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• Plenty of passenger and bootspace
• Several storage boxes inside the car
• Do you really want to get it muddy, though?

How much space is there?

As a large SUV, the amount of interior space is impressive. There is plenty of room for four adults, although the central seat in the rear is not great for an adult for long journeys. A rear seat entertainment package (8.0-inch headrest mounted screens or 10-inch high definition foldaway versions) can also be specified, which displays sat-nav information, as well as television and includes two wireless headphones.

On the plus side, the latest generation of Range Rover is, like its illustrious forebears, spacious for up to five passengers and a load of clutter in the boot. While it’s good to know it’ll accomodate muddy occupants and their kit after a gruelling day of countryside pursuits, do you really want your plush interior caked with a field’s-worth of earth?

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No, instead think of the Range Rover as a luxury car that happens to be roomier than traditional saloons such as the BMW 7 Series, Jaguar XJ and Mercedes-Benz S-Class. At least it’s capable to driving through the mud, allowing your passengers to clamber in from a cleaner vantage point, plus the suspension can be lowered to make access to and from the car graceful.

Up front, passengers get two USB points, an HDMI socket and 12-volt connection points in the front console cubby box, plus a 12-volt socket in the glove box and a USB point in the stowage area underneath the cupholders.  

In the rear you get two 12-volt charging points, a domestic plug socket, and two USB and HDMI points, while the load space also houses a 12-volt and a second domestic plug socket. Long wheelbase models also get an additional USB charge point in the storage box at the rear of the centre console.

Boot space and storage

One of the Range Rover’s best-known features is its horizontally split tailgate. It’s far from the only car to have such a feature, but it’s become quintessentially associated with Land Rover’s flagship model.

As the powered tailgate’s opened, the rear of the car drops by 50mm by lowering the adaptive suspension. This makes it easier to load items in, or use the lower section of the taigate as a seat. Not that unlike the Rolls-Royce Cullinan, where there is an option to fit small, occasional chairs here, there’s no such extra on the Range Rover. 

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There’s plenty of room back there with up to 900 litres of space behind the rear seats (700 if you opt for the reclining Executive Class seats) and between 1,943-2,373 litres with just the front seats in use depending on the seating package and whether you’ve gone for the standard- or long-wheelbase body. Folding the 60:40 split rear seats is also the work of a moment as most models have electrical controls for this function.

It’s also worth noting that P400e plug-in hybrid versions have 98 litres less space behind the rear seats due to the positioning of the Range Rover’s battery pack.

Inspite of all the leather and expensive-feeling surfaces, it’s an interior that’s designed to be functional as well as beautiful. Take the front cupholders, which can be slid forward to reveal a deep storage area below, plus there’s a cubby box with double-level hinged tray.

A lockable glovebox provides enhanced security, and you can have this compartment cooled as an option. Front and rear door bins hold large 1.5-litre bottles – although they can be tricky to reach on the move – while long-wheelbase models get an even larger rear cubby box.

Fine tow car

Many Range Rovers are called into action to haul heavy loads such as horse boxes, which it can do with ease as most models can tow the maximum 3,500kg limit. P400e models are restricted to 2,500kg and these aren’t available with an electronically deployable foldaway towbar either.

Additionally, there’s a raft of towing-related safety systems to ensure stability as well as helping you reverse into awkward spots while still hooked-up.

Is it easy to park?

All models come with a rear-view camera as well as front and rear parking sensors. Higher spec models come with 360-degree sensors and Clear Exit Monitor – a visual warning system that indicates rear passengers of approaching hazards from behind before they open their door.

How big is it?

Safety

• Five star Euro NCAP rating
• Additional safety tech from 2018
• Driving position is high above traffic

The Range Rover SUV was awarded the maximum five stars by Euro NCAP and features myriad safety systems including a full range of airbags such as curtain, thorax, passenger and driver. Isofix mounts for child seats are also fitted on the outer rear seats.

Matrix LED headlights come fitted as standard and respond well to oncoming traffic, dimming sections in a slick manner to prevent blinding. Earlier Land Rovers with these systems have been a little slow in the past.

There are also many electronic systems designed to help prevent accidents whether on or off road, with lane-departure warning, autonomous emergency braking, cruise control and speed limiter as standard.

The Drive Pack adds a blind-spot monitor, adaptive speed limiter and traffic sign recognition. Drive Pro Pack enhances this with high speed emergency braking, blind-spot assist and lane-keep assist. The adaptive cruise control with queue assist uses a forward-looking camera and improved radar system.

Watch: Range Rover Euro NCAP crash test video