Evaluation of the Range Rover SE Plug-In Hybrid: Outstanding Performance with a Discreet Aura

When does an icon cease to be an icon? This is a question that crossed my mind repeatedly while driving the Range Rover SE plug-in hybrid, a vehicle that excels in the traditional Range Rover aspects: it communicates quietly and wields considerable power. It upholds the legacy set by its predecessors, maintaining its capabilities and versatility without being brash. I understand this may seem hard to believe considering its $135,000 price tag, but I don’t perceive that buyers of this vehicle are overly concerned about whether others recognize it. That seems more aligned with the Defender.

I appreciate that, particularly in a time when numerous vehicles are crafted to feign an affinity for the outdoors, especially by those who possess none. The Range Rover’s off-road capabilities don’t require such embellishments; this vehicle is extraordinary for what it can accomplish. I only wish it felt equally remarkable when stationary.

Key Details

The L460 Range Rover, now in its fourth generation, is available in three trims: the entry-level SE, the luxurious Autobiography, and the spirited SV, featuring three powertrain options. This includes a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six, offered with or without electric assistance, generating 395 horsepower. There’s also the BMW-sourced 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8, producing 523 hp. (If you opt for an SV variant, it produces 607 hp.) Naturally, power is distributed to all four wheels, via an eight-speed automatic transmission.

What about that plug-in hybrid inline-six option? That’s what we’re focusing on today, and it certainly holds its ground in terms of specifications. This “P550e” model (though that designation is absent from this vehicle’s window sticker) boasts 543 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque, with a 38.2-kWh battery supplying up to 50 miles of all-electric range. It also features standard adaptive air suspension with rear-wheel steering and Dynamic Response Pro, which incorporates electronically actuated anti-roll bars to enhance stability. The result is a vehicle that feels, perhaps unsurprisingly, quite pleasant to drive.

One additional point: Although the Range Rover is available in both short- and long-wheelbase forms, the plug-in hybrid powertrain cannot be paired with the larger variant.

Experiencing the 2025 Range Rover SE PHEV

Let’s dive directly into the driving experience, as it is the Range Rover’s most significant asset. This vehicle weighs 6,000 pounds, but you’d hardly know it based on its movement. The immediate electric torque off the line is substantial, and naturally, the powertrain prioritizes the battery before employing the gasoline engine, unless you select Hybrid or Save mode on that large touchscreen integrated into the dashboard. When the straight-six activates, the interior vibrations are so minimized, and the transition so smooth, that your only signal will be a muted, strangely distant high-pitched whirr.

It presents a smooth and, to be honest, disorienting way to traverse the world. I’m cautious with any vehicle I’m entrusted to operate, but the effortless manner in which this machine accelerates to highway speeds, combined with the notably elevated seating and unparalleled sound insulation, envelops you in a cocoon where outside occurrences feel irrelevant. I would press down, reach 80 mph on the Interstate, and swear I was only going 60. It feels like a fortress.

It enhances—or detracts, if you find the Range Rover’s tranquility perhaps overly numbing—that this vehicle maneuvers with a level of accuracy, confidence, and stability that is unexpected. The steering is very light in any configuration, yet it strangely never leaves you uncertain about what is occurring under the front wheels. The rear-wheel steering is a considerable advantage in a vehicle of this magnitude.

The chassis is equipped with a network of sensors, all orchestrating together to make you feel in control of this mobile apartment, succeeding in every aspect. Cornering, braking, and accelerating occur with minimal tilt and fuss, and this is the Range Rover’s true advantage. It’s not something you grasp simply by observing it or perusing the specifications. The plug-in variant starts at $131,350, which, in one respect, seems excessively high for a vehicle. Nonetheless, get behind the wheel, and there will be a part of you that can understand.

Pros and Cons

Stepping away from the driving experience, however, reveals that much about the modern Range Rover is a mixed bag. There’s a caveat to many positives. Again, I appreciate the understated design inside and out, and the degree of simplicity that is rare in most vehicles today, but I can’t shake the feeling that they may have overstepped a bit.

I, like many others, believe Phil Simmons’s L322 Range Rover design to be one of the most aesthetically pleasing cars ever created, with its emphasis on clear, simple shapes and a low hood line. The current Rover lacks this allure; it resembles a soap or maybe a pill by comparison, with an extending, curvy jawline.

Inside, it mirrors the outside’s trend. There’s a gracefulness to the dashboard’s minimalism, but it becomes irrelevant when nearly every interaction with the vehicle that does not involve driving it occurs through a massive touchscreen. Its arrangement lacks cohesion. To complicate matters, Land Rover eliminated the separate climate controls that previously resided below it, including the physical dials, beginning with the 2024 model year.

