- the 2021 range rover velar sees updates to its powertrain options along with its infotainment system as a few years separate it from its 2017 launch.
- a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six has been hybridized with a 48-volt electrical system, and two levels of that powertrain—with 335 or 395 horsepower—are available.
- the velar also gains land rover's new pivi pro infotainment system, which after using the system in the new defender, we can say it's an upgrade from the past system.
land rover's range rover velar has been around a few years since its 2017 launch, and so for 2021, the velar is getting updated powertrain options along with a new infotainment system to help keep it competitive in a crowded field. the 2021 velar is also getting a price bump of $600 for this coming year and will start at $58,050.
the 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four engine seen on the 2020 doesn't see any changes for this coming year, but the 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six does. the latter engine will offer two different configurations, both bolstered by 48-volt electrical systems. the less powerful of those two options churns out 335 horsepower and 354 lb-ft of torque, and the more powerful option puts out 395 horsepower and 405 lb-ft of torque.
similar to the outgoing model year, the velar models equipped with the turbo six-cylinder engines come standard with air suspension, and every velar has all-wheel drive. land rover claims that the 395-hp variant of the turbo six will reach 60 mph in 5.2 seconds. these hybridized 3.0-liter turbo sixes first appeared on the range rover and range rover sport last year, and car and driver tested the 395-hp version on the 2019 range rover sport last year.
along with the powertrain update, the 2021 velar also gets an update to its infotainment as it will now come standard with land rover’s pivi pro system and a 10.0-inch infotainment screen. this new system, land rover claims, is more responsive and easier to use—claims that we have held up to scrutiny as we've used the system in the new land rover defender.
a active noise-cancellation system is new to the velar for 2021, along with a 360-degree camera and a wearable activity key, which can replace the standard key fob. land rover hasn't released any information about the sv autobiography model yet, but we expect it to receive these same tech updates, including to the infotainment system. meanwhile, the top-end velar, the r-dynamic hse, is priced starting at $78,050.