- Blink-and-miss cosmetic changes

- New infotainment system borrowed from elder siblings

On sale since 2017, the Land Rover Range Rover Velar has received a model year update for 2023. Following the footsteps of the new-gen Range Rover and the Range Rover Sport, the Velar gets very few changes in terms of design, but there’s a new and updated infotainment system, upgraded batteries in the PHEV and added features.

Styling-wise, the sleek headlamps get a tweaked signature with what the British marque calls ‘Pixel LED’. Meanwhile, the mesh in the grille has been redesigned as well. At the back, there’s a re-profiled bumper with hidden exhaust pipes. Changes to the exterior for this model year update are purely blink-and-miss.

On the inside, the new Velar gets the a floating 11.4-inch touchscreen infotainment system slapped on the dashboard which is directly scrounged from the Range Rover and the Range Rover Sport. The leather-free cabin option now uses wool from Danish textile experts Kvadrat with Ultrafabrics polyurethane textile inserts. These Kvadrat wool blends are 58 per cent lighter than leather.

Apart from the 17-speaker, 750W Meridian 3D audio systems, the new Velar also gets active noise cancellation inside the cabin. Added features include an advanced air purifier, 30-colour ambient lights, wireless updates with OTA, four-zone climate control, and smartphone integration.

The Velar is renowned for its styling and swanky colours. With this update, two new colour options are available – metallic varesine blue and premium metallic zadar grey. Similarly, four new leather upholstery colours are introduced – cloud, caraway, raven blue and deep garnet.

As for the powertrain, the PHEV versions now get a bigger 19.2kWh lithium-ion battery which offers a 21 per cent improved electric range. Now, on electric power alone, the P400e can drive up to 64 kilometres without burning a drop of fuel. Yet, the 0-100kmph time is an impressive 5.4 seconds with an electric top speed limited to 140kmph. The charging capacity of the PHEV is now upgraded to 50kW DC fast charging.

We expect the India debut of the MY2023 Range Rover Velar to happen later this year.