Undoubtedly, the Range Rover is one of the most popular models on the market today. With its sleek design, luxurious comfort, and powerful performance, Land Rover has set the bar high for other manufacturers. But even with this impressive pedigree, there are still some areas where Range Rover owners want to see improvement. This was recently highlighted in J.D. Power’s 2023 APEAL study, which asked owners to rate their cars in 10 different categories.

What 2023 Range Rover owners found unsatisfactory

According to J.D. Power’s APEAL Study, the Range Rover excelled in most categories, particularly in the top five categories of Exterior Styling, Interior Design, Powertrain, Feeling of Safety, and Driving Feel. More surprisingly, the Range Rover ranked highest among all five Large Premium SUV models.

Despite these impressive ratings, Range Rover owners did have two major complaints about their vehicles, both of which landed in the bottom five ranked categories. The two areas drivers felt most dissatisfied were the infotainment system and fuel economy. But what exactly does the Land Rover Range offer in these areas, and why are owners still unhappy?

Unpacking the 2023 Range Rover’s infotainment system

The 2023 Range Rover has an impressive infotainment system featuring the latest version of Land Rover’s Pivi Pro interface. Features include:

• SiriusXM satellite radio trial
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Wireless phone charger
• 13.1-inch high-resolution infotainment screen
• Embedded in-dash navigation
• Meridian Premium Audio System
• Amazon Alexa Voice Assistant
• Wi-Fi hotspot trial
• Optional rear seat entertainment system with dual 11.4-inch screens
• Optional 1,600-watt 35-speaker Meridian Surround Sound System featuring headrests with active noise cancellation technology

According to the J.D. Power expert review, the Range Rover’s infotainment system was easy to use and lightning-fast in responding. The initial Bluetooth phone pairing process was a breeze, and making calls via voice assistant was effortless. The built-in navigation system has a 3D mode option that is interactive and highly detailed.

Regarding sound quality, the base Meridian audio system provided excellent fidelity, separation, and overall sound clarity, whether listening to music via satellite radio or streaming from a favorite Pandora station. However, Range Rover drivers may find it challenging to access volume and tuning controls as there are no easy-to-use dash-mounted rotary knobs.

Additionally, although there are radio power on/off and volume adjust knobs on the front console and steering wheel-mounted tuning buttons, this may be inconvenient to some.

What does Range Rover offer in terms of fuel economy?

The 2023 Range Rover offers a variety of engine configurations for drivers to choose from, including the 3.0-liter turbocharged/supercharged inline-6 mild hybrid, 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8, and the 3.0-liter inline-6 plug-in hybrid, all of which are paired with standard four-wheel drive.

The 3.0-liter turbocharged/supercharged inline-6 mild hybrid gives 395 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque with 18/23 mpg city/highway, while the 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 offers 553 lb-ft of torque and 16/21 mpg city/highway. The 3.0-liter inline-6 plug-in hybrid provides an estimated electric range of 48 miles and 434 hp with 406 lb-ft of torque.

Although the Range Rover offers an engine lineup with good power and torque, the fuel economy ratings are not particularly impressive compared to other luxury SUVs. But it’s important to note that luxury vehicles like the Range Rover are designed to offer a luxurious experience with smooth, powerful performance rather than efficiency. This means that the trade-off from a fuel economy perspective is to be expected.