Range Rover hybrid: palatial luxury that won’t cost the earth

Range Rover is not a car maker known for its green credentials, says James Mills in The Sunday Times. Greenpeace once branded it a "climate criminal". But it has been investing in new technologies.

Range Rovers are lighter and more fuel-efficient, and now there is this "posh Prius" a hybrid model that combines a three-litre V6 diesel engine with an electric motor. The combination slightly improves the car's fuel efficiency and lowers carbon emissions.

It is considerably heftier than the standard model, which makes it less than thrilling to drive. But the cabin is "positively luxurious" and the rear seats in the long-wheelbase model are "palatial". The back of this Range Rover limo "really is a supreme way from which to survey the outside world", says Chas Hallett in What Car.

It is "one of the world's finest luxury cars".

Price: £110,150Engine: 2,993cc, V6 diesel with electric motorPower: 335bhp at 4,000rpmTop speed: 135mph0-62mph: 6.5 secondsFuel: 44.1mpg (combined)CO2: 169g/km

What you could have for the same money

The fuel economy savings from the Range Roverhybrid over the standard model are in reality miserly, says James Mills in The Sunday Times. The added upfront cost means the average driver would only break-even after 93 years. Consider the Tesla S P85D instead, says Evo.

The rate of car tax is zero (as emissions are zero) and you can "fill up" (on electricity) for less than a tenner (for a range of about 250 miles). You can even recharge for free at a "Supercharger" point. The Tesla is a family saloon with plenty of room and yet has supercar levels of performance, says Damon Lavrinc on the Jalopnik blog.

It's a remarkable machine that will "completely change" the way you think about cars.

Price: £86,435Top speed: 155mph0-60mph: 3.2 seconds