Not very many brands have the same staying power as Range Rover. Part of it has to do with a familiar aesthetic that deviates very little from its origins, and the other two parts are undeniable capability and supple luxury. They’ve kept this mix for nearly all of their models, especially for this range-topping—pun intended—long-wheelbase 2025 Range Rover Autobiography.
And yes, the top-spec Range Rover is simply called a Range Rover. It’s the Madonna of the bunch. Other models in Range’s lineup include the petite Evoque, the better-than-expected Velar, and the tried-and-true Range Rover Sport. All feature the same sort of essence, but this big-daddy Range Rover defines what the brand is all about.
It’s imposing, especially in long-wheelbase form—and even more so with our tester’s “murdered out” look. It starts with $13,200 satin black paint, followed up with “Shadow” exterior trim that, for $1,100, darkens virtually every trim piece including the grille, front door trim, lower tailgate finisher, and logos. It’s all topped off by the gorgeous, gloss black 23-inch wheels. This thing turns heads no matter where you are; it’s at-home in a rap video, parked up in the valet section at the Ritz, or a rap video filmed at the Ritz. Walking up to a blacked-out, long-wheelbase Range Rover—or looking back at it every time you’ve parked—makes you feel some kind of way That’s part of the allure of the Range Rover.
The design follows Range Rover’s newest aesthetic, with sleeker but familiar headlights, and an easily recognizable grille sitting just below the famous lettering that adorns the edge of the hood. No overstyled lines down the side, just clean and smooth surfaces outside of a touch of chrome—dark, in this case—on the front doors. Around back is where this Range Rover deviates the most from its predecessors and anything else in the lineup today, swapping the horizontal tail lights of the past for vertical units that look simple yet distinctive on such a large vehicle. And large it is, measuring over 17 feet end-to-end. You can practically fit a Mini Cooper in its wheelbase. Aside from intimidating virtually everything else on the road, that length pays dividends once you get inside. [Hey! Phrasing! —Ed.]
Up front, the Range Rover is airy and spacious. You’re greeted by a simple yet familiar layout put together with the finest materials—only the softest of leathers will suffice, and the thick, rich carpeting puts the rugs in your home to shame. The satin black exterior contrasts beautifully with the maroon semi-aniline leather interior, and classic-looking wood trim adorns the centre console, doors, and steering wheel. There’s just enough bright silver trim to catch your eye without looking gaudy. It’s a bit of an antithesis to Mercedes, which splashes shiny black trim and ambient lighting all over, not to mention the onslaught of screens.
The Range, on the other hand, comes across as “old money” if you will. It doesn’t demand your attention with screens and tech, instead keeping things simple with clean lines and top-shelf materials. The dash is clutter-free, the matte walnut wood trim adds warmth to the cabin, the ambient lighting is unassuming but tasteful, the infotainment display is a reasonably sized 13.1-inch touchscreen, and even the shade of maroon leather is subdued. The Range Rover is first-class everywhere you look and touch, from the matching leather-lined headliner to the metal speaker grilles. Even the grab handles are leather!
And that’s up front. The real party trick is for the passengers out back. Standard fare includes spacious reclining outboard seats split by a power-operated centre armrest—which contains an eight-inch touchscreen that can control a myriad of options. The window controls on either side allow you to control not just your own window and sunshade, but also the one on the opposite side, as well as a mute button so you don’t have to shout at your driver over the Meridian Signature surround sound system—more on that later. And with the stretched wheelbase, there’s an absurd amount of legroom. It’s a first-class experience through and through.
Technology abounds for both the driver and passenger’s comfort, safety, and entertainment. As expected, all the active safety features and driver assists you’d expect these days are on board, including lane-departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control that steers for you, and a 3D surround-view camera to ensure you don’t back this thing into your garage door. All outboard seats up front and out back are heated, cooled, and massaged, though the massage function isn’t particularly strong. There’s even a cooler in the centre console to keep your Bubly sparking water just right.
The Meridian Signature sound system is powerful, providing deep and strong bass but lacking just a little bit in the highs. The front and rear headrest speakers ensure the surround sound experience is truly enveloping, and calls come through clearer here than your own phone. There’s dual rear screens for the rear passengers, but since you can’t cast your phone or use apps, it’s limited to HDMI inputs. The infotainment interface is clean, intuitive, and elegant-looking; ditto with the digital gauge cluster, which provides a clean view devoid of any gimmickry. Old money in a new-age, tech-obsessed world.
Technology even carries over to the powertrain. Its 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 works with a mild hybrid system, putting a stout 523 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque to the road through Range Rover’s legendary all-wheel-drive system and an eight-speed automatic sourced from ZF. This 7,500-plus-pound behemoth scoots from rest to 100 km/h in 4.7 seconds, though the transmission is responsive but not lightning-quick.
There’s an electronic air suspension on board that raises or lowers the Range Rover based on driving conditions or the drive mode you’ve chosen. It does a masterful job of keeping the Range’s weight in check and providing you with the cushy ride you’d expect—while also surprising you with competent handling. I took liberties with this land yacht, and it stayed flat around speedy corners and on-ramps far more than the laws of physics would suggest it could. Dialing it all back reveals a whisper-quiet cabin that keeps wind and road noise in check. Even the engine is well-hushed until you floor it, at which point a subtle but strong V8 roar fills the cabin. Colour me impressed.
The long-wheelbase 2025 Range Rover Autobiography treats its passengers like VIPs, but sacrifices nothing for the driver. We’re in the age of flashy, look-at-me showboaters, but when you roll up in a murdered-out Range Rover that costs more than $215,000 as-tested, you’ll silence everybody around without having uttered a single word. You know, old money things.
