New 2022 Range Rover Revealed, Australian orders open

Ultimate large luxury SUV unveiled in fifth-generation form as the 2022 Range Rover offers PHEV power and seven-seat capability.

In more than 50 years there have only been four generations of Range Rover, so this all-new, fifth-generation car for 2022 is a significant step for Land Rover. Not least because the British brand’s iconic luxury SUV will be available as a plug-in hybrid and with seven seats for the first time.

The new Range Rover will go on sale in Australia starting from $220,200 before on-road costs for the Range Rover SWB SE D300 and is available to order now.

It is the first model on the British brand’s new MLA-Flex platform, which allows for pure combustion-engined powertrains, plug-in hybrid tech, and fully electric propulsion – and on that front, a Range Rover EV has been confirmed for 2024.

New 2022 Range Rover engines and performance

However, the big news here is that the 2022 Range Rover will launch with two plug-in hybrid options. The first, badged P440e, combines a 3.0-litre straight-six turbocharged petrol engine with a 38.2kWh battery (31.8kWh usable) and a 105kW electric motor for a total combined output of 324kW and 620Nm of torque.

The second option, badged P510e, offers more power from its 3.0-litre petrol unit but uses the same battery and electric motor, taking the total combined output to 375kW and 700Nm of torque, delivering a 5.7-second 0-100km/h time. A top speed of 140km/h in the car’s EV driving mode is possible.

The shared electrification across both plug-in choices means hybrid Range Rover variants can travel up to 100km on a full charge, with Land Rover claiming a real-world zero-emission range of 80km and CO2 emissions of less than 30g/km. Regenerative braking as part of the new car’s brake-by-wire tech also features, while full efficiency information is yet to be confirmed.

Rapid charging capability at up to 50kW is included, so an 80 per cent top-up will take less than an hour; a full charge takes five hours using a home wallbox.

Alongside fully electric EV mode, there’s a choice of Hybrid mode – the default setting, which combines both power sources and uses predictive energy optimisation tech, as well as geofencing to ensure electric propulsion is available in low emissions zones, for example – and Save mode. This latter setting retains a programmable state of charge for deployment later in the driver’s journey.

Mild-hybrid tech also features in the engine line-up, with a 294kW 3.0-litre petrol (0-100km/h in 5.8 seconds, 7.92L/100km combined and 215g/km of CO2), as well as two diesel options. The 3.0-litre straight-six-engined D300 and D350 model offer 221kW and 257kW respectively, with up to 6.32L/100km possible and CO2 emissions from 198g/km.

At the top of the engine range sits a new 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol unit, offering 390kW and 750Nm of torque. Thanks to a Dynamic Launch system the 0-100km/h sprint is dispatched in 4.6 seconds, while top speed is limited to 250km/h.

All powertrains are mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox with low-range capability and Land Rover’s four-wheel drive system with Terrain Response 2 tech that tailors the drivetrain to different surfaces, while the new Intelligent All-Wheel Drive system can decouple the front axle on-road between 34km/h and 160km/h to improve efficiency and reduce CO2 emissions by up to 4g/km.

New 2022 Range Rover design

These new powertrains are wrapped up in a more modern evolution of the Range Rover’s styling. At the front, the grille has been refreshed with a new-look pattern, the standard digital LED headlights are sharper, and most of the car’s sensors for its driver assistance systems have been incorporated into a panel lower down in the bumper to give a smoother, cleaner look. This also helps to reduce drag and improve aerodynamic efficiency.

According to Land Rover’s Design Director, Massimo Frascella, the new Range Rover’s design is all about reductionism, reducing the lines and joints in the body to give a new, more understated take on modern luxury.

With this in mind, no Range Rover will wear an engine or trim level boot badge, while alternatives to leather will be offered in the form of Kvadrat technical Ultrafabric to improve sustainability. However, leather will still be offered as standard.

Land Rover’s design reductionism is clear at the rear, where the biggest styling changes for the new car can be seen. The tail-lights and indicators have been incorporated into a solid-looking black panel that is opaque when the lights aren’t on.

