Style Meets Function In The Range Rover HSE

I grew up in Duluth, Minnesota before heading out here to Latteland over 20 years ago. Being raised “up north” has its advantages. Learning how to drive on roads that often times resemble skating rinks is one. Best of all, I can honestly tell my children that school was a two-mile uphill trek in the snow. Barefoot. Both ways.

Well-off Duluthians would love this week’s test drive - Land Rover’s Range Rover HSE. There’s extreme weather and terrain in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, making this machine quite useful. Still, Minnesotans are all about common sense and many might be rightfully skeptical about the concept of a high-end luxury SUV. This rig is like crossing a Jaguar with a Jeep and ending up with the best of all possible worlds. The demographic that slogs trails during the day then hits the opera at night is probably on the small side though. Especially in Duluth.

The price of a HSE starts at $77,950. My tester is optioned to the $82,950 level, but some credit here, that includes the $775 destination charge. The price is as steep as the terrain it can climb, but the Ranger backs it up with some impressive credentials.

First and foremost, Range Rovers pack off-road abilities that make mountain goats envious. Click the streaming video for some light duty stuff. Sadly, there was no time to properly wring this luxury sport ute out in its week’s stay with me. I’ve driven them before though, and when things get difficult, Land Rover’s Terrain Response system couldn’t be easier to use. A dial on the center console has pictograms for different terrain. Just dial it to the surface you want to conquer and computers will do their best to make sure you get through it. It’s sort of like Garanimals for off-roading. There’s hill decent control and ground clearance is adjustable.

Often times off-road prowess means on road punishment. The Range Rover turns out to be a quiet and comfortable companion on long road trips. This pleases the Minnesotan mindset. I’ve logged 350 miles at speeds over 65 and the Range Rover performs more like a crossover than a truck. It rides high but doesn’t feel tippy in normal cornering. Quite a compliment for a heavy duty ute. I’m seeing 17 miles for every gallon of premium fuel (the more accurate 2008 EPA ratings are 12 city, 24 highway).

Buttery smooth describes the 4.4-liter 306 horsepower V8 engine with 325 ft.-lbs of torque on tap at 4000 RPMs. That’s hooked up to a six-speed automatic with CommandShift mode (that’s manual shift mode in plain English). Acceleration is good, and the deep engine note sounds like a million bucks. I suppose that would make this car a bargain at $80K then wouldn’t it? FYI, there’s a supercharged model too. It starts at around $93,000.

The cabin has more wood and leather than the Gitchi Gammi Club (an exclusive men’s club in Duluth). Smells great too. Choose from seven woods (from sustainable forests says Land Rover). Whether or not the acres of leather come from sustainable cows I do not know, but it is of high quality. Once the driver learns what each of the many buttons does, the interface is fairly straight forward. Four-zone air conditioning and heated seats fore and aft should keep everyone comfortable whilst trekking off to Super Valu to pick up Michelena frozen Italian food (made in Duluth as was Chung King and Jeno’s Pizza Rolls). There’s infrared-deflecting glass at the windshield and sides, so the climate control doesn’t have to break a sweat. Another reason to be relaxed? Nine airbags. Oddly enough, the aux jack for an iPod or MP3 player is in the rear seating area.

With room enough in back for three adults, the only complaint from passengers is that the footwell is narrow during entry and exit. Also, the ride height of the Range Rover makes it a serious step up for anyone. My wife is petite and I’ve lowered the air suspension to make it easier for her. I can’t see doing it all the time though; the process is on the slow side

There’s a hard security cover and safety net in the cargo area that keeps purebred pets from flying forward in an accident. To maximize the toilet paper test, I’ve removed them. After this simple process, what’s left over is a largely square trunk. The Rover scores a respectable 13.

Gripes? The seats don’t fold flat for cargo - they just tumble up against the front seats. While they may be removable, who wants to hassle with that? I suppose the help could tackle the project. The CD changer is in the top half of the new dual glove box, so forget about loading that Bob Dylan disc while driving. Bob grew up just north of Duluth, though apparently he’s into Cadillac these days. The split tailgate is handy but there’s no power feature. Finally, at this lofty price I’d like to see keyless ignition.

Really though, those are minor quibbles (well, not the keyless ignition). The main issue with the range Rover is still pretty much over price. Of course that’s written by a guy who can’t afford one. This sensibly raised Midwestern guy has to believe even those who can make the payments must think twice about boulder-hopping a vehicle that costs more than $80 grand. Still, with the terrific interior, refined driving dynamics and the knowledge that driving though anything is possible, Land Rover’s Range Rover is a desirable ride. When the wealthy want to play in the mud, snow and sand, the Range Rover is the perfect toy. It’ll get you anywhere in style. Even Duluth.

This article was taken from: king5.com

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 31st, 2007 at 9:52 am and is filed under Range Rover. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.