Used Range Rover Velar for sale: everything you need to know

If there was a space in the range between the Evoque and the Range Rover Sport, the Range Rover Velar comprehensively filled it when it debuted in 2017. It was far from just a stop-gap though, as the Velar, which took its name from one of the original Range Rover prototypes, also set the look to which all subsequent Range Rover models have followed.

Even several years on it’s one of the most dramatic-looking SUVs on the road, with a low roof, and pop-out doorhandles that leave the smooth sides unblemished. Land Rover has offered a range of engines over the years too, covering everything from frugal four-cylinders to the supercharged V8 of the SVAutobiography Dynamic.

The Velar has rivals aplenty, though none that can really match its style - great though a BMW X4 or an Audi Q5 Sportback otherwise is. Some are sportier to drive too, and may prove less troublesome long-term, but the draw of the Range Rover badge and the Velar’s sleek lines are undoubtedly strong.

Should you buy a Range Rover Velar?

You may already have decided whether you want a Range Rover Velar. Chances are, you’ll have seen one out on the road - ideally in a suitably high specification, on large wheels, and wondered whether there’s a single other SUV out there short of a Lamborghini Urus or Ferrari Purosangue that has quite the same ability to swivel heads without also turning stomachs.

It’s a looker, that’s for sure, though like many products from Jaguar Land Rover, the Velar is very sensitive to wheels and specification - large alloys and two-tone colour schemes bring out the best in Range Rover’s mid-range model, but the car’s size can dwarf smaller wheels, and uniform shades like black hide some of the carefully-crafted lines.

If you’ve made your mind up on the styling, the good news is that the Velar feels expensive and luxurious inside too, with a modern cabin design and competitive levels of tech. It’s comfortable in the front or back, though you’ll have to accept that it only seats five - some rivals give you seven-seat options for similar money.

As is often the way with Range Rovers, the Velar trades some sportiness for comfort, and that’s no bad thing. It feels well suited to the UK’s broken road surfaces, and while the larger wheel options do make things a little firmer, the air suspension in particular really does have a cushioned feel. Air-suspended models also offer some true Land Rover off-road ability, along with numerous electronic systems to allow this luxury car to cover far rougher ground than you’d expect.

The Velar has come with a wide range of engines over the years. The petrol and diesel four-cylinders, both hybrid and non-hybrid depending on what was offered new, do the job - but to do justice to the Velar, it’s the petrol and diesel six-cylinders and the old supercharged V8 that suit the car’s character best.

Still not sold? You do have alternatives. Plenty, in fact. If practicality is the focus then models like the BMW X3 and Audi Q5 are obvious choices, though most manufacturers also offer ‘coupe’ versions that turn up the style in return for slightly less cabin space - think the equivalent BMW X4 and Audi Q5 Sportback, or at the upper end, even the larger X6 and Q8. And if badge prestige and driving dynamics are a priority, then the Porsche Macan at the lower end of the Velar’s pricing, and the Cayenne at the higher end, are difficult to overlook.

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What’s the best used Range Rover Velar model to buy?

Early examples of the Velar were a little mean in terms of equipment, but that has improved in recent years, so if you’re looking to buy a used Range Rover Velar that’s only two or three years old, you shouldn’t feel hard done-by in any of the trim levels. That said, HSE and Autobiography-badged models add some desirable equipment, notably air suspension, improved audio systems and more luxurious leather trim, that really show off the Velar at its best.

In terms of powertrains, the diesels offer the best balance of performance and economy, and performance is more than adequate even in the D200 with mild-hybrid tech - and it’s impressively frugal too. Among older models, the six-cylinder diesels are hard to beat for refinement and performance, and if you’ve got money to burn, the supercharged V8 of the SVAutobiography really does justice to the Velar’s striking styling.

