The new Range Rover SV is the future of subtle luxury
Land Rover's flagship luxury SUV has a wealth of interesting design cues and fresh materials.
The new Range Rover is the most advanced and luxurious SUV that Land Rover has ever built, with concept-like styling, tons of new tech features and a slick interior. But coming a few months after the "regular" Range Rover will be an even more luxurious version created by Jaguar Land Rover's Special Vehicle Operations, and it features exactly the kind of subtle touches that I want from luxury cars this decade.
Land Rover has consolidated the outgoing Range Rover's confusing SVAutobiography and SVAutobiography Dynamic trim levels into a single trim called SV, which will be available in both short- and long-wheelbase guises when it launches for the 2023 model year. There will be multiple design themes offered though, with the first two being called SV Serenity and SV Intrepid. These themes are basically predesigned configurations with specific color and trim options, though customers will be able to create their own unique Range Rovers as well.
Contrasting two-tone interiors are available for the first time.
The new SV is a little more differentiated from the standard Range Rover in terms of styling than the outgoing model was. Up front there's a unique grille design with slimmer slats, and the lower bumper features thin horizontal lines and a smaller skid plate element. The side blade gets the redesigned SV roundel etched into it, while the tailgate has an actual SV badge made from ceramic. I love the special copper exterior trim that's featured on the Serenity theme, where it's found on the grille, lower bumper, roof, side blades, wheels, tailgate trim and Range Rover script badging. As with the current SVO-fettled models, the new SV will be offered with an extensive color palette, including satin finishes and absolutely wild color-shifting paints.
It's on the inside where the SV gets truly special. The long-wheelbase SV is available with a five-seat configuration for the first time, but the Signature Suite option is what you really want. The individual rear seats have 24-way power adjustment and are heated, ventilated and massaging. The full-length center console features a fridge with SV-branded glasses, a pair of cupholders, a deployable airplane-like table and an 8-inch touchscreen for controlling the climate, seats and other functions. You also get an 11.4-inch touchscreen on the back of each front seat.
This SWB model has a leather-free interior with Ultrafabric and wool trimmings.
That's all pretty typical luxury car fare at this point, though -- what I want to focus on are the SV's trims and materials. The new Range Rover is available with two-tone interior color schemes that have the front and rear seats in contrasting colors, a really striking touch. Land Rover is also offering the Range Rover with what it calls Ultrafabrics, a leather alternative that looks super nice and is paired with Kvadrat wool. Luxury brands are increasingly becoming more sustainable and leather-free, and it's nice to see Land Rover increase its offerings.
The leather seats get very cool V-shaped stitching patterns that are echoed in the mosaic marquetry on the available wood trim, but multiple other wood options, carbon-fiber and plated metal finishes are available too. But the coolest material being used is white ceramics, which can be found on the shifter, volume and climate control knobs, start button, Terrain Response controller and even on the front armrest adjusters. The ceramic finish looks incredible, and it's like nothing else on the market.
Check out those ceramic controls!
If you described all of the new Range Rover SV's design cues to someone it might sound ostentatious or extravagant, but in reality it's fairly reserved. I love the design of the new Range Rover overall; it's futuristic and risky without being too crazy, a smart evolution of the outgoing design that seems fresh and forward-thinking. The SV touches add more personality to the Range Rover in a way that's much more subtle than what you get from a Bentley Bentayga or Maybach GLS -- and the Range Rover SV could very well be the best luxury SUV to spend time in this side of a Rolls-Royce Cullinan . As much as I also adore a brash, out-there luxury car, I equally appreciate what the more sober Range Rover SV accomplishes.
In terms of powertrain the SV will seemingly only be offered in the US with the new BMW-sourced, twin-turbo, 4.4-liter V8, though the released images show a Euro-spec SV with the Range Rover's new plug-in-hybrid setup. The upcoming Range Rover EV is sure to be offered in SV guise, too. As for pricing, nothing has been announced yet. But with the Autobiography trim already starting at over $150,000 and the outgoing SVAutobiography costing more than $180,000, don't be surprised if the new SV's base price starts with the number 2.
