2006 Land Rover Range Rover HSE Road Test

[Serg]

2006 Land Rover Range Rover HSE Road Test

November 28, 2005
by Andrew McCredie / American Auto Press


While many manufacturers claim title to creating the Sport Utility Vehicle category, few can provide the kind of evidence in support as can Land Rover.
Lost in the patchouli-scented mists of the Sixties is the fact that the then-British owned automaker conceived and created a vehicle that personified what the companys marketing department of the day defined as "tough luxury."

The idea, according to Land Rover lore, was "to build a vehicle that combined saloon car levels of performance, handling, ride comfort and refinement, with all the ruggedness and off-road ability of a Land Rover." Hmmm... sounds awfully like the 21st century SUV sales pitch to me.

And just what was that new vehicles name? Range Rover, a vehicle that redefined the off-road segment by defining the luxury off-road segment, and by so doing sparking a long string of imitators that continues to this day, has been so successful an icon in the 4x4 world that most admirers dont even realize its produced by Land Rover at all, but rather Range Rover, while a brand within a brand, is actually a brand unto itself.

Model year 2006 marks the 35th anniversary of so-called tough luxury, and the past three-and-a-half decades have seen Range Roves just get tougher and more luxurious with each passing year.

This weeks tester is the base 2006 Range Rover HSE, but with a near six-figure sticker price it is a little hard not to choke a little on the words "entry-level". In addition to the HSE, Land Rover showrooms are filling with new supercharged HSEs, 35th Anniversary Limited Edition models, and inspired Ranger Rover Sports (more on that in a future column) for the new model year.
Apart from some subtle exterior tweaks, the 06 model looks much like the 05. Pop the hood, though, and youll come face to face with the biggest change to the new model. Gone is the BMW-sourced engine, a carryover from the days when BMW, which designed the current Ranger Rover, owned the Land Rover company, replaced by a new Jaguar-sourced 4.4-litre V8 that is more powerful, yet less thirsty than the German engine.

Horsepower has been increased to 305 while peak torque remains 325 lb-ft, launching the big SUV to 100 km/h in just over nine seconds - which is almost a full second quicker than last years model. In case you were wondering, a version of the same 4.2-litre supercharged V8 that first appeared in Jaguars XJR, and then in the XKR and S-Type R makes 400-horsepower in the supercharged HSE.

In addition to the new engine, the 06 HSE features improvements to the brakes, steering system, suspension, interior, and also to sound dampening.

The off-road ruggedness of Land Rovers Range Rover is pretty much unequalled, with only its own Land Rover LR3, Jeeps new Commander and recently updated Grand Cherokee, Volkswagens Touareg, Porsches Cayenne (which is more or less a Touareg with Porsche styling inside and out, and a unique V8 engine), Audis new Q7 (which is basically a Touareg in drag) and lest I not forget, the mighty Mercedes-Benz G-Class as well as the legendary Toyota Land Cruisers, the latter available in Canada in Lexus GX and LX nomenclatures, capable of putting up a decent fight while still maintaining a high degree of civility.

When it comes to luxury, mind you, the Range Rover leaves all competitors in the dust thanks to more solid wood planking than on anything this side of a Bentley, real metal trim and rich, sumptuous leather just about everywhere else.

In addition to all the technological bells and whistles found your top-of-the-line luxury sedans, the HSE adds a mouth-watering list for 2006, including adaptive headlights, tire pressure monitoring, touch screen controls for audio, phone and off-road driving information, a rearview camera and a six-disc DVD changer with twin screens pointing towards rear seat passengers, integrated into the backs of the front headrests no less. The monitors combine with a multi-speaker stereo for an audio-visual experience fitting for children of the well-heeled.

Outside distractions should be kept to a minimum too, as the HSE is extremely quiet thanks to all of that extra sound deadening material I mentioned earlier in the review.

Other than the need to take out a second mortgage just to afford the down payment, the most obvious negative was its rather hopeless fuel economy - rating at 15 mpg in the city and 23 on the highway.

Other than gluttonous fuel consumption I figure the only thing wrong with taking the Ranger Rover HSE to the local ski resort and back for a day of skiing is that youd never want to get out of it once having arrived at the lift parking lot. Sounds like a nice problem to have.
distractions should be kept to a minimum too, as the HSE is extremely quiet thanks to all of that extra sound deadening material I mentioned earlier in the review.

Other than the need to take out a second mortgage just to afford the down payment, the most obvious negative was its rather hopeless fuel economy - rating at 15 mpg in the city and 23 on the highway.

Other than gluttonous fuel consumption I figure the only thing wrong with taking the Ranger Rover HSE to the local ski resort and back for a day of skiing is that youd never want to get out of it once having arrived at the lift parking lot. Sounds like a nice problem to have.

[Funrover]

Sounds sweet!!!!! I don't know if I am totally gun-ho yet...But it sounds pretty cool!!

[Rovin4life]

the steering on those are so nimble. you can use your finger to steer in a parking lot its that easy.

smooth as glass.

Acceleration wise it was about the same as bmw motor. Except the SC. thats gets better.

I am not kidding this but you want to take this truck on a long road trip with your family.

There is a six dvd player in the rear. That can play in the rear monitors with wireless headsets. Then in the front you have six cd player so you can listen to something completely different up front. Of course you also have the radio and satelite radio capable. Then there is the wireless bluetooth and all you have to do is speak a name and it will call it.

adaptive cruise control. heated seats and steering wheel. The only thing it doesnt come with is a microwave and kitchen sink.

[ish]

Does this make me a bad person?????????
The first month I had the truck I kept thinking......"I'm Not Worthy"

[Rovin4life]

I tell you, I didnt have many complaints about the RR after I testdrove it.

Although for the life of me I dont know why they dont put terrain response system in it.

but then again why would you need a RRS for that.


If you ever buy one be sure to leave yourself a few hours to read the manual and at least five hours to actually learn to use the navigation, phone, satelite, camera, and dvd and entertainment system.

oh and learn to actually drive it.

The book is really big. Most of the time the sales people just show them how to operate the radio and wipers and lights and leave it at that.

Every LR now comes with a DVD to watch how to drive the thing.

Every new one is a maze of switches buttons and everything else thrown in. Sometimes we learn about the systems when there is a problem with them.

My boss went on a three day seminar on the audio systems and navigation and phone for the LR3 and RRS, and RR.

[01001010]

Originally Posted by beezel

... The only thing it doesnt come with is a microwave and kitchen sink.

Land Rover needs to step it up, Suzuki beat them to this idea...

[Funrover]

Originally Posted by 01001010

Land Rover needs to step it up, Suzuki beat them to this idea...

LOL...New rover The range rover KITCHEN SICK INCLUDED sport