Buyers Guide Land Rover Range Rover

Thinking of buying a Land or Range Rover?

The Land Rover has been with us for over seventy years, a modest, no-nonsense premise that has gradually evolved into an unrecognisable international institution. From its honest origins as a utilitarian all-wheel drive, the Land Rover and Range Rover brand now represent the twin peaks of SUV ownership, be that workmanlike all-road ability, or the height of automotive luxury.

The original Land Rover enjoyed two largely uncontested decades in the market, before customer demand for greater comfort saw the introduction of the Range Rover in 1970. This divergence of brand identity has since seen several generations of Defender and Discovery produced, alongside equally numerous permutations of the original Range Rover and its own recent off shoots. These include the Sport, Evoque and Velar, all riffs on a central tenant of all-terrain ability allied with varying degrees of exclusivity and comfort.

Today, Land Rover and Range Rover enjoy an enviable if not always wholly accurate reputation for go-anywhere ability, integrity of design and build and enjoy largely unmatched desirability. The recent launch of the new Defender has only served to bolster the brand’s standing, while highlighting the fact that even Land Rover’s most rugged offerings are now being targeted not at the farmers and soldiers who put it on the map, but at a lifestyle clientele for whom appearance is more important than application.

Current market

Manufacturers are falling over themselves to produce SUVs or every shape and size today, so much so that we’re spoiled for choice. Land Rover has kept abreast of this broadening of the market, however, evolving its flagship Discovery into a more luxurious family car while aiming to meet the demands of the more outdoorsy with the next Defender. It also sells the Discovery Sport, essentially a Freelander Version 3.0, and has enjoyed similar diversification under the Range Rover moniker. Here, the full-size Rangie is supplemented by the Sport, Velar and entry-level Evoque, creating a variety of new price points and applications.

The SUV is in strangely rude health at the moment and nowhere ruder than at Land Rover, but there is increasing pressure on manufacturers to offer more environmentally sound alternatives to large capacity petrol engines and particulate-heavy diesels. The next few years will see growing numbers of towns and cities limiting or banning such powertrains from their centres, or slapping significant levies on those that are driven within them. Land Rover has hybrid drive systems in development, but for the next few years it will be pursuing its current course, one that is at odds with the national zeitgeist.

Why buy a Land/Range Rover?

Both Land Rover and Range Rover offer a compelling package of space, solidity and refinement that makes them hugely attractive to larger families and anyone wishing to drive in supreme comfort and arrive in unrivalled style.

Genuine off-road ability is something that buyers are looking for less and less, but it is there in spades with the Defender, Discovery and even the full-sized Range Rover. These cars offer highly complex switchable all-terrain systems that are more than a match for most planned departures from the asphalt. But what draws most buyers to the Land Rover stable, and keeps them there, is the opportunity to waft about in a quiet, cosseting cabin, sitting in a seat that’s more comfortable than your favourite armchair.

What to buy?

There are no turkeys in the Land Rover and Range Rover line-ups and your decision can afford to be fairly subjective, led by budget and personal preference. The first generation Evoque wasn’t up to snuff in terms of interior quality and packaging, but it has recently been replaced with a car that improves on the original concept in every direction.

In terms of older offerings, the final iterations of the last Discovery are sought after for their stately, angular architecture and versatile, hard-wearing interiors, while the original Defender, which only ceased production in 2016, is increasingly collectible.

Looking ahead, the new Defender will be in huge demand when it arrives en masse in 2020. The most desirable model looks likely to be the short wheelbase 90, with its nostalgic styling and proper second row of seats – something that was frustratingly absent from its predecessor.

If you are considering a classic Land Rover, the early Series models are the ones to plump for, while the original three-door Range Rover has also become something of a collector’s item. These cars offer a decent degree of dependability for a genuine classic, and are very useable as second or third car.

Footballers Finance High-End Range Rovers

How much to spend?

These days a sensibly optioned Range Rover is a six-figure car, although the base price for the company flagship is a little over £83,000. At the other end of the spectrum, an Evoque 2 can be on your drive for as little as £32,295.

Pricing for the new Defender pitches Land Rover’s most anticipated new product somewhere in the middle, with the long wheelbase 110 starting at £45k, while the pared back ‘Commercial’ 90 will still be £35k before VAT.

Residuals are not great on either Land Rover or Range Rover products, built as they are in high numbers and commonly leased, but this means there are some bargains to be had on well-maintained low mileage second hand cars and there’s a strong national network of approved used dealers.

When it comes to the classics, there are some real bargains to be had after almost 70 years of continuous production. Really early Series Land Rovers are starting to be regarded as investment pieces, however, and it is possible to spend £135,000 on a ‘Reborn’ Range Rover from Land Rover Classic.

Buying on a budget

There are plenty of tired old Defenders out there that can be snapped up for comparatively little and vastly improved over time without breaking the bank. Neglected early Range Rovers will likely as not be rusty, however, and those sorts of repairs can spiral.

As for new cars, strong diesel engines can go round the clock but overall build quality has been hit-and-miss in Land Rover’s recent past under the control of both the Premiere Automotive Group and Tata. Insist upon a comprehensive service history and shop around.

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Finance Options

There are a number of different finance options to get you behind the wheel of a new or used Land Rover or Range Rover. Hire purchase allows you to pay for your car in monthly instalments with the option to buy outright at the end of a fixed term contract.

You can also get a lease purchase agreement that’s similar to a hire purchase agreement, where you make monthly payments, but lower due to the lump sum deferred to the end of your agreement, also known as balloon payment.

Should you wish to make a purchase without selling the car you already have, you can also take advantage of car equity release, allowing you to borrow against the value of your existing collection.

Buying as an investment

No modern Land Rover or Range Rover product is likely to offer you a return on your investment unless you are looking to flip a new Defender for a small profit. There is a little more scope with a classic Land Rover or very early Range Rover, but these were volume production cars that lack the necessary scarcity today to make them really sought after among serious collectors. A highly original Land Rover is one to drive and enjoy, rather than mothball for a rainy day.

Things to consider: