2024 Land Rover Range Rover SV Review

There aren’t many vehicles as multifaceted as the 2024 Land Rover Range Rover SV.

While the average Range Rover (if there is such a thing) is a high-end jack-of-all-trades, the version tested here swaps some performance and practicality for sheer luxury and exclusivity. It’s outrageously priced, but this SUV does a lot to wow everyone in its orbit.

Styling: 9/10

The first impression of the Range Rover SV’s interior is that it’s a bit mundane. The light grey upholstery appears unimpressive, but it hides an eco-friendly secret. It’s made by Ultrafabrics, a company that specializes in sustainable materials found on yachts and in private jets. In addition to being sustainable, the material stays cool in hot temperatures and is easy to clean, which is a rarity in the luxury world (and can’t be said about this tester’s hand-wash-only satin exterior).

Safety: 8/10

While the Range Rover SV outdoes its siblings when it comes to style and luxury, they’re all the same in terms of safety. This tester featured adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assistance, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, parking sensors, and a self-parking system. Additionally, the surround-view cameras provide great views of the Range Rover's surroundings to help mitigate curb rash or door dings – handy when shelling out this much for a vehicle.

Features: 9/10

In addition to the long list of safety tech, the Range Rover SV has several other party tricks to share. Starting at the back, the tailgate opens in a split-folding fashion, providing a place to sit should you feel like enjoying the great outdoors. Meanwhile, just about every feature and function here is powered. There’s the rear cup holder cover that’s operated via the touchscreen, plus powered rear sunshades, and even a table that lifts from the armrest in the back.

Rear-seat occupants are also treated to heated, ventilated, and massaging thrones. And don’t forget the entertainment system in the back that boasts twin 13.1-inch screens and comes with wireless headphones.

In the front, there’s an air-conditioned compartment in the armrest, a camera-based rearview mirror, the same heated, ventilated, and massaging seats, and a heated steering wheel. But it’s not the sheer number of features that make the SV feel special. Instead, it’s the details. The illuminated seat belt buckles, for example, or the ceramic-covered controls that feel so robust.

User-Friendliness: 7.5/10

Many of those features are accessible through a 13.1-inch touchscreen. Knobs and buttons are practically non-existent here. There are, however, some gesture controls that can be used. For example, to change the cabin temperature, place a finger on the temperature readout on the screen and slide up or down to adjust it. The media volume is the same; press your finger on the speaker icon and slide up and down. It's a bit more reasonable than tapping through a bunch of screens, but it still requires some brain waves that should be reserved for driving. 
In front of the driver is a customizable digital instrument panel and a head-up display. Both can be controlled through buttons on the steering wheel, but their functions differ depending on the action.

Practicality: 8/10

The standard Range Rover delivers plenty of space for passengers and cargo, but this version changes the space considerably. There’s no third row of seats, the second row consists of just two seats, further limiting its practicality. (There is a third seat between the two in the back, but the controls for those seats are only accessible when that middle seat is folded down, so it’s more of an occasional-use middle situation.)

Behind those rear seats, there’s 818 L of cargo space, and Range Rover advertises a maximum of 1,841 L if you fold those rear seats down. However, folding the rear seats is a bit of an ordeal. For starters, they’re powered, so they take time to move around. Additionally, they are huge; all those comfort features take up space, after all. As a result, they end up bumping the front seatbacks and resetting their folding progress. That means you have to move the front seats forward first, then fold the rear ones, and the whole process is slow and cumbersome.

However, it can be done, and there are flip-up shelves in the cargo area to help organize your gear. The Range Rover SV is rated to tow 3,493 kg (7,700 lb).

Comfort: 8/10

While it can haul and tow like a truck, the Range Rover SV is much more comfortable than a blue-collar work vehicle. The seats are incredibly supportive, with many degrees of adjustability. Even the rear thrones can recline, allowing passengers to lounge and relax.

But comfort goes beyond just the soft seats and extends to the ride quality. While some Range Rovers have drawn this author’s ire for wallowing too much on the road, floating up and down like it’s on the high seas, this cruiser feels more level and flat.

Power: 8/10

It takes a mighty powertrain to let a vehicle of this size cruise to 100 km/h in just 4.5 seconds, and the Range Rover SV is hiding such a weapon within a carbon-fibre cover under the hood. The twin-turbocharged 4.4L V8 engine comes from rival BMW, but in this SUV it’s tuned to 607 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque. It sounds slick, too, with a refined burble that can shout when in its most dynamic drive settings.

The eight-speed automatic transmission varies a bit in terms of performance. In comfort mode, it swaps gears without much fanfare or shift-shock, but in dynamic modes, the vehicle aggressively slams into gears without hesitation.

Driving Feel: 8/10

It may take off from a standstill like a performance car, but this Range Rover isn’t exactly a canyon-carver. It doesn't flop out of its lane around curves, but tighter corners may need a bit of braking to keep its mass under control.

With that in mind, the Range Rover SV is responsive, and rear-wheel steering definitely helps it feel more nimble when pulling a U-turn or navigating a parking lot. An active differential and torque vectoring helps the all-wheel-drive system route power to where it’s needed and delivers plenty of traction.

It rides on air suspension that can change manners as needed. In comfort modes, it cushions the ride, while dynamic settings make it feel more engaging. And in addition to all this on-road excellence, the Range Rover SV still boasts its off-road credentials. The air suspension can raise the ride height to 294 mm (11.6 in), plus there are additional off-road gadgets like a twin-speed transfer case with high and low range gearing, hill descent control, hill launch assist, wade depth sensors, and a camera array that displays a video feed of what's happening under the vehicle for better navigation on tricky trails.

Fuel Economy: 5/10

Land Rover bills this SUV as a mild hybrid thanks to its 48-volt electric system, but don’t be fooled – it's not very efficient. According to Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), the 2023 version that’s mechanically identical to this one is rated for 15.1 L/100 km in the city, 11.1 on the highway, and 13.3 combined. This week-long test finished with an indicated average closer to 15.0.

Value: 6/10

With a starting price of $244,050 including a massive $4,950 freight fee but before tax – including a $26,605 luxury tax – the 2024 Range Rover SV is more $120,000 pricier than the regular Range Rover model. This tester also featured several personalization options in the form of paint, trim, upholstery, and more, pushing the as-tested price to nearly $290,000.

The Verdict

The average price for a new SUV in Canada is somewhere near a fifth the cost of the 2024 Land Rover Range Rover SV tested here. Looking at the glass as half-full as possible, with the performance of a sports car, the practicality and comfort of a large SUV, the technology and convenience of a luxury SUV, and the towing capacity of a pickup, this could almost be considered four vehicles in one, and thus justifying its sky-high price tag.