This is the new fifth generation Range Rover, the brand's flagship model that is all about luxury and class, combined with go-anywhere capabilities.

It's not a car for everyone, obviously, given its sizable footprint and even more sizeable pricetag, but for the well-heeled bunch, Range Rovers exemplify that dominant luxury SUV feeling.

And this new one? It's gotten even better.

Clean and sleek

Visually, the new Range Rover embraces a more minimalistic aesthetic - straight lines, flushed surfaces, while still being easily and obviously identified as a Range Rover.

At the rear, sleek design and futuristic innovation meld together with the hidden lights. Only when you activate the brake or turn signals that the lights flash on. If not, it is a simple and clean two-tone rear (black and Sunset Gold in this particular car's case).

It combines to deliver a really clean aesthetic that I really like. It looks modern and contemporary, yet still dominant and imposing. It makes a real statement, which is what you want out of your Range Rover.

That spirit of modernity and simplicity extends into the interior as well. Key among the upgrades is the new Pivi Pro infotainment system. It's a big screen with sharp graphics, but it is on the functionality front that things have greatly improved. There are fewer menus to navigate, and the interface just makes more obvious sense. One thing to note: If you have the capacitive touch feature turned on, it requires a decent amount of force when pressing stuff on the screen.

However, don't mistake simplicity for a lack of features, because the Range Rover is loaded with stuff. Ventilated massage seats both front and rear? Check. A very cold fridge? Check. Screens for rear passengers to watch Netflix? Check. Speakers in the boot? Check.

And all that equipment is wrapped up in lovely and opulent materials. Supple leather is found throughout the cabin, with wood grain finishing that adds yet a touch more class. 

Everything can also be controlled electronically, whether its lowering the middle console for the rear seats, folding down all the seats, or moving the front passenger seat far forward to give the rear passenger an extreme lounge experience. That said, things do take a while to happen, almost as if all the motors are operating at 75% speeds. For example, the windows take a fair amount of time to fully open or close, though that might perhaps be simply due to the fact that the window panels (like everything else about the car) are just so freaking huge.

One not small annoyance - over four days of driving, I consistently had issues with the phone pairing. At each startup, the system always fails to connect to my phone on the first attempt, and I have to click to connect a second time. I don't know if this is an issue with the system, or if it is just my phone (which has been wonky lately). Perhaps it might be Apple throttling my now three-generation back iPhone XS with the new OS16 to try to get me to upgrade. I will resist. 

A tighter package

On the road, the advances of this fifth generation model are stark. The stiffer body translates to much better body control through corners and over bumps and, as such, overall refinement is a step up.

This allows you to cruise along with effortless comfort, without even having to brake for bumps. The air suspension does a great job of smoothening out imperfections in the road.

And, while it is a very big car, it actually doesn't feel quite as big at the helm. The steering is well-weighted, body roll well-controlled for a 2.6-tonne car, and it is only when you look in the wing mirrors that you realise just how much of the lane you take up.

A big part of that is also down to this engine - a 4.4-litre V8 pumping out 523bhp and 750Nm of torque. I know it sounds a little bit crazy (because no one actually needs a V8), but this car really benefits from an engine like that. It's about the torque - with so much torque on tap, the car accelerates briskly, but more importantly very smoothly.

Thus, you don't feel the inertia you would expect of a massive car. It also helps that the throttle response has improved. This is also why diesel engines still feature prominently in the Range Rover's global lineup (though not Singapore's, of course). It's all about the torque.

And when you're cruising along the highway, it is a very genteel affair. Noise insulation is excellent (there's even noise cancelling thanks to speakers in the headrests), ride quality is very good, and you have a high vantage point from which to tower over other cars.

Having said all that, the Range Rover is not the last word in driving refinement. This is, at its mechanical core, a very big, off-road derived car. The body doesn't shed shudders as well as some of its peers, but it's a lot better than before.

King of the road

Look, the Range Rover is a very expensive car. This particular one is around $800k with COE. That's the price of a not-tiny condo unit.

