The ‘big daddy’ Range Rover is ready for its big day, but first, we were handed a chance to get a look inside and out of what is the most luxurious and comfortable SUV Range Rover has ever built.

Certain cars only work when you see them in the sheet metal, and the 2022 Range Rover is a prime example of that. Revealed in late October 2021, this latest generation of Land Rover’s luxury SUV felt reliably handsome and circumspect in the official photos; it’s only now, as it makes its exclusive South African debut ahead of the official launch later this year, that the depths of its detailing become clear.

So, upfront it gets a familiar light signature, and begins the three sweeping lines that all Range Rover models have featured. The front overhangs are still short, while the sill line rises in height against the falling roofline. At the back, there’s a new “boat tail” rear and a split tailgate we’ve come to know the brand for.

Overall, Range Rover says, the idea was to build an SUV that looks like it’s carved from a solid form. The finish is flush, and the lighting is designed to hide until it’s illuminated. It’s based on Land Rover’s new flexible Modular Longitudinal Architecture, also known as MLA-Flex.

Elsewhere, at the one extreme, the 2022 Range Rover can be voluminous, long-wheelbase transportation for up to seven, with the SUV’s first 7-seat option. At the other end of the scale, a Range Rover SV with the Signature Suite cabin makes for a lavish four-seater, with 90+ cm of legroom to stretch out in the rear.

Sandwiched in between are various configurations with five seats, short and long wheelbase options, and of course Land Rover’s three-strong array of engines.

Read more: Next-gen Range Rover to use X5M Power

Along with astronomic power and a great deal of luxury, the 2022 Range Rover offers an extreme level of comfort for its passengers. Starting with the seats, ultra-comforting materials have been used to provide the softest feel to the driver as well as all the passengers on board. The headrests are designed in such a way that they can be adjusted to contour perfectly to the passengers’ heads supplying greater comfort.

The cabin stretches from familiar luxury features through to more ambitious materials: technical fabrics with a high percentage of recycled content, for example, and a near-aniline leather that the automaker says not only feels more like furniture hide but uses fewer dyes and other chemicals in the process.

Clients can choose from over 1.6-million potential configurations, including upwards of 13 wheel designs, bespoke paint colours, sustainable wood trim, elegant metal trimmings, ceramics, and Ultrafabric sustainable leather upholstery.

There is also wood veneer surfaces with elaborate patterns laid out poshly around the cabin, formed by hundreds of individual laser-cut pieces, all laid by hand. Opt for the four-seater Range Rover SV Signature Suite and you’ll see this wood trim from front to back, extending to the centre fridge between the two rear seats.

Furthermore, there is no doubt that the 2022 Range Rover is the epitome of leading-edge technology and is loaded with some mind-blowing tech features on board. It features the Pivi Pro infotainment system: a 13.1-inch fully touch display that is convexly curved and has a floating appearance over the dashboard. The display features an inbuilt navigation system with voice recognition. It also offers wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for seamless connectivity and is paired up with an industry-leading Meridian sound system that offers an immersive surround sound experience.

Meanwhile the driver’s instrument cluster – a 13.7-inch digital display – shows the status of the vehicle and the engine as well as navigation which can all be controlled with the buttons mounted on the steering wheel.

Purists may bewail the further distancing of this fifth-generation model from the more rugged designs of the earlier iterations, which undoubtedly wore their work talents more clearly on their sleeves. Even so, given the number of people who get to take their Range Rover off-road, this move toward even greater on-road civility is something that can hardly be argued with.

How much does the new Range Rover cost in SA?

The New Range Rover will be launched in South Africa toward the middle of 2022.All Land Rover vehicles come with standard 5-year/100,000km Land Rover Care Warranty and Maintenance Plans. * Prices include VAT but exclude CO2 tax.

D350 HSE Standard WheelbaseR2 861 000

P530 HSE Standard WheelbaseR3 026 000

D350 Autobiography Standard WheelbaseR3 310 000

P530 Autobiography Standard WheelbaseR3 475 000

P510e Autobiography Standard WheelbaseR3 527 000

D350 First Edition Standard WheelbaseR3 434 000

P530 First Edition Standard WheelbaseR3 581 000

P510e First Edition Standard WheelbaseR3 582 000

D350 Autobiography Long WheelbaseR3 392 000

P530 Autobiography Long WheelbaseR3 557 000

D350 First Edition Long WheelbaseR3 516 000

P530 First Edition Long WheelbaseR3 663 000

D350 Autobiography Long Wheelbase 7-seatsR3 422 000

P530 Autobiography Long Wheelbase 7-seatsR3 587 000

D350 SV Standard WheelbaseR3 857 000

P530 SV Standard WheelbaseR 920 000

P510e SV Standard WheelbaseR3 962 000

D350 SV Long WheelbaseR4 279 000

P530 SV Long WheelbaseR4 343 000