2016 Land Rover Range Rover Td6 Diesel

2016 Land Rover Range Rover Td6 Diesel 2016 Land Rover Range Rover Td6 Diesel
First Drive Review

You’re unlikely to buy a new Range Rover with your last few dollars; it therefore seems similarly improbable that many people in the market for one would struggle to brim its 23.5-gallon tank without spending the rest of the month eating nothing but instant noodles.

Which is why we’re slightly surprised that Land Rover has finally gone ahead with its long-promised plan to introduce diesel-powered versions of the standard-wheelbase Range Rover and the Range Rover Sport to the U.S., a mere 30 years after diesel Range Rovers were first offered in other markets. As any fanboy knows, diesel equals better; but can this new fuel-sippin’ engine really be superior to the supercharged gasoline V-6 that currently powers the lower end of the Range Rover range?

The engine in question is JLR’s long-serving 3.0-liter V-6 turbo-diesel, a powerplant that can trace its origins to a long-forgotten joint venture between Ford and Peugeot-Citroën (giving a pleasing, if tangential, French connection). The engine has been cleaned up to meet U.S. emissions standards, through a urea-based exhaust after-treatment that includes an onboard tank of DEF (Diesel Exhaust Fluid) that’s claimed to be good for 10,000 miles between refills. This federalized version produces 254 horsepower and 440 lb-ft of torque, the latter available from just 1750 rpm; unfortunately we’re not going to get the 339-hp diesel V-8 that’s sold in Europe. EPA city/highway fuel economy is 22/28 mpg, a 5-mpg improvement over the supercharged V-6 both in the city and on the highway.

You won’t buy a Td6 to make a statement. The presence of the diesel engine is marked by nothing more than a tiny badge, and even if you stand next to the tailpipe with the engine idling you’ll hear only the sort of subdued noise you’d expect from a direct-injected gasoline engine. Inside the cabin it’s the same story: However hard you try you’ll never hear any of the tinkling harmonics often associated with compression ignition. Under wider throttle openings there’s the sort of distant mechanical thrum that you might hear from the stateroom of a luxury yacht if the captain had just ordered full steam ahead, but overall the Td6 is practically as hushed as its gasoline siblings.

Performance is similarly unobtrusive, sufficient at all times but not enough to deliver much in the way of excitement. It’s best to drive on the torque-nami and let the eight-speed autobox do its own thing; request sudden acceleration and there’s a noticeable pause as the turbo spools up and the transmission works out which gear to select. The powertrain pulls strongly enough for most, with the official 7.4-second zero-to-60-mph time putting it in close proximity to the gasoline V-6. The natural cruising speed is impressively high, though—especially for something with the aerodynamic profile of a sizable outhouse. This is one of those cars that makes 100 mph feel like 65—honestly, officer. It’s definitely not a revver, though. Despite a marked 4800-rpm redline, the Td6 won’t go above 4000 rpm unless you take control of its transmission through the “command shift” mode, and there’s absolutely no point in doing so.

The rest of the driving experience is effectively identical to that of the existing Range Rover, with a supremely compliant ride and a driving position that feels commanding enough to let you issue orders to a Mongol horde. Behind overly light power steering the chassis delivers impressive accuracy when called upon to do so, and you can hustle the Td6 along at a decent pace, although at the cost of some impressively acute lean angles. But both it—and any passengers you happen to be carrying—are happiest when traveling at a more regal pace. Leave all that nouveau dynamism to the Range Rover Sport.

The cabin remains a very special place to spend the sort of journeys encouraged by the 650-mile range, supremely comfortable over longer stints and with generous standard gadgetry to play with. And like every Range Rover—even the hot-rod Sport SVR—it’s willing and able if asked to head off-road, albeit at the risk of scuffing those huge aluminum wheels. The standard air suspension allows the ride height to be increased, and the low-down torque of the Td6 is particularly well suited to mud-plugging, especially using the low-speed cruise-control system.

For a $1500 premium over the gasoline six, it’s not hard to see the Td6’s appeal, as it doesn’t require buyers to make any significant sacrifice in exchange for the extra economy. This is one diesel you can buy with your heart as well as your head.