2019 Land Rover Range Rover

The Achilles' heel of the 2019 Range Rover has to be its high asking price; the range starts with an eye-watering MSRP of $88,860 and escalates exponentially until you finally enter supercar territory with the top of the range SVAutobiography. The most expensive diesel model, the Td6 HSE SWB, goes for $96,050, and the most potent V6 model will set you back $94,050. It's when you start looking at the V8 models that things go a bit skew. The cheapest variant of the supercharged V8 Range Rover starts at $104,850, and will almost double in price to $207,900 for the V8 Supercharged SVAutobiography LWB. These prices completely overshadow the already high asking price of the BMW X5, which top out in the high $70,000s or the Toyota Land Cruiser, which starts at $85,165.

Driving the 2019 Range Rover is so calming and relaxed, that you'd think you were sitting in your own living room listening to your favorite Josh Groban track. On a serious note, the Range Rover offers a soft ride and it soaks up the bumps will aplomb if you stick to the standard-sized wheels, as the 22-inch alloys tend to crash through road imperfections. Make no mistake - the Range Rover might be quick in a straight line, but you are forced to take it easy when cornering. Steering is precise enough and weighs up reasonably well at higher speeds, but there's no getting around the fact that 5,000-odd pounds of car lifted 8.7 inches above the ground - you can be sure it's going to want to lean over on its sides. Additionally, the air suspension can be more than just a little wallowy in its softer settings. Drive like a reasonable person, and the Range Rover will reward you with a compliant and pleasurable driving experience that might not be as car-like as the BMW X5, but is lightyears ahead of the Toyota Land Cruiser.

Off-road, the Range Rover is in a class of its own: the terrain response system adapts to the type of conditions and matches the demands of the surface. The driving modes include grass/gravel/snow as well as mud, sand, and rock crawl. A maximum wading depth of 35.4 inches and a standard approach/ramp/departure angles of 29.7/28.2/27.6 degrees on SWB models is impressive, but do you really want to risk soaking those mohair floor carpets or polished wheels?

The Land Rover Range Rover has a reputation to uphold, especially since the third-generation car launched the Range Rover brand into stardom, with superstars like David Beckham and even the Queen of England parking one in their respective garages. The fourth-gen Range Rover has been around since 2012, but has been kept fresh and relevant through constant updates and styling changes, and still provides class-competitive performance and comfort, besting the likes of BMW's X5 in terms of premium quality. The wide range of engines, including a strong turbo diesel unit, gives a flexible range of performance, although the big V8s drink a ton of fuel. Standard safety and infotainment features are impressive, and the whole deal is wrapped up in a package that feels peerless in its levels of luxury. The only downside is an asking price that goes deep into the six-figure mark, but there are few better ways to enjoy the utmost luxury, and still be able to conquer almost any terrain.

Since the price of the 2019 Range Rover more than doubles as you climb up the trim ladder, the choice depends on your budget. Even the range-topping car can be optioned out another ten or twenty grand easily. For under $100k, we would suggest going for the SWB HSE with the high-output supercharged V6. This car has more than enough power for any occasion; it is stacked with more features than you're ever likely to use, and it costs half as much as the top of the range SVAutobiography. Tick some options boxes if you really need those mohair floor carpets or rear massage seats.

Unlike the BMW X5, the Toyota Land Cruiser and Land Rover Range Rover share a similar history; both were built to take on the outdoors with rudimentary engineering and minimal comforts, but as the years have passed, both these cars have morphed into five-star hotels on wheels that are still capable off-road machines. The 2019 Landcruiser is a larger car, capable of seating seven, and is arguably more capable off-road; but its 5.7-liter V8 engine is less fuel-efficient and less refined, along with providing far less performance. Its interior cannot come close to that of the Range Rover, neither can its ride and handling characteristics, but with an asking price well below that of even the entry-level Range Rover, the big Toyota offers premium luxury and true off-road capability in a more down to earth and understated package. Still, if it's luxury you're after, the Range Rover is simply one of the best SUVs in existence.

In the face of its competition, the BMW X5 is a relative newcomer to the luxury SUV class, and is technically mid-sized with the X7 taking on the role of full-sized. The 2019 model has gone through a full redesign, which means it gets the latest tech on offer from BMW, including a superior infotainment system and advanced safety features. The top of the line xDrive50i gets a twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 that produces 456 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque, considerably less power than even the low-output V8 found in the Range Rover, but delivers similar gas mileage figures. The BMW feels more like a regular car when driving around town and is a decidedly better handling car. The interior is put together with care and offers a different kind of luxury to that of the big Brit. The German vehicle feels more clinical in its delivery: it's got all the bells and whistles, a premium interior, and excellent road manners and performance, but it lacks the old-world charm and sheer opulence of the Range Rover. The X5's most significant advantage is its price. At $75,750, it's hard to ignore.