I have driven almost every kind of car there is. Porsche, Lamborghini, Mercedes, Volvo. You name it, I’ve driven it. And I have to say that there is just something really special about the Range Rover. It feels different.
Most “luxury” cars seem to have forgotten that most people want to actually feel comfortable when they’re driving them. “Sports cars” are the clearest and worst example of this trend. These companies brag about how they made their driver’s seat 10% lighter by implementing a carbon fiber frame and therefore it has a faster track time. Meanwhile, it is horribly uncomfortable to sit in and you absorb every bump in the road because a “sporty” suspension allegedly makes the car go faster.
Do they think we’re all living on the set of “The Fast and the Furious”? What is going on with these automakers’ decision making? Most people who buy a “nice” car do it because they want to feel nice and comfortable while they’re driving. These automakers have lost the plot.
Have you sat in a modern BMW? It literally feels like you’re sitting in a thin plastic chair surrounded by a bunch of iPads. The only way to truly enjoy the car is by speeding and I guess proving to other motorists that your car is “faster” than theirs. In my opinion, if you can’t have an incredibly fun experience whilst driving the car at the speed limit then there is something inherently wrong with the car. Something defective about its design has made you feel like the only way to have fun is to show other people how “fast” it is as opposed to actually just enjoying the ride.
That’s where Range Rovers come in. They are arguably one of the last bastions of automakers who still understand that the driver wants to feel comfortable and serene while he’s driving. It still has all the raw power and acceleration found in other “luxury” vehicles, but with this car, when you sit inside the cabin it actually feels luxurious. You don’t feel a need to “prove” yourself to others. The cabin creates its own sort of “cocoon” that you become enveloped in whilst driving. Outside noises go away. Thick plush leather seats and double insulated windows create an exceptionally quiet driving experience. The air ride suspension makes every bump feel like a whisper, and the wood grain dash and incredible sound system truly transport you to somewhere else. You’re not trying to compete with anyone because you’re too busy enjoying the ride.
And it’s not just the ride quality that makes this car special. One could argue that perhaps a Bentley or a Rolls Royce offers a superior ride quality to the Range Rover. But from a practicality standpoint let’s be honest: if you drive a Bentley or Rolls Royce there is a large segment of the population that will just instantly hate you. By driving that car you are essentially putting a giant target on your back that will attract unwanted attention, envy, and hate everywhere you go. Even if you live in a wealthy neighborhood, if you start driving a Bentley or Rolls Royce I guarantee you that a large portion of your neighbors will start talking shit about you and resenting you.
It’s a recipe for disaster honestly.
Meanwhile, the Land Rover has its roots in being a farmer’s car. It was a car that you would drive through the field to go tend to the cows and the chickens. The magic of a Range Rover is that it is an incredibly luxurious vehicle but it still has humble roots and it is not afraid to get down and dirty. You could just as easily drive it through the mud as you could to the country club, and it would do its job equally well in both places.
Yes, we could all talk about the “reliability issues” and horror stories of owners being plagued by mechanical woes, but those are true for basically any “luxury” car brand. I put “luxury” in quotes because compared to a Range Rover I don’t think any of these other brands are anywhere near the same league. Have you sat in a Urus or G-Wagen? They are both uncomfortable as fuck. Again, they both seem to have embraced this idea that “stiff racing seats” are what the people want – when in reality most people just want to sit in their car and feel comfortable.
In short, drive the car that makes you happy. You can always make the “safe bet” and drive some reliable piece of nothing but in my opinion “smiles per gallon” are worth infinitely more than miles per gallon. Choosing the “practical” option is what led to the mass enshittification of public architecture. People who just decided that making a simple box was safer than trying to make something truly beautiful and inspiring.
Follow your heart, be romantic, and take the leap. Always.