When Range Rover launched its all-new Sport model two years ago, it turned quite easily the worst car of its recent history into substantially the best, says Andrew Frankel in The Sunday Times. "With stunning looks, a dreamy interior and a superbly judged chassis, it was and remains a masterpiece."
This is the SVR version of that car the Range Rover equivalent of the tweaked high performers M and AMG for BMW and Mercedes respectively. The result is a brutally fast machine that handles superbly. "It feels at all times taut and responsive, not only in a way you'd not expect from such a large car, but at times in a way you'd scarcely believe possible."
It's the "most broadly capable performance SUV on sale", says Dan Prosser in Evo. What sets the SVR apart from its high-performance rivals, though, is its off-road ability. "Land Rover hasn't completely forgotten its heritage with this new model it will still cope with thick, wet mud, rocky streams and slippery inclines, even on those summer tyres. It really is a remarkable trick."
Subscribe to MoneyWeek
Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE
Sign up to Money Morning
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Price: £93,450Engine: 5,000cc, V8, superchargedPower: 542bhp at 6,000rpmTorque: 502 lb ft at 2,500rpmTop speed: 162mph0-62mph: 4.7 seconds
A budget alternative
If it were priced at a level alongside its natural competitors, such as the class-leading Skoda Yeti, I'd give the Duster "a good kicking", says Nic Cackett in Autocar. Although attractive and spacious, the Duster performs poorly by almost any standard. And yet the price makes it a proposition unlike any other on the market.
Indeed, the Duster is a hugenine grand cheaper than the Nissan Qashqai and five grand less than the Yeti, says Top Gear. "Badge snobs" might turn their nose up at the interior and sloppy handling. But "you'll not find a better 4X4 for the money".
Price: £11,995 (for a mid-range diesel)Engine: 1,461ccTop speed: 106mph
-
Christmas at Chatsworth: review of The Cavendish Hotel at BaslowMoneyWeek Travel Matthew Partridge gets into the festive spirit at The Cavendish Hotel at Baslow and the Christmas market at Chatsworth
-
Tycoon Truong My Lan on death row over world’s biggest bank fraudProperty tycoon Truong My Lan has been found guilty of a corruption scandal that dwarfs Malaysia’s 1MDB fraud and Sam Bankman-Fried’s crypto scam