This genuinely annoys me because typically, when automakers undertake such actions, they reclaim the area once occupied by buttons for other purposes, perhaps to provide more storage. In nearly all cases, I’d prefer buttons, but at least there’s usually some form of compromise. The current Range Rover fails to offer any trade-offs; Land Rover simply cleared that rectangle of center-stack space and placed absolutely nothing in its place. The same goes for the area to the right of the shifter and start/stop button, which used to house a drive mode dial.

Honestly, the outcome seems unfinished. It’s peculiar to be in a vehicle that is so broadly powerful and adaptable in terms of performance, and feels unyielding in that vision, yet disregards useful features, presumably to save a few dollars per unit. It feels discordant with the overall product; it gives the impression that visual simplicity is resulting in functional complexity and annoyance.

Additionally, Land Rover’s Pixi digital interface—while not the worst I’ve encountered—simply doesn’t meet the demands of managing so many responsibilities. It’s not necessarily poorly organized, and I appreciate that the software designers had the foresight to position critical functions along the left edge of the screen for driver ease, but it’s just too slow and not particularly appealing visually. There’s an optional mode that allows the panel to react with haptic feedback when pressed, but it offers a clunky, dull response that requires significant pressure on the glass to achieve any action.

The hybrid powertrain achieved around 33 miles per gallon on the highway in hybrid mode, excluding the all-electric range, which is admirable. However, the battery should charge more quickly; it doesn’t support Level 3 DC fast charging and only allows AC charging up to 7 kW, which is disappointingly slow. In total, it took roughly five hours to recharge my test vehicle’s battery from a Level 2 charger.

2025 Range Rover SE PHEV Features, Options, and Competitors

The Range Rover SE begins at $115,750 for a standard-wheelbase, six-cylinder version. The plug-in hybrid commands an additional $15,000—$131,350—although this 2025 model was initially offered at a significantly lower price of $124,450 before accruing around $11K in options.

These options included numerous conveniences and design elements, such as a Meridian 3D Surround Sound System ($1,200), 22-inch satin gray wheels ($2,300), Grand Black veneer ($1,300), and the blacked-out Shadow Exterior Pack ($1,000), among other notable elements. The upside is, I would forgo all of them, except for the audio system. While massaging seats may sound appealing on paper, the Range Rover’s seats—although quite comfortable—do not offer massage features even at this price point, which seems a bit stingy. Customers desiring that option will need to upgrade to the Autobiography trim, which also features a superior sound system, rear-seat displays, and, frankly, little else that justifies the staggering $160,000 starting price.

The current Range Rover finds itself in a somewhat unusual competitive position, starting at roughly $20,000 more than most full-size luxury SUVs, such as the BMW X7, Mercedes GLS-Class, Cadillac Escalade, and Lincoln Navigator, while the Lexus LX is somewhat closer in price. The new Audi Q9 is likely to be priced below six figures, whereas the forthcoming Genesis GV90 is expected to be available exclusively as an EV.

The conversation surrounding the powertrain is critically important here, as while some of those alternatives may approach the Range Rover’s on-road comfort or provide an even more spirited driving experience, their off-road capabilities are less comparably equipped, and none in that lineup are offered as a plug-in hybrid. BMW’s controversial XM is, but then you’re over $160,000. And, of course, the G-Wagen is a luxury off-road icon, though it also starts above $150,000. At that stage, wouldn’t a Defender serve you better, anyway?

Final Thoughts

While it would be inaccurate to label a vehicle of this caliber as a “value,” the reality is that, even at approximately $130K, this Range Rover SE plug-in hybrid presents a distinct combination of advantages that nothing else can match. That’s a strong argument in its favor; well, that and experiencing its remarkable tranquility firsthand.

The challenge is that Land Rover achieved this while also rendering the latest-generation Range Rover feel somewhat empty and sterile, a statement that feels slightly odd to express regarding a vehicle that was once a staple in every Premier League star’s garage. Nowadays, that role has been filled by vehicles like Bentaygas and Cullinans—SUVs that, yes, are several times the cost of your base Range Rover but also convey several times the presence.

The fact remains, icons don’t have to be prohibitively priced, and what Land Rover has accomplished with the Defender serves as evidence of that. The Range Rover’s abilities remain undoubted. What it needs to rediscover is its sense of pride.

Specifications for the 2025 Range Rover SE Plug-In Hybrid

Land Rover provided The Drive with a seven-day loan of this vehicle for the purpose of writing this review.