The Range Rover Velar is the British marque’s youngest nameplate. First launched locally in 2017, it is also currently the oldest Range Rover model still offered for sale.

Or rather, it was the oldest. That’s because a refreshed version of the Velar has been quietly launched earlier this year. But don’t expect any drastic visual changes. Range Rover’s objective with this redesign isn’t to revolutionise the way the Velar looks.

Rather, you get the sense that they just wanted to iron out all the imperfections with the vehicle, and refresh it in a minor but tasteful way to align it with all of its stablemates. Which is something they have done very well indeed.

What’s New on the Outside?

The design identity of the Velar has been preserved in this update. So unless you are an ardent Range Rover fanatic, you’d probably not spot the changes made to the vehicle. So what exactly has been altered?

For starters, all of the light clusters are new. The front and rear bumper has also been redesigned, with JLR designers getting rid of the integrated tail pipes in this refresh. Also included in the new car is a front grille modelled after the one fitted to the Range Rover Sport.

Otherwise, the rest of the car has remained unchanged, as you’d expect from a facelift. But that is no bad thing, as Range Rover designs seem to generally withstand the test of time.

Major Changes in the Cabin

Plenty of new design touches can be found in the interior of the MY2024 Velar. This includes an up-to-date Pivi Pro screen, and a general simplification of the centre console design. Gone is the secondary touch screen and control knobs for the climate – this has been integrated into submenus on the new infotainment screen.

The rotary dial shifter has also been replaced with a more traditional automatic lever. With extra real estate now freed up, occupants can benefit from a new cubby hole with built-in wireless phone charging. A new steering wheel has also been fitted to the car.

Material quality is excellent, which is a given considering the car’s asking price. Cabin space is also good, so unless you are significantly above the national average in terms of height, you’d fit with little issue.

A New Drivetrain for 2024

You’ll find a 2.0 litre four cylinder motor under the bonnet of the 2024 Velar. It puts out 247 bhp, and does a decent job overall in maintaining a general sense of athleticism. With an engine as boosted as this one is, there is some turbo lag lower down the rev range, so some additional revs are required to keep the car in its power band.

The car also feels remarkably capable, and I have no doubt that it’d handle the rough stuff with little trouble. On road manners are good too, and the car doesn’t feel the need to constantly intervene with your driving through its traction control system.

Air suspension and its large 22 inch alloys mean all minor road imperfections are imperceivable to any occupants. It manages to soak up most of the bumps on the road, whilst also being able to resist excessive amounts of body roll too. And you can also air the car up for additional ground clearance if you are going off road.

Fine Wine

Despite the bones of the car being almost a decade old now, the Range Rover Velar doesn’t feel at all old. If anything, the basic structure of the vehicle appears to have aged very well. The tweaks JLR has done to the car do not take away from the original formula.

They have focused on refining the overall package, adding subtle yet thoughtful user and design updates to freshen it for 2024. And the tax-friendlier motor just further sweetens the deal!

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