It’s 120kg heavier than its equivalent SDV6 variants, yet averages 30+mpg in the real world with 26% fewer emissions of CO2. It will glide in and out of your garage in silence but 700Nm of torque can be summoned in an instant – the Hybrid is a Range Rover like none other.
Land Rover was thinking about how it could future proof both the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport even before the cars were developed. We saw a prototype of a PHEV powertrain some years ago in the old shape RRS but for now at least, there’s no plug-in versions of the RR and RRS, just the Hybrids. You won’t find batteries stealing boot space as the liquid cooled lithium-ium pack, which is supplied by Johnson Controls, is integrated beneath the floor in a boron-steel cradle. There’s no loss of cabin or luggage space but there have been some tweaks such an 80-litre fuel tank, which is 5 less than other Range Rovers.
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In as-tested form, the car had a full-size spare tyre under the boot floor, though Land Rover charges an extra GBP200 for this. Other options, over and above the GBP100,350 list priced includes a GBP950 electrically deployable tow bar, a GBP4,000 1,700W Meridian Signature Auto System, rear seat entertainment (GBP1,500), Wade Sending (GBP250) and Park Assist (GBP900).
The vehicle’s off-roading talents are, as you’d expect, state of the art. You can raise the body to a 296mm obstacle clearance height, while the standard ride height is 221mm. Maximum wading depth is 900mm, off-road approach is 34.7 degrees, with a departure angle of up to 29.6 degrees.
One of the most extraordinary things about the Hybrid is its silence at low speeds and how easy it is to drive. You soon forget its size and it’s also surprisingly fast for something weighing in excess of 2,500kg including an average weight driver. Zero-62mph takes 6.9 seconds and despite the combustion engine being a diesel, it isn’t overly noisy when you press down hard on the throttle pedal. The electric motor produces 170Nm from idle and this is brought in to boost the 3.0-litre engine’s own output.
The motor will act as a generator, drawing kinetic energy via regenerative braking and charging the battery as you decelerate. The driver can then select EV mode and provided speed is kept below 30mph, you have up to one mile of electric-only range before the V6 kicks in, which is does smoothly and relatively quietly.
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By GlobalDataThe engine and motor produce 250kW (340PS) at 4,000rpm, with the 700Nm of torque delivered between 1,500-3,000rpm. Land Rover claims this gives you similar performance to the SDV8 diesel and sure enough, until the recent model year 2015 upgrade, this 4.4-litre diesel produced 340PS and 700Nm (now 740Nm). The Hybrid’s top speed is 135mph (218km/h), CO2 emissions are 169g/km, and the Combined cycle average is 44.1mpg.
The Hybrid doesn’t look any different from other Range Rovers. Inside, the power gauge is a giveaway, while little badges on the doors and one on the boot are all that distinguish it. These say ‘HYBRID’ but there’s no indication that it’s a diesel.
The main markets for this model are Europe, China, Taiwan, Australia and South Korea. A long-wheelbase Hybrid had its world premiere at April 2014’s Beijing motor show. Land Rover noted that this was the first diesel hybrid passenger vehicle to be sold in China: the first deliveries took place during the fourth quarter of 2014.
While the Hybrid is never going to be the best selling variant, it’s a vital part of Land Rover’s overall model range total emissions and fuel economy averages. And being one of the newest additions to the line-up, helps to keep Range Rover sales ticking over.
Last year was a record one for the brand’s top model and it might well be again in 2015, provided the UK, Chinese and US markets stay strong. A special Td6 version of the 3.0-litre diesel will become available in the US for the 2016 model year which in theory opens the way for the Hybrid to be sold there too, should there be a business case for it.
Expect a minor facelift for the Range Rover in 2016 and that’s also when JLR’s Ingenium petrol and diesel engines should become available, bringing down the price of entry to what is at the moment a fairly steep starting point of GBP73,950. Still, that doesn’t seem to discourage the people who buy Range Rovers and in some ways, vehicles such as the GBP180,000 Holland & Holland really just reinforce the model’s image as the poshest 4×4 by far.
