The 2018 Range Rover Velar is the right size that fills the gap between the Range Rover Evoque and Sport, despite it being built based on the Jaguar F-Pace. But how does this dressed up crossover fair with its competition such as the Audi Q5, Porsche Macan, and its relative the Jaguar F-Pace? Let's check it out.
First up, when the Velar was unveiled, reports noted that it will be the Macan killer. But doesn't Land Rover already have that? You would immediately think that the Velar and its close relative, sharing the same underpinnings, the F-Pace are the same, since this was supposedly the Macan killer.
The 2018 Range Rover Velar and the Jaguar F-Pace share the same aluminum body architecture, the same suspension, and the same engine. In a nutshell, the Velar was based on the F-Pace. Well, because Land Rover (Range Rover, in this case) and Jaguar are practically the same company, according to TopGear. And of course they wouldn't sell the same vehicle with a different badge twice, hence their differences and similarities.
One clear difference is that the Velar has air suspension, while the Jaguar has none. An extra 46mm increase for off-road conditions gives a clear ground clearance for the Velar. Also, thanks to its low height, it is the most aerodynamic among all Range Rover lineup, as its coefficient drag is only 0.32.
Lastly, the Velar is bulkier compared with the Jaguar F-Pace, with a longer back. The seat in the Velar is higher, thus higher vantage point, whereas the F-Pace is sportier. You get the picture.
MotorTrend pitted the 2018 Range Rover Velar against the growing line of stylish premium compact SUVs in the market, specifically with the likes of Audi Q5 and the Porsche Macan, and also its relative the Jaguar F-Pace. The report pointed out that the Velar is a bit larger compared to its competition, but has a sleeker and slightly compact package.
Grille. The Jaguar F-Pace sports a roundish grille, sitting about mid-height, while its relative the 2018 Range Rover Velar features a mounted trapezoidal front grille which is relative to its LED headlights, which are the thinnest in production to date. On the other side of the spectrum, Audi Q5 has a large hexagonal grille which basically dominates the whole front end, but the Porsche Macan simply sits low in the fascia.
Rear. Compared with all 3, the Velar has the narrowest rear greenhouse thanks to its roofline featuring the most dramatic rearward slope and its rear fascia slope up a bit more aggressive, showing a pair of large rectangular exhaust outlets.
Audi Q5 and Porsche Macan ride on 110.5-inch and 111.6-inch wheelbases, respectively, compared with the Velar's 113.1-inch wheelbase, which is shares with the F-Pace. But its side profile including the D-pillar and rear window resembles that of the Q5.
Overall, it will be up to you to decide which among the 4 looks better or is better at that, as there are other factors that need to be taken into consideration. We have only tackled the tip of the iceberg. However, the 2018 Range Rover Velar does look sharp, but will it be enough to beat the others in its class? Stay tuned for more when we finally have updates on the Velar's driving performance.
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