The Range Rover occupies a very unique space in the automotive world, one that very few vehicles have ever challenged. It isn’t just a luxury SUV. It’s an adventure in the lap of luxury. The fifth-generation model, now in its fifth year of production, keeps making that statement confidently, holding its place at the top of the ultra-luxury SUV segment with the kind of effortless authority that only comes from its specialized British character and engineering. Open the door, and the cabin greets you with that unmistakable scent of an interior almost entirely wrapped in premium leather, yet another reminder that this isn’t an ordinary luxury SUV like your Cadillac Escalade. For the latest Range Rover, Land Rover isn’t reinventing anything, and that’s a good thing in keeping with a tradition that works outside of the back-of-the-mind, lackluster long-term reliability aspects.

The platform that launched with the 2022 redesign remains the foundation here, which is a good thing given how thoroughly reworked that generation’s styling turned out to be without offending anyone. Clean lines, a floating roofline, and those distinctive vertical taillights give the Range Rover its expected elegance that doesn’t chase other brands. It looks like it belongs in front of a private terminal or a five-star hotel, and it will look that way a decade from now without many knowing its true age.

Power comes from Land Rover’s P400 setup in the SE trim, a 3.0-liter inline-6-cylinder engine that carries the rare configuration of being both turbocharged and supercharged simultaneously, supported by a mild hybrid system. On paper, that 395 horsepower and 406 lb-ft of torque through an 8-speed automatic feels like a lot more to move the big British SUV out of the way of itself with authority. Basically, the real-world sensation is one of a powertrain that delivers more than its spec sheet implies. The reason comes down to how the two forced induction systems divide their labor. The supercharger provides immediate low-end response with essentially no lag, while the turbocharger takes over to sustain power as revs build. The mild hybrid system layers in additional torque at low speeds where it’s needed most. The end result is an engine that simply never feels caught off guard, regardless of where you are in the throttle or the rev range. For a vehicle weighing in around 5,600 pounds, that counts for a lot. Those hoping for the thunderous V8 variant with its 523 horsepower can find it further up the lineup, but the P400 doesn’t spend its time apologizing for the company it keeps.

Where this year’s test vehicle made a particularly strong impression was in overall ride composure, something the LWB (long wheelbase) platform already has a good reputation for, but that the optional 22-inch wheels put to a real test. The air suspension on this vehicle works with such sophistication that the 22s seem to add visual weight to the stance without transferring any of that weight penalty to the cabin. The ride is genuinely smooth in a way that borders on surreal, isolating passengers from road texture with a seamlessness that makes long drives feel shorter. The extended wheelbase contributes to this as well, providing a longer base that settles the vehicle’s motion and keeps it tracking with confidence. Those 22-inch wheels also look proper on this body, filling the arches and giving the Range Rover a stately presence on the road.

Getting this much vehicle through city traffic or into a parking structure sounds more intimidating than it turns out to be, and the credit there goes largely to the all-wheel steering system. At lower speeds, the rear axle turns its wheels in the opposite direction from the fronts, tightening the turning circle in a way that makes the Range Rover feel several feet shorter than it actually is. The rear steer input is assertive enough to be immediately noticeable, almost catching you off guard the first time you feel it, but it quickly becomes something you rely on. Maneuvering into tight spaces or making U-turns in traffic becomes a matter of routine rather than worry. At speed, the system reverses its logic and steers the rear wheels in the same direction as the fronts, which adds a planted, stable sensation during lane changes and high-speed sweepers.

The run up to 60 mph happens in around 6 seconds, a figure that sounds brisk until you’re sitting in the Range Rover and realize the vehicle has no particular interest in being driven that way. It can get there, but it doesn’t give you a need to necessarily do so. The entire character of the vehicle points toward relaxed, authoritative progress rather than urgency. The adaptive dynamics system keeps things stable without turning the ride harsh, and the air suspension automatically lowers when you park and get ready to leave the vehicle for easy entry and exit.

Beyond the pavement, the Terrain Response 2 system opens up a plethora of off-road drive modes for those who actually intend to use them, and the air suspension lifts the body for serious terrain. Water wading depth reaches 35 inches with the suspension at maximum height, a capability most owners will never need, but that underscores just how seriously Land Rover takes the off-road side of this vehicle’s identity. The one holdback, of course, would be the tires – but who’s really taking these things on serious off-roading trails?

For a vehicle of this size, the EPA’s estimates of 18 mpg city, 24 mpg highway, and 20 mpg combined are reasonable, and real-world driving generally lands close to those figures on the highway. The 23.8-gallon tank carries enough premium fuel for roughly 571 miles of highway range, making it a capable touring vehicle with less frequent fuel stops than you might initially expect.

Inside, the Range Rover’s cabin operates on a philosophy of quiet restraint. The dashboard is clean to the point of being minimalist, with the 13.1-inch Pivi Pro touchscreen serving as the central hub for nearly all controls. Its gentle vertical curve keeps it from looking like a slab bolted to the dash, blending into the overall flow of the interior more naturally than most tablet-style displays. The 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster angles toward the driver in a way that feels considered rather than forced, and the full suite of display configurations, including mapping functions, gives it genuine flexibility. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integrate well, keeping primary controls accessible on the edges of the screen. New users will spend some time navigating menu layers to find less commonly used functions, but the haptic responses on the virtual controls at least provide tactile confirmation when you press them.

Occupants across the first two rows have a lot of space to work with. The second row in the long-wheelbase configuration has a generous amount of legroom, nudging the rear passenger experience closer to being a limousine than an SUV. The power-folding second-row seats clear the path to the third row without much fuss. That third row is the one area where the Range Rover’s sizing works against it somewhat, as the seats are more accommodating for younger passengers than adults on longer trips. The isolation from outside noise throughout the cabin is exceptional, lending the interior a cocooned quality that contributes to the overall experience.

The safety package is vast, as you may expect out of today’s vehicles, and the 360-degree camera system stands out as one of the more useful implementations in this segment, providing a below-vehicle view that proves genuinely practical both on trails and in urban parking situations. It does trick things like display what is underneath the vehicle as you drive in addition to offering up a 3D rendering of the vehicle from multiple angles.

The 2026 Range Rover SE LWB 7-Seat starts at $11,300 before any fees or options, while my middle-of-the-row-optioned test vehicle arrives at approximately $128,695, including a $2,150 destination fee and a decent list of options. Spending that kind of money on an SUV demands a vehicle that justifies the cost every time you drive it. The Range Rover does exactly that, and with the 22-inch wheel package adding the right visual presence and the all-wheel steering making the big LWB far more manageable than its dimensions suggest, the 2026 model makes its case with even more conviction than before. There are more powerful options in the lineup, and there are more affordable luxury SUVs on the market, but there remains only one Range Rover.