The 2014 Range Rover is everything you’d expect from one of the most iconic brands in SUVs and then some. It is luxurious to a fault with all the comfort and convenience of a high end sedan, but it hides a powerful, capable vehicle that’s as at home off-road in the dirt as it is cruising down a paved highway.
| STATS | Starting Retail Price | As Tested Price | HP / Lb-Ft |
| 2014 Range Rover | $82,650 | $86,895 | 134/332 |
| EPA Rating MPG | As Tested MPG | ||
| Rating: BUY IT! | 17 / 23 Combined 19 | 18.1 Combined |
There are some brands that conjure a certain image, an aura, that stays with them no matter the year or model and Range Rover is one of those brands. It upholds that image with striking exterior styling that was updated just last year. It is still unmistakably a Range Rover, but with a more aerodynamic shape, narrow LED headlights flanking the mesh grille, and a rounder look overall.
Inside it is every bit the modern luxury sedan despite being an SUV. There is leather everywhere you look and it’s luxuriously comfortable to the touch. The seats, steering wheel and side mirrors are heated and those leather seats are so comfortable you’re not going to want to get out of the car. Both front and rear seating is spacious with plenty of room for elbows and knees, and the driver’s seat position gives a commanding view of the road.
Trims and veneers are elegant, tastefully stating that this is a luxury SUV rather than screaming it like, say, a Cadillac Escalade. The 2014 Range Rover doesn’t need to convince anyone that it’s luxurious because it just is.
There are also two LCDs with a 12.3″ screen acting as an instrument cluster and a smaller 8″ touchscreen managing the infotainment and navigation systems. The overall presentation is uncluttered without the excess of buttons sometimes found where functions on the touchscreen are needless duplicated with accompanying buttons. There are buttons for some functions like volume and channel control handily mounted on the steering wheel.
The 2014 Range Rover is powered by a 3.0-liter supercharged V6 that will let you play with 340 horsepower and 332 lb-ft of torque. Combine that with a vehicle that lost 700 lbs over the previous generation thanks to the ample use of aluminum and you have an SUV that is the exact opposite of large and sluggish. It’s powerful and quick, offering a responsive ride that will not leave you wanting for more under hard acceleration.
Handling is less like an SUV than like a large sedan thanks to the 2014 Range Rover’s enhanced electronic air suspension which features control-arm front suspension, multi-link rear suspension, and adaptive dampers at each corner. Power steering delivers solid, centered feedback that keeps you relaxed yet in control on any road surface.
Should you decide to take your 2014 Range Rover off-road, it is up to the task with a Terrain Response System that allows a choice of General, Snow, Mud, Sand, or Rock modes. This luxurious beast is not afraid to get dirty, even if you never do more than drive it into a field to go to a fair with the kids.
Despite losing those 700 lbs, it’s still a large SUV and its MPG ratings reflect is size. The 2014 Range Rover is rated 17/23 city/highway for a combined rating of 19 MPG. I averaged 18.1 MPG in what leaned heavily toward a city driving experience.
The 2014 Range Rover delivers luxury-sedan comfort and styling in a capable, comfortable package that’s sure to leave a smile on your face.
On the TFLcar scale of:
- Buy it!
- Lease it!
- Rent it!
- … or Forget it!
I give the 2014 Range Rover a Buy It!
Check out this mashup video featuring the 2014 Range Rover Sport…
Nicole Wakelin fell in love with cars as a teenager when she got to go for a ride in a Ferrari. It was red and it was fast and that was all that mattered. Game over. She considers things a bit more carefully now, but still has a weakness for fast, beautiful cars. Nicole also writes for NerdApproved and GeekMom.
