Driving Sports

The world of big SUVs has taken a beating in the last two years, with high fuel prices and a faltering economy giving the market a double-whammy. Premium brands such as Hummer that were desirable status symbols just a few years ago are now out of business entirely. Yet recent trends indicate that the behemoth SUV is making a comeback.

No matter what happens with the industry, there’s one premium SUV that endures no matter what, and that’s Range Rover. Worldwide demand persists for Britain’s legendary luxury four wheel drive vehicles, because the Range Rover delivers what its buyers need.

At a base price of $78,425, a 2010 Range Rover is not an entry-level vehicle, but look what you get. Range Rover offers one of the most technologically advanced SUVs in the world. The 2010 Range Rover uses a 5.0-liter all-aluminum V8 engine, with your choice of 375 horsepower and 375 pound-feet of torque in the basic model, or an amazing 510 horsepower in the supercharged version.

You also get the most advanced computer-controlled All Wheel Drive system in the industry. The 2010 Range Rover has Rover’s 60-year history of Four Wheel Drive experience behind it.

Range Rover’s Terrain Response System gives you optimum performance on pavement and over snow, mud, and rocks. In addition to automatic hill descent control and push-button ride height adjustment, the 2010 Range Rover Sport includes a new feature – Sand Launch Control – that prevents the vehicle from digging in and getting stuck in sand or mud.

But there’s more than capable off-road performance in a Range Rover. Any buyer can tell you that luxury is a critical part of the Range Rover experience. The 2010 Range Rover delivers state of the art comfort and entertainment inside the vehicle. With ample room to transport 5 adults, the rear seat passengers will enjoy seat-back DVD screens, while the front seats are both heated and cooled.

As tested, the Range Rover we drove came to a sticker price of $94,055. That’s a tall price, but it’s also a lot of premium SUV. The difference between base and as-tested in this case is adaptive cruise control at $2,000, a $5,000 luxury package including heated and cooled leather seats, wood trim, autodimming and adaptive lights. $2500 was for a rear seat DVD system, $1280 was for the surround cameras, and $1,000 apiece for a wood/leather steering wheel and zone climate control.

In an industry first, Range Rover drivers will enjoy the Surround-Cam selection of cameras designed to look in the blind spots in front of the vehicle, to the sides, and behind. This is a major safety innovation for the driveway as much as on the off-road trail.

Of course, the 2010 Range Rover includes full support for satellite radio, iPod music player, and CD stereo. For safety and confidence, the Range Rover also offers GPS navigation and Bluetooth hands-free telephone support.

Range Rover buyers will tell you that they are loyal to the brand because they believe they’re driving the ultimate SUV. The 2010 Range Rover is capable off-road and luxurious in the city. That’s why the brand has survived for 60 years, and continues to thrive today.