Range Rover 3.0 TDV6 Vogue SE 2017 first drive

Let's be honest, there's not a lot about the Range Rover that needs improving. It's still the consummate luxury SUV - a master of all trades that offers those who can afford its expensive price tag a comfortable, spacious and exclusive way to cross countries and continents. Almost explicitly and by design, it's all the car you're likely to need.

That said, the current car has not yet been a five-star contender in anything near standard form. It's painfully close, but the fact is that there are cheaper large plush SUVs out there, not to mention a plethora of luxury models such as the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, BMW 7 Series and Audi A8 saloons to contend with.

Land Rover's annual updates to the Range Rover line-up continue to bring fresh features, and for 2017 the Range Rover gets a raft of new driver assistance systems, including an intelligent speed limiter which can automatically lower its speed to the posted limit. Other new features include a driver attention monitor and a blind spot assistance system that can steer the car back into its lane. There's also a new SVAutobiograpy Dynamic model, which we drove back in January.

Here we're driving the entry-level TDV6 diesel version in mid-range Vogue SE specification. Already, our car commands a price tag of more than £83,500, but thanks to a seemingly endless options list, which on our car includes a panoramic sunroof, 21in alloys, park assistance, a head-up display, surround-view camera system and electrically deployable tow bar, the final list price comes to an eye-watering £97,565.

To drive, this Range Rover is virtually unchanged over the outgoing model. That is to say, it's very good indeed. The 3.0-litre diesel engine of our car may be the entry-level option, but it's not short on low-rev pulling power. There's not the same shove you'll get from the larger V8 diesel, but it can still get this largest Land Rover model from 0-62mph in 7.4sec. It's rated for a claimed 40mpg, although we'd suggest 35mpg would be more realistic in the real world, and even then only if you've got a light right foot.

As before, the Range Rover steers with precision, and although there's some pitch and lean through fast corners, it's generally stable and well-controlled. It's surprisingly agile, too, masking its hefty bulk very well, especially at motorway speeds.

What has changed with these model-year updates is the infotainment, which is now JLR's 10.0in-screened InControl Touch Pro system. It's a lot more intuitive than the older system, which we've criticised in the past for being clunky to use and slow to respond. Just as we've found in the latest round of Jaguar models, InControl Touch Pro is easy to use and navigate, with clear menus and an intuitive design. The enhanced system also lets you put the map display onto the Range Rover's digital dashboard - as with the Virtual Cockpit display features of the Audi Q7 - and you can change the look of the dashboard with three preset themes.