Used Range Rover Velar fuel economy and performance

• Range Rover Velar D200 MHEV: You might be expecting something bigger than a 2-litre turbodiesel to power the Velar, but that’s what the D200 offers. It puts 204PS through an automatic gearbox and all four wheels, with mild hybrid assistance. 0-62mph takes 8.3 seconds, and Land Rover claims up to 44.1mpg.
• Range Rover Velar D300 MHEV: The next diesel up takes a jump to 3.0-litres and six inline cylinders. Power jumps too, to a round 300PS, to the benefit of performance - 0-62mph comes up in 6.5 seconds, while economy is only slightly behind the D200, at 39.2mpg.
• Range Rover Velar P250: The basic petrol engine is a four-cylinder, 2.0-litre turbocharged unit with an output of 250PS and a 7.5-second 0-62mph time - with four-wheel drive and an automatic gearbox, naturally. Combined economy is claimed at 30.7mpg.
• Range Rover Velar P400 MHEV: A 3.0-litre turbocharged inline six powers the P400, along with mild hybrid technology. It develops a hefty 400PS, with a brisk 5.5-second 0-62mph time the result, and 29.4mpg economy that’s only a fraction off the P250.
• Range Rover Velar P400e: The plug-in hybrid P400e makes only a touch more power than the regular P400, at 404PS, but does so from the combined efforts of a 2-litre engine and an electric motor. 0-62mph takes 5.4 seconds, and a 40-mile EV range enables a combined economy figure of up to 176.6mpg.

What used Range Rover Velar trim levels are available?

The Range Rover Velar trim levels follow the usual Range Rover pattern, with an S model to start the range and a luxurious Autobiography to top it. There’s no such thing as a badly-equipped Velar though some of the most desirable kit is kept for either the high-end cars or the options list - and we’d point out too that the Velar undoubtedly looks at its aesthetic best on the larger wheel options offered higher up the range.

• The Range Rover Velar S is generously equipped, as you’d hope for from a car that starts at over £50,000 brand new. Useful kit like a heated windscreen, automatic high beams for the LED headlights, adaptive cruise control, a touchscreen infotainment system and 14-way power heated seats are all standard.
• The Range Rover Velar Dynamic SE gets a sportier look thanks to a ‘Dynamic Exterior Pack’, along with a blind spot assist and rear traffic monitor safety systems. Inside you get metal finish pedals, and a Meridian audio system.
• The Range Rover Velar Dynamic HSE adds steering assist to the adaptive cruise control, and switches out the coil-sprung suspension of the S and SE for electronic air suspension with adaptive dynamics. The headlights are upgraded too, to pixel LED units, and inside there’s Windsor leather trim.
• The Range Rover Velar Autobiography is the range-topper. It gets some extra off-road kit such as a 3D surround camera system, wade sensing, and Terrain Response 2, which you’re unlikely to ever use on its fancy 21- or 22-inch wheel options, though its cooled glovebox, head-up display, Meridian 3D surround sound system, and 20-way adjustable massage seats may come in handy more often.

Used Range Rover Velar dimensions and boot size

The Range Rover Velar’s dimensions are:

• Length: 4797mm
• Width: 2041mm (mirrors folded), 2147mm (with mirrors)
• Height: 1678-1683mm
• Ground clearance: 205-251mm

The Range Rover Velar’s boot size is:

• 748 litres
• 1811 litres with the rear seats folded

Used Range Rover Velar road tax

All Range Rover Velar models are subject to a tax surcharge, thanks to list prices above the £40,000 threshold. That means in the second to sixth years of registration, non-hybrid models attract a £570 yearly bill, and hybrid and plug-in hybrids a £560 bill. With the oldest models coming out the other side of their sixth year however, that will soon drop to a more palatable £180 a year for petrol and diesel models, and £170 a year for mild and plug-in hybrids. First-year VED bills are based on the model’s CO2 output.

How much is it to insure a Range Rover Velar?

The Range Rover Velar’s insurance groups land about where you might expect a premium SUV to be, with the most basic diesel models beginning at group 36 in the 1-50 rating, and the top Autobiography all the way up at group 47. Find a used SVAutobiography with the V8, and you’re looking at the top group 50 rating.

Read our full Range Rover Velar review