2019 Land Rover Range Rover Velar

Is the Land Rover Range Rover Velar a Good SUV?

Yes, the 2019 Range Rover Velar is a good SUV. The Velar has a spacious five-seat interior with high-quality materials. It rides comfortably over rough pavement and maneuvers well, both on- and off-road. The Velar is available with a trio of refined yet fuel-efficient engine options. Better still, all models come standard with a wide variety of tech and safety features.

Should I Buy the Land Rover Range Rover Velar?

The Velar is definitely an attractive option in this segment; however, it’s a relative newcomer that doesn't have a history of good predicted reliability ratings (the 2019 model has yet to be scored). Before you buy, you may want to consider highly rated luxury midsize SUV alternatives like the Lexus RX 350, which has a lower starting price and a sterling reputation for reliability.

Compare the Range Rover Velar and RX 350 »

Should I Buy a New or Used Land Rover Range Rover Velar?

Following its launch for 2018, Land Rover reshuffled the Velar's trim levels and features for the 2019 model year. Prices also dropped for the 2019 Velar, so it's a toss-up whether you'll spend less money purchasing a used or a new Range Rover Velar. That said, the 2018 Velar isn’t available with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, so you’ll need to stick with a 2019 model if either of those features are important to you.

We recommend cross-shopping both to find the best deal. You can also review our Used Car Deals page to learn about savings and discounts on used vehicles.

We Did the Research for You: 13 Reviews Analyzed

Our Land Rover Range Rover Velar review includes far more than just one person's opinion. We collected professional evaluations from 13 sources and combined them with concrete data like fuel economy estimates, safety scores, and performance specs to help you make an informed buying decision.

Why You Can Trust Us

At U.S. News & World Report, we rank the Best Jobs, Best Hospitals, and Best Colleges to guide readers through some of life’s most complicated decisions. We've been ranking and reviewing the Best Cars since 2007, backed by a team with more than 75 years of combined automotive experience. To keep favoritism out of the picture, we maintain a separate advertising team and decline expensive gifts and trips from car companies.

How Much Does the Land Rover Range Rover Velar Cost?

Prices for the 2019 Range Rover Velar start at $49,950 for a base model, but they can approach $75,000 for a high-end Velar R-Dynamic HSE model. For more details on trim levels and pricing, see our Which Land Rover Range Rover Velar Model Is Right for Me? section below.

Overall, the Velar’s price point falls in the middle of the Land Rover lineup. The Land Rover Discovery Sport and Range Rover Evoque SUVs are the least expensive models at $37,990 and $41,800, respectively. The Land Rover Discovery is priced at a comparable $52,950. The Range Rover Sport and Range Rover SUVs are the priciest models at $67,500 and $89,500.

Check out our U.S. News Best Price Program for great savings at your local Land Rover dealer.

Land Rover Range Rover Velar Versus the Competition

Which Is Better: Range Rover Velar or Mercedes-Benz GLE?

Despite its lower ranking, the Range Rover Velar has a few advantages over the Mercedes-Benz GLE. These include the Velar's lower starting price, standard four-wheel drive, and a thriftier base engine. It’s also more enjoyable to drive and feels quite agile for an SUV. The GLE does have a few attributes that swing the bar back in its favor. You can tow a much heavier trailer with the Mercedes, and you’ll be able to pack an extra suitcase or two, thanks to its larger cargo area.

Which Is Better: Range Rover Velar or BMW X5?

The redesigned BMW X5 is one of the best vehicles in this segment. Like the Velar, the X5 has a handsome cabin, a user-friendly infotainment system, and many advanced safety features. Both SUVs also offer well-balanced handling and potent engine options. The X5 isn’t quite as fuel-efficient as the Velar, but it does have a heftier tow rating and the added practicality of an optional third-row seat. The X5 also rates above average for predicted reliability. Test-drive the BMW first.

Which Is Better: Range Rover Velar or Jaguar F-Pace?

The Jaguar F-Pace is quite similar to the Velar. Both of these five-seat SUVs have the same engine options, transmissions, and chassis components. Both are also available with many of the same tech and safety features. There are some key differences, though. The F-Pace is a couple inches shorter, and it feels more athletic to drive. It also has a simpler infotainment system. The Velar provides a smoother ride, though, as well as a larger cargo area and nicer cabin materials. All things considered, price may be the deciding factor. The F-Pace has a lower starting price by around $5,000.

Compare the Range Rover Velar, GLE, and X5 »

Range Rover Velar Interior

How Many People Does the Range Rover Velar Seat?