In profile, the Range Rover is still defined by three clear horizontal lines. The first below the doors that now sweeps upwards towards the rear, the second runs back from the clamshell bonnet and is sharper and tighter than before, while the third separates the model’s trademark floating roof.

It’s not the only design detail that has been retained, as the new Range Rover still boasts a split tailgate, while the door inserts have evolved to a U-shaped design. Alloy wheels between 20 and 23 inches will be available depending on spec.

New 2022 Range Rover interior, technology and practicality

This fifth-generation Range Rover will be the first that offers seating for seven. The new car comes in five-seat standard wheelbase form, while if you opt for the long wheelbase variant you can specify a third row of seats.

The LWB model adds an extra 200mm between the car’s axles, facilitating the new seating configuration. We tried the third row at the car’s unveiling and, while there’s not as much room as in the brand’s larger Discovery, there’s still enough space for children and adults on shorter journeys.

Improved torsional rigidity (up to 50 per cent) from the new aluminium-intensive platform means Land Rover’s engineers have been able to increase the door aperture size to improve access, which is reasonable.

SWB models can be had with five seats, while if you go for the Executive Class Seating pack, this comes with four seats. The individual chairs in the rear are available on SWB and LWB cars, improving kneeroom by 44mm; there’s up to one metre of legroom on four-seat LWB models.

This package also adds an eight-inch touchscreen controller in the back to tune the rear cabin environment, while the rear seats recline by up to 25 degrees to add even more comfort and refinement. If you want the seven-seat layout you’re restricted to LWB form, although there are heated seats in all rows, while the rows are also tiered to improve visibility the further back you sit and fold electrically at the touch of a button.

The new Range Rover adopts Land Rover’s latest Pivi Pro infotainment system with a gently curved 13.1-inch touchscreen on the dash. The brand says 90 per cent of tasks are accessible in just two steps from the home screen, while there’s also more connectivity than ever before, with over-the-air software update capability, Amazon Alexa integration (confirmed for Australia), Spotify and, of course, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto with wireless connections for both programmes.

There’s a 13.7-inch digital dash panel, while as you’d expect in a luxury car, buyers can opt for a Rear Seat Entertainment package, which adds a pair of 11.4-inch HD touchscreens mounted on the front seatbacks.

There’s 15w wireless phone charging on offer, as well as up to 60w of power to charge devices by USB C; if this isn’t enough there’s also a 230v socket available.

The new MLA-Flex platform is also loaded with clever technology to improve refinement, ride comfort and capability on and off-road.

Along with the six off-road pre-sets for the Terrain Response 2 system there’s also a Wade mode, which raises the body to give a 900mm wading depth, while the next-generation suspension set-up allows for up to 510mm of wheel travel to help boost off-road ability, a Range Rover calling card.

On-road, Land Rover’s Dynamic Response Pro 48v active anti-roll tech helps to keep the car level in corners, improving stability and comfort for passengers, especially at high speed.

There’s active noise cancellation with five times the range of previous systems and electronic air suspension with pre-emptive tech that uses navigation data to set the car up for the road ahead. All-wheel steering is standard, turning the rear wheels in the opposite direction to the fronts by up to seven degrees at low speed to give the more than five-metre-long Range Rover a 10.95-metre turning circle, less than most superminis.

On top of this, cabin storage has been optimised, with lots more clever trays and bins to store items, while boot space stands at 725 litres in both five-seat SWB and LWB form. Go for the seven-seat car and there’s 312 litres with all rows in place, rising to 713 litres with the third row folded down.

There are a maximum 1841 litres available in the SWB car and 2601 litres on offer in the LWB model with all seats stowed away.

New 2022 Range Rover SV models

Land Rover is revealing the Range Rover SV models alongside the standard car, with this ultra-luxurious option gaining more personalisation potential and different design details.

Available in SWB form, as well as four or five-seat LWB configurations, the brand is offering two SV design themes: SV Serenity and SV Intrepid. The former features a metal-plated finish for the grille in Atlas Silver, as well as Corinthian Bronze accents, including the door inserts. The Range Rover lettering is also in Corinthian Bronze with Silver Satin surrounds.

The Serenity them has been designed to showcase the car’s elegance and features mosaic-pattern embroidery inside, as well as lighter two-tone upholstery choices.