Which Land Rover or Range Rover is best for me?

Land Rover is one of the most famous car brands in the world. The company basically invented the SUV as we know it, and its current models are some of the most desirable cars on the market.

They all share certain characteristics. They look great, feel good to drive and have a way of making every journey feel like a bit of an adventure. They’re practical family cars, too, and their off-road ability can take you places many cars can’t.
That’s all good stuff, but it can be tricky to figure out the differences between the current Land Rover models. Here, we break down exactly what those differences are, and answer some of the important questions to help you decide which Land Rover is right for you.
Let’s start with the main cause of confusion about the Land Rover range…

Range Rover is widely regarded as a brand in its own right, separate from Land Rover. But that’s not the case. Range Rover is actually the name given to the luxury models in Land Rover’s line-up. Strictly speaking, a Range Rover’s full name is ‘Land Rover Range Rover’. Not exactly catchy is it?

Range Rover models focus more on style, technology and luxurious comfort than the more practical Land Rovers, although any Range Rover is still a very practical family car that’s capable of covering all kinds of tricky terrain.

There are currently four Land Rover Range Rover models: the Range Rover, the Range Rover Evoque, the Range Rover Velar and the Range Rover Sport. There are three ‘regular’ Land Rover models: the Discovery, the Discovery Sport and the Defender.

The smallest Land Rover is the Discovery Sport. It’s a mid-size SUV, about the same size as the Ford Kuga or the Mercedes-Benz GLC. The Discovery Sport is one of the best cars of its type. It has loads of passenger space, a big boot, a high-quality interior and it’s great to drive. It’s available with five or seven seats, so it’s a great choice for families.

The smallest Range Rover model is the Range Rover Evoque. It’s a similar size to the Discovery Sport, and indeed the two use many of the same mechanical parts. The Evoque has a unique body and interior that make it look and feel more luxurious and a bit sportier. It’s spacious and versatile, but only available with five seats.

The Discovery is the largest Land Rover model, closely followed by the Defender 110 (although the Defender 110 is longer if you include the spare wheel on the boot lid). The Defender 90 is shorter than either. It’s the same car as the Defender 110 but with a shorter distance between the front and rear wheels and two – rather than four –side doors.
The Range Rover is the biggest Range Rover model. The standard version is only 4cm longer than the Land Rover Discovery but there’s also a long-wheelbase version that has an extra 20cm between the front and rear wheels, which creates extra legroom for passengers in the back. The Range Rover Sport is shorter and lower than both the Range Rover and Land Rover Discovery, although it’s still a very large car. The Range Rover Velar is sportier and slightly smaller still, although it’s significantly larger than the Evoque.

Some Discovery Sport and Defender models, and all Discoverys, have seven seats in three rows. The Defender and Discovery have third rows spacious enough for adults to be comfortable on long journeys but the Discovery Sport’s rearmost, third-row seats are best suited to children. Some Defenders have six seats in two rows of three, with a narrow middle seat in the front row.

Of the Range Rover line-up, only the Range Rover Sport is available with seven seats and it’s a less popular option. Despite the car’s large size, the third row seats are only child-size.

The sheer size of the boot in Land Rover and Range Rover models means that each one is a great choice if you own a dog (or dogs) with plenty of room for your pet(s) to move around or lie down. You can even buy a bespoke partition from Land Rover, which gives one half of the boot to the dog and the other half to your shopping or suitcases.

Some Land Rovers and Range Rovers have rear suspension that lowers several inches at the touch of a button, so your dog has less of a step up into or out of the boot. And the top-tier Range Rover has a two-piece boot lid with a lower half that flips down to create a platform that can make it even easier to get in and out.

But the most dog-friendly model is the Land Rover Defender, which is available with a ‘pet care and access pack’. It includes a ramp for the dog to walk up into the boot, a quilted boot floor cover and a full-height boot partition. Plus a ‘portable rinse system’ – a shower head attached to a small water tank that you can use to wash mud off your dog, shoes and so on. If you get a used Defender that doesn’t have the pack, you can buy one from a Land Rover dealer.

Every new Land Rover and Range Rover model is available with hybrid power of some sort. As of summer 2021, all models except the Land Rover Discovery are available as plug-in hybrids (PHEVs). A Discovery plug-in hybrid is due but hasn’t been launched yet. The plug-in hybrids combine a petrol engine with an electric motor and have an electric-only range of about 30 miles. You can spot them by the ‘e’ in their model name – the Range Rover PHEV’s engine, for example, is designated P400e.

During the course of 2020 and 2021, all new diesel Land Rover and Range Rover models gained a mild-hybrid system that improves fuel efficiency and lowers carbon dioxide emissions.

Find out more about what a mild hybrid is here.

For cars of their type, all Land Rover and Range Rover models have very big boots. So any of them is a good choice if you regularly go on big shopping trips, tip runs or long holidays. But it’s the Discovery that has the most boot space, with a huge capacity of 922 litres in five-seat mode (with the third-row seats folded). Very few cars have more than that. Even with all the seats in place, there’s still enough boot space for a week’s food shopping. Fold down all the back seats, and there’s a van-like 2,400 litres of space, enough for a medium-length sofa to slot in.

Land Rovers and Range Rovers have always been known for their ability to go just about anywhere off-road. For decades, they have been used to cross terrain that would stop most other cars. Modern Land Rovers and Range Rovers are just as capable. Four-wheel drive is a key element in that ability, though some models don’t have it.

The least powerful diesel models of the Land Rover Discovery Sport and Range Rover Evoque, badged eD4 or D150, are front-wheel drive only. But thanks to high ground clearance and clever electronic systems that help to keep the wheels from spinning, both are still pretty capable off-road.

Land Rovers and Range Rovers are among the best tow cars and most models can tow at least 2000kg. Certain versions of the Land Rover Discovery and Defender, and Range Rover Sport and Range Rover, can tow 3500kg, which is the maximum you can legally tow with a car.

Most Land Rover and Range Rover models give surprisingly rapid acceleration when you press the throttle hard. There are even a few that have an enormously powerful V8 engine and are very fast, but they don’t feel especially sporty. The exception is the Range Rover Sport SVR, which feels more like a sports car to drive than a large SUV.

It may be the smallest Land Rover, but the Discovery Sport is a hugely practical and capable family car. Indeed, it’s one of the best mid-size SUVs.

Read our Land Rover Discovery Sport review

Land Rover’s latest model combines excellent practicality with retro-influenced design, the latest tech and a real sense of adventure.

The top Land Rover model offers almost Range Rover-like levels of luxury, yet it’s one of the few cars that has ample room for seven adults.

The baby of the Range Rover line-up may be small in size but it’s big on style and luxury features. It’s a practical family car, too.

Read our Range Rover Evoque review

The Velar is, in effect, a bigger and more spacious version of the Evoque. Levels of luxury are dialled up and it’s fabulous to drive. It’s even available with a vegan interior.

As its name suggests, the Sport is like the top dog Range Rover but with a sportier look and feel. It’s just as luxurious, too. The high-performance SVR model drives like a sports car.

The top-drawer Range Rover is one of the best luxury cars there is. It’s fantastic to drive and travel in, not least because it has a real sense of occasion about it. Great family car, too.

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