As a luxury SUV with 2 rows, the Velar has seating for five. It has generous room in both rows, and the panoramic sunroof makes the cabin feel exceptionally airy. Synthetic leather seats are standard. For a posh retreat, upgrade to one of the first-class leather options, or upgrade the front seats to have 20-way power adjustments as well as heating, cooling, and massaging functions.

Range Rover Velar and Car Seats

In the back seat, the Velar has a full set of LATCH anchors mounted on the outboard seats and a third tether anchor for the middle seat.

Range Rover Velar Interior Quality

The Velar's cabin is one of the finest in the class. It's awash in first-class materials, including an optional rich wool blend that adds an element of sophistication. The minimalistic layout, dual touch screens, and available adaptive driver's display complement this Land Rover’s elegant interior styling.

Range Rover Velar Cargo Space

The cargo area in the Velar measures 34.4 cubic feet, which is above average for a luxury SUV with 2 rows. The standard 40/20/40 split-folding rear seats offer multiple ways to expand the cargo area. Folding all of them down creates a 70.1-cubic-foot cargo area. The hands-free liftgate is also a convenient bonus that comes standard in all but the base trim.

Range Rover Velar Infotainment, Bluetooth, and Navigation

The Velar comes with a state-of-the-art infotainment system that uses a pair of 10-inch touch screens. The upper screen can tilt up to 30 degrees, giving you the flexibility to adjust it for optimal viewing. The high-definition graphics look stunning, and the menus have a straightforward layout. The system can be slow to respond to inputs, however, which can be a pain while driving. Range Rover's ample entertainment options include HD Radio, a 23-speaker Meridian sound system, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and an activity key – a waterproof wristband that lets you lock and unlock the car without having to carry a set of keys.

Read more about interior »

Range Rover Velar Performance

Range Rover Velar Engine: A Powerful Trinity

It doesn't matter that the standard turbocharged four-cylinder has one of the lower horsepower ratings in our ranking of luxury 2-row SUVs. This 247-horsepower engine still delivers satisfying acceleration, and you'll be able to easily merge onto the highway or overtake a slower vehicle. A 180-horsepower turbodiesel four-cylinder is available. A supercharged V6 is also available in 340- and 380-horsepower variants. All engines come with a responsive eight-speed automatic transmission.

Range Rover Velar Gas Mileage: 2 Economical Choices

Two of the Velar's engines are very efficient for a luxury midsize SUV. The standard four-cylinder engine returns 21 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway. The optional turbodiesel is rated at 26/30 mpg city/highway, which can save you an average of $500 in fuel costs each year compared to the base engine, according to the EPA. Gas mileage drops to 18/24 mpg with the supercharged V6.

Range Rover Velar Ride and Handling: Comfortable and Stable

The Velar handles curves with composure and confidence. It owes much of its refined on-road manners to its standard adaptive suspension system, which keeps the ride nice and comfortable. This Land Rover is also pleasantly responsive, though it isn't necessarily sporty.

Range Rover Velar Off-Road Performance

The Velar is capable of moderate off-roading antics. In addition to four-wheel drive, it comes standard with low traction launch, hill launch assist, and hill descent control. The Terrain response system adjusts performance for maximum grip, with Eco, Comfort, Grass-Gravel-Snow, Mud-Ruts, Sand, and Dynamic drive modes. An active rear locking differential is available.

Range Rover Velar Dimensions and Weight

The Velar is a 15.8-foot-long SUV. Its curb weight ranges from 4,020 to 4,471 pounds, depending on configuration.

Range Rover Velar Towing Capacity

The Velar has a maximum towing capacity of 5,512 pounds. Trailer stability assist, which monitors for and minimizes trailer sway, is standard.

Read more about performance »

Range Rover Velar Reliability

Is the Land Rover Range Rover Velar Reliable?

A J.D. Power predicted reliability rating is not available for the 2019 Velar at the time of writing.

Land Rover Range Rover Velar Warranty

Land Rover covers the Velar with a four-year/50,000-mile limited warranty.

Read more about reliability »

Range Rover Velar Safety

Range Rover Velar Crash Test Results

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have not conducted crash test evaluations on the Velar. That's common for new vehicles of this caliber. 

Range Rover Velar Safety Features

Emergency brake assist, a rearview camera, front and rear parking sensors, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, and rain-sensing windshield wipers are standard on every 2019 Velar.

Optional safety features include a 360-degree camera system, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go functionality, high-speed emergency braking, a head-up display, a driver drowsiness monitor, rear cross traffic alert, traffic sign recognition with adaptive speed limiter, blind spot monitoring, and active park assist for parallel and perpendicular parking.

