Range Rover is doing its best to sell the road-going equivalent of flying first class. The 2024 SE SWB P400 trim does everything effortlessly, makes no fuss about it, and draws decidedly less attention than other competitors in its class. That is to say, it’s very high-class British in the way it does its thing, and it’s a truly fantastic road trip companion.

Feeling expensive is the name of the game here, and that starts with the way it looks. The Range Rover oozes comforting luxury rather than flashy bling, with the current design language aging well; even the once-controversial taillight treatment is attractive. Our test vehicle’s Sunset Gold paint is the right color for it, too, though it costs a shocking $8,450 extra. Even so, draping it over a light-themed interior makes for a proper Range Rover pairing.

So yes, it looks expensive, and the materials inside help further that. It’s almost Swedish-like minimalism employed here, with a flair of British eloquence for good measure. Part of this is due to the brand deciding to house most of the controls in the PIVI Pro screen. This decision cleans up the center stack yet makes for some difficulties in navigating what should be easy-to-find menus and controls.

Even though PIVI Pro is good in its current form, we’re hopeful that Range Rover returns to using hard buttons and knobs– which, frankly, is another opportunity to show true high-class materials, yet it would undoubtedly undo some of the cost savings the accounting department undoubtedly loves that comes by way of using the screen to simplify the parts list. Still, PIVI Pro does the job and the Meridian sound system it operates is excellent.

The P400 powertrain– a mild hybrid turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine making 395 horsepower and 406 lb-ft of torque– is plenty thrusty, though there’s no immediacy about it. In the rolling hills of Pennsylvania, maintaining speed requires a deep dip into the throttle. The same goes for accelerating at anything more than a leisurely pace; merging to highway speed from a standing stop necessitates exploring at least half of the available power. This is perhaps the sole less-than-luxurious aspect of the P400. In this application, the engine needs just a bit too much right foot to move the way its price dictates it should.

Still, out on the open road the Range Rover drives the way it looks: Calm, composed, even a bit wafty. It’s equally at home out on the highway as it is poking around town, though the ($3,000) 23” wheels do hamper ride quality a bit whenever the tarmac is choppy. There’s still off-road tech on board in the form of the Terrain Response 2 System and the accompanying off-road modes for Land Rover traditionalists. The tires wrapped around the 23” wheels will undoubtedly be the limiting factor when the terrain turns into mud or rocks, not that anybody is going to wheel one of these things; at least not until it’s in the hands of its third or fifth owner.

We only have a few other complaints with the Range Rover, and they’re minor. The seats could be a bit larger, which would help with the cushiness factor. We are conscious that this would perhaps be a bridge too far in tending to American customers, in turn betraying its British heritage. Speaking of size, the Range Rover also feels small inside for a vehicle that’s a hair shy of 200 inches long, and some of the switchgear feels like it came from a parts bin for vehicles below the Range Rover’s price point.

As for the price, this test vehicle carried a base MSRP of $107,400 and with options it soared to $123,960, which is still a pretty penny for a “base” Range Rover. Tick the option box for the plug-in hybrid engine or V8-based mild hybrid and the numbers skyrocket. A $150k Range Rover SWB is easy, and it wouldn’t take much imagination to approach $175k. So skip the fancy paint and 23” wheels and you’re in a gorgeous and well-equipped Range Rover for just over $110k. That’s still a lot of money, but it’ll feel every bit that price in practice and look like it costs even more.

Cost aside, Range Rover has really hit its stride with this generation of SUV, and the omission in a V8 in this SE SWB P400 trim is hardly noticed. Instead, this is a great vehicle all-around, and its luxury is only surpassed by the experience of a Range Rover as a whole.

Yay

• Stylish and elegant in the way only a Range Rover can be
• Highway cruiser overachiever
• Plenty of tech and gadgets to stay with the times

Nay

• Delay between brain, throttle, and engine’s response
• Infotainment screen houses all, which is far too much
• Some minor ergonomic shortcomings

The Takeaway

Even on the “low end” side of things, Range Rover seamlessly blends elegance and luxury, with the end result being a fantastic all-around SUV with comfort and capability in spades.