2022 Range Rover SV LWB

The 2022 Range Rover SV LWB is a direct descendant of the Land Rover vehicles that introduced the brand to America in 1987. Before that, an interesting looking “Landy” was spotted on a family TV show in the mid-1960s known as “Daktari” (Doctor in Swahili). Filmed in Africa, USA, about 40 miles north of Los Angeles, it was a show about a doctor and his family in the eastern part of Africa who studied and cared for wild animals.

Back in those days, Land Rover and Range Rovers were utilitarian, off-road capable vehicles that could cut trails in the jungle, climb hills and ford streams. But by the time the brand was officially introduced in 1987, the Range Rover had become quite luxurious. The brand is still the favorite of the smart set, from supermodels to venture capitalists. Napleton News pretended we were both. Here’s what we thought.

What is the Range Rover SV LWB?

The Range Rover SV LWB is one of the most luxurious off-road vehicles on the road today. Scratch that. It’s one of the most luxurious vehicles, period. All new for 2022, this Ranger offers highline features, intense power, incredible off-road capabilities and besides,  it’s quite comfortable. The SV gets its power from a 4.4-liter turbocharged V8 engine, making 523 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque. Power is sent to Range Rover’s all-wheel drive twin-speed transfer box by a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission.

How does the Range Rover LWB look?

It’s one of the most elegant looking “boxes” on the road today. Think of it as a sexy, aerodynamic brick. Honestly, though, according to Land Rover, this model has the lowest cD of any full-size SUV. The Range Rover LWB features a clean elegance that blends a smoothness and very un-busy look overall. Did we say clean? This Ranger is so clean that the door handles retract flush into the bodywork once the SUV is underway.

Finished in matte gold, it signals an arrival of something very special. To add extra emphasis to the Range Rover, it has been outfitted with 23-inch style alloy wheels.

It’s what inside that matters.

Pivi Pro is what’s up. It’s Range Rover’s new infotainment system that can handle many tasks within two taps or button touches and even gives haptic feedback that confirms your selections or task choices.

The front seats are something else and basically amount to thrones from whence we assume our royal perches. When you figure out how to control the heating and ventilation, you’ll be ready to roll. We skip that in favor of a back massage that has us relaxing our way to Miami, which normally causes our blood pressure to spike as soon as we cross the Miami-Dade/Broward county line. Even the rear seats are massage-equipped so the kids in the second row can have some fun!

Our tester included an optional rear seat entertainment system, complete with two 11.4-inch touchscreens mounted to the backs of the front seats.

Driving the Range Rover SV LWB

Power from the 4.4-liter turbocharged V8 is larger than life in this over-the-top SUV. It comes in a torrent and stays with us as long as we keep that right foot planted. Once we reach cruising speed, a serene quietness takes over the cabin, relaxing all occupants. When we needed more power, it was there, ready to pounce, as necessary. If we choose to drown out the purr of the engine, the RR’s premium audio system nicely filled the bill.

If there’s one foible to all of this, it would be with the Range Rover’s auto start/stop function. We find it rather off-putting. Don’t get us wrong, it turns off as silently as possible. We’re just put off by the re-firing process that moves rather abruptly when we lift our foot off the brake pedal.

Despite this issue, which can be disabled, we fell in love with this new example of luxury. It’s not just the Germans who build luxurious on and off-road vehicles. The Brits do a pretty good job of it, too.