The iconic Range Rover has been renewed, but does this latest iteration have the right stuff? To find out, we’re pitting it against disparate luxury SUV rivals from BMW and Mercedes-Benz
You could say that these cars depict the past, present and future of luxury SUVs. Each of them serves up the desirability and first-class opulence that buyers demand, and none would look out of place in a music video or outside the most exclusive designer store, but the way they do things couldn’t be more different.
The present is represented by our newest contestant: the Range Rover. It may look familiar, but it’s all new and armed with a longer list of promises than a politician’s election campaign, pledging greater refinement, interior comfort and driver appeal than its predecessor. We’re testing it in standard-length form with five seats, in mid-spec HSE trim, with the D350 diesel engine.
Standing for tradition is the Mercedes-Benz G-Class. However, its boxy looks conceal a sumptuous interior with plenty of technology. And although its underpinnings are a little rudimentary by today’s standards, if a feeling of invincibility forms part of your definition of luxury, this old-school 4x4 offers that in spades. We’ve gone for the most sensible model, the G400d diesel, and the only trim it’s available with: AMG Line Premium Plus.
And the future? The BMW iX is the most forward-looking take on the luxury SUV here, with its radical styling, electric propulsion and high-tech construction. This is the current range-topping xDrive50 version, which comes only in high-spec M Sport Edition trim. But can its brave new world beat time-honoured convention?
To find out, we’re subjecting all three to the equally challenging environs of busy city and rugged quarry. The car that best shrugs off both ordeals without passing the stress on to its occupants, wins.
DRIVING
Performance, ride, handling, refinement
Both the Range Rover and G-Class are powered by 3.0-litre six-cylinder diesel engines with more than enough power to satisfy most buyers. The Range Rover’s 345bhp output may be slightly higher than the G-Class’s 325bhp, but the latter scurries from 0-60mph quicker, in 6.3sec. The Range Rover isn’t too far behind, but its 6.6sec sprint isn’t helped by an eight-speed automatic gearbox that’s noticeably less punchy when changing up the gears than the G-Class’s nine-speed equivalent.
The iX is simply in another league when it comes to sheer pace. With a whopping 516bhp in total from its two electric motors, it rockets from 0-60mph in 4.4sec, desp
