2023 Range Rover PHEV Review
2023 Range Rover PHEV
Price as tested: $110,500
3.0 Liter Turbo V6 w/38.2 kWh hybrid assist
543 HP / 590 TQ combined
MPG: 19 on average as observed
0-60: 5.6
— Guy who did stuff: Yousef Alvi —
If you want a quick synopsis on the 2023 Range Rover PHEV, just read the following:
“The Rolls Royce Ghost and this Range Rover, are the two best riding vehicles I have ever reviewed.”
Seriously. This Range Rover has the uncanny ability of melting away road imperfections to such an extent that it is borderline spooky. It delivers a driving and riding experience that no other SUV on the road can match. That alone is worth every single penny of the $110k as tested price.
Add that ride quality to the fact that this is a full size SUV that is also a Plug-in Hybrid, just adds the proverbial cherry to the top. Delivering up to 51 miles of range and delivering 80+ mph of pure EV highway cruising, one can legitimately run on just electrons throughout the week, without touching a drop of gasoline.
When you do happen to touch that drop of gasoline, the transition to the turbo V6 is so smooth that it is nearly imperceptible. It also delivers a snarly, if not muted, sound when giving it the beans. Said bean delivering also delivers a very satisfying meaty midrange punch along with a silky and snappy gear change courtesy of the ZF auto.
The PHEV is not a ‘Sport’ model but it is ‘sporty’. You can use the Terrain Response dial to switch it ‘dynamic’ setting which hunkers and tightens the Range Rover’s responses with the added benefit of NOT ruining ride quality. The rest of the Terrain Response system is as much Idiot Proof as one can get, just rotate the dial to the road conditions…and that’s it. The Range Rover’s stability programming, suspension control and a slew of other ECUs figure out the rest for you.
Let’s go ahead and break it down:
The Great
Ride Quality: Well, just read the first 2 paragraphs
NVH: On road, on highway, off-road…everything in between, the Range Rover is whisper quiet. It’s like a cathedral on wheels BUT it doesn’t completely isolate you, it has the perfect amount of road and wind ambiance that is ushered into the cabin. It’s calming and relaxing without being boring. It’s just utterly fantastic.
Overlanding OG: Made for the depths of the earth from rutted roads, rocky inclines, muddy embankments to snowy slopes all the way to 5 star hotel parking…the Range Rover is the original Jack of all Trades.
The Good
Looks: It’s sinister, mean and elegant all in one design. It’s the SUV version of Daniel Craig’s James Bond.
Interior: With almost 13,000 miles on this test unit (which makes ‘real word’ miles…more like 30,000), it feels solid as a piece of granite. Nary a creak or rattle to speak of and with a set of beautifully supportive seats in all rows to boot!
The Bad
Controls: Majority of the HVAC, seat heating/cooling and 96% of the steering controls are touch control and touch control only. Adjustments are made via the infotainment screen that only responds to a deliberate poke, which will elicit a tactile feedback to your command.
Which would be fine, except when using CarPlay which the infotainment doesn’t respond with at all with tactile feedback. Which, leaves your fingertips momentarily confused when switching from the Range Rover UI to the CarPlay UI and back.
Another confusing aspect is the limited HVAC dial controls. You either rotate, pull or push to control various settings. Which is confusing it and of itself without the fact that the accompanying text on the dial is tiny to read. So, you find yourself squinting down to read the display…which can be an issue if you’re driving along at 80mph
The Ugly
Nada, nothing…can’t think of a thing.
The Overall
A stunning automotive masterpiece.