Read more about safety »

Which Land Rover Range Rover Velar Model Is Right for Me?

Land Rover has slimmed down the Velar's trim levels for the 2019 model year, also dropping the prices slightly. The 2019 editions include the base trim, Velar S, Velar R-Dynamic SE, and Velar R-Dynamic HSE. A turbocharged four-cylinder engine comes standard in the base, Velar S, and Velar R-Dynamic SE. A supercharged V6 is standard in the Velar R-Dynamic HSE and available in all lower trims except the base model. A turbodiesel engine is available solely in the Velar S.

If you want a dash of luxury and a good value, we recommend starting with the Velar S. Like the base trim, it comes with synthetic leather seats, but those in the Velar S are even swankier with perforated and grained leather. This trim comes with a hands-free liftgate, which is an indispensable feature if you find yourself short an extra hand to reach your keys. It's also the only edition that has the full selection of engine options available.

Land Rover Range Rover Velar

The entry-level Velar ($49,950) comes with synthetic leather and suede upholstery, 10-way power-adjustable front seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a panoramic sunroof, and proximity key entry. Key features of the base infotainment system include the Touch Pro Duo interface, two 10-inch touch screens, Bluetooth, eight-speakers, voice commands, and smartphone integration via InControl Apps. Standard safety features include a rearview camera, front and rear parking sensors, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, rain-sensing windshield wipers, and emergency brake assist. The base model is only available with the standard four-cylinder engine.

Land Rover Range Rover Velar S

Perforated, grained leather seats, an 11-speaker Meridian sound system, a navigation system, a hands-free liftgate, traffic sign recognition, and an adaptive speed limiter are among the upgrades in the Velar S. Engine choices include the standard four-cylinder ($54,700), the turbodiesel engine ($56,200), and the supercharged V6 ($61,200).

Land Rover Range Rover Velar R-Dynamic SE

The Velar R-Dynamic SE comes with the choice between the standard four-cylinder engine ($59,000) and the supercharged V6 ($65,600). Its key features include rear cross traffic alert, a 360-degree camera system, and perforated grained leather and suede seats. The standard active park assist operates the steering to guide the vehicle into and out of parallel and perpendicular parking spaces.

Land Rover Range Rover Velar R-Dynamic HSE

A wealth of enhancements makes the Velar R-Dynamic HSE ($74,500) an appealing choice. It starts with the perforated Windsor leather upholstery, but the 20-way power-adjustable front seats also impress with heating, cooling, and massage functions. The audio setup gets an upgrade to the 17-speaker Meridian surround sound system. A power adjustable steering column, blind spot monitoring, driver drowsiness monitoring, adaptive cruise control with steering assist, and high-speed emergency braking are also included. This trim level is powered by an upgraded version of the supercharged V6 engine with an extra 40 horsepower; there are no other engine options.

Check out our U.S. News Best Price Program for great savings and special offers at your local Land Rover dealer.

See 2019 Land Rover Range Rover Velar specs and trims »

The Final Call

The 2019 Range Rover Velar may be one of the best vehicles Range Rover has to offer. This SUV nails a broad range of requirements: It has satisfying acceleration, polished road manners, a magnificent interior, and a high-tech infotainment system that will make your neighbors envious. The Velar's off-road abilities are the cherry on top. There are few arguments against buying this two-row Land Rover, though one legitimate complaint is the brand's history of below-average predicted reliability ratings.

Don’t just take our word for it. Check out comments from some of the reviews that drive our rankings and analysis.

• "It's hard to forget a name like the 2019 Land Rover Range Rover Velar, and even harder to forget the vehicle. The Velar is the latest Land Rover born of the company's new design language, creating a sleek and stealthy-looking SUV aimed squarely at the likes of the Audi Q5, the Mercedes-Benz GLC and the Porsche Macan. In doing so, the Velar offers a slightly larger and more functional package that's more elegant than the conservatively styled Audi and more off-road-capable than the Porsche or the Mercedes-Benz." -- Autotrader
• "When it hits the market this fall, the Velar should have genuine broadband appeal among upscale shoppers, drawing in everyone from tech junkies and luxury hounds to off-roaders and the design obsessed. The biggest velvet-rope barrier to entry, as always, will be price…. [W]hether you're a design buff or not, the Velar feels worth it -- and that's something I don't often say of fully loaded models." -- CNET  (2018)
• "The Velar's subtext might be subtlety, but a recurrent thread is a shock of the new that (mostly) peacefully coexists with the comfort of tradition. … The top-line Velar First Edition knocks it out of the park as … both an instrument of utility and an object of desire." -- Automobile Magazine (2018)