The 2012 Range Rover (Range Rover and Land Rover are now considered separate brands in the same vein as Ram and Dodge) is quite different from the Range Rovers that I recall from a few years less than a decade back. I can specifically remember friends’ clamor about the Land Rover Range Rover—and how Michael Jordon drove one—provoking my own criticisms. Sure, it looked exquisite and had a pleasant interior, but what about the sloppy steering, slow pedal responses, and clunky suspension? But after some quick drives in a new 2012 Land Rover Range Rover, I can testify that my previous concerns have all but been erased and the things I liked before have gotten even better.

The new Range Rover doesn’t stray too far visually from previous editions, but the changes underneath the skin have transformed the car into something more deserving of its prestigious reputation: the interior that has grown to be absolutely gorgeous and the entire driving demeanor has been vastly improved compared to its predecessors.



The journey started when I grabbed the keys. The metal bands that wrap around the plastic key fob make it look similar to a small iPhone 4. Old-school tendencies takeover whenever a key fob is in hand, and I immediately start to search for the mechanical key portion of the key fob. It is a natural reaction despite every test car we see offering push-button starters. In case of the Range Rover, I broke the key before I even got a chance to set foot into the car, disconnecting the hidden metal key from the fob. It was an easy fix, but it is no way to start a relationship.



Follow the jump to read more about the 2012 Range Rover.

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