traffic conditions. From the Autonomous Emergency Braking, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keep Assist, Driver Condition Monitoring, Traffic Sign Recognition, Reverse Traffic Detection, Adaptive Cruise Control, 360° Parking Aid, and Park Assist.

Should you buy it? Well, prices start from 44,575 to 84,195 GBP, so it isn't cheap for a luxury crossover of this size but for the new Range Rover Velar, it's all about the style, the interior, the choice of engines, and the legendary Range Rover characteristics you'd expect from the family tree. If the RR, the RR Sport, and the RR Evoque turn the world into their sandbox adventure, the Velar can and that really is a welcoming addition to the Range Rover family.

Photo: Jaguar Land Rover