Land Rover unveils significant mid-cycle update for the Range Rover Velar
Changes include an upgraded interior, improved performance and a larger battery
Land Rover has unveiled a significant midlife update for the Range Rover Velar, which includes a revised look, a slicker interior and improved performance.
The Velar arrived on sale back in 2017, and was later updated with a plug-in hybrid option in 2020. Its most wider-ranging update this year aims to improve the car’s appeal, and turn its dwindling sales figures around before it meets the end of its sales cycle.
Last year, the Velar was the second-slowest selling model for Land Rover, with 27,668 units.
The most notable update is the larger battery in the Velar P400e plug-in hybrid version, which has now increased from 13.6kWh to 19.2kWh. According to Land Rover, this allows for a range of 40 miles on electric power, compared to 33 miles previously.
The P400e’s drivetrain remains the same, consisting of a 296bhp four-cylinder petrol engine paired to a 141bhp electric motor. This means a total power output of 398bhp and 640 Nm of torque - enough to launch the car from 0 to 62 mph in just 5.4 seconds, before reaching its top speed of 130mph.
The larger battery can also support a higher rate of charge of up to 50kW - one of the highest of any PHEV on sale.
Exterior updates are pretty minimal compared to the previous model, apart from an updated grille design, new LED headlights (on selected models), as well as a new bumper at the rear.
The interior meanwhile features Range Rover's latest Pivi Pro infotainment system, which features a single curved screen instead of the previous dual-screen setup seen before.
Replacing the physical buttons to operate frequently used functions such as climate, camera, navigation and media are touchscreen shortcuts on the display, which are always visible for added convenience.
The Range Rover Velar starts at £54,045 for the entry-level S with a 201bhp 2.0-litre diesel mild-hybrid engine, though this can increase to £76,415 for the top-of-the-line Autobiography model.
The Velar P400e, however, is priced from £64,745, and deliveries for the revised Velar range are to commence in the next few weeks.