So, of course, it's not a car for most people. And it's not meant to be. It is aimed at a particular crowd who want that feeling of being king of the road (whether on-road or off-road), and it delivers that emphatic and dominant experience in spades.

Some owners may not even drive the car. I don't blame them - the rear seats (especially the left one) are arguably the best seats to be in.  

With this fifth generation model, the Range Rover is not perfect, but it is significantly more polished than before. It really amps up the sense of quality and luxury, both in terms of how it feels inside, and how it feels to drive.

It'll take you places. Granted, those places may be a country club for golf, a soothing late evening massage or dinner at a fancy restaurant (certainly not every day occurrences for most people).

But if you walk those circles? The new Range Rover is the ideal companion.

Looking for a big luxury SUV with a big engine? Here are some others to consider: 

The Audi RS Q8 delivers outrageous power, audacious handling and imposing presence

The BMW X7 is sizeably designed and feature-filled, yet pleasingly easy and comfortable to drive

See more the the luxurious interior of the Land Rover Range Rover here in our video review!

This is the new fifth generation Range Rover, the brand's flagship model that is all about luxury and class, combined with go-anywhere capabilities.

It's not a car for everyone, obviously, given its sizable footprint and even more sizeable pricetag, but for the well-heeled bunch, Range Rovers exemplify that dominant luxury SUV feeling.

And this new one? It's gotten even better.

Clean and sleek

Visually, the new Range Rover embraces a more minimalistic aesthetic - straight lines, flushed surfaces, while still being easily and obviously identified as a Range Rover.

At the rear, sleek design and futuristic innovation meld together with the hidden lights. Only when you activate the brake or turn signals that the lights flash on. If not, it is a simple and clean two-tone rear (black and Sunset Gold in this particular car's case).

It combines to deliver a really clean aesthetic that I really like. It looks modern and contemporary, yet still dominant and imposing. It makes a real statement, which is what you want out of your Range Rover.

That spirit of modernity and simplicity extends into the interior as well. Key among the upgrades is the new Pivi Pro infotainment system. It's a big screen with sharp graphics, but it is on the functionality front that things have greatly improved. There are fewer menus to navigate, and the interface just makes more obvious sense. One thing to note: If you have the capacitive touch feature turned on, it requires a decent amount of force when pressing stuff on the screen.

However, don't mistake simplicity for a lack of features, because the Range Rover is loaded with stuff. Ventilated massage seats both front and rear? Check. A very cold fridge? Check. Screens for rear passengers to watch Netflix? Check. Speakers in the boot? Check.

And all that equipment is wrapped up in lovely and opulent materials. Supple leather is found throughout the cabin, with wood grain finishing that adds yet a touch more class. 

Everything can also be controlled electronically, whether its lowering the middle console for the rear seats, folding down all the seats, or moving the front passenger seat far forward to give the rear passenger an extreme lounge experience. That said, things do take a while to happen, almost as if all the motors are operating at 75% speeds. For example, the windows take a fair amount of time to fully open or close, though that might perhaps be simply due to the fact that the window panels (like everything else about the car) are just so freaking huge.

One not small annoyance - over four days of driving, I consistently had issues with the phone pairing. At each startup, the system always fails to connect to my phone on the first attempt, and I have to click to connect a second time. I don't know if this is an issue with the system, or if it is just my phone (which has been wonky lately). Perhaps it might be Apple throttling my now three-generation back iPhone XS with the new OS16 to try to get me to upgrade. I will resist. 

A tighter package

On the road, the advances of this fifth generation model are stark. The stiffer body translates to much better body control through corners and over bumps and, as such, overall refinement is a step up.

This allows you to cruise along with effortless comfort, without even having to brake for bumps. The air suspension does a great job of smoothening out imperfections in the road.

And, while it is a very big car, it actually doesn't feel quite as big at the helm. The steering is well-weighted, body roll well-controlled for a 2.6-tonne car, and it is only when you look in the wing mirrors that you realise just how much of the lane you take up.

A big part of that is also down to this engine - a 4.4-litre V8 pumping out 523bhp and 750Nm of torque. I know it sounds a little bit crazy (because no one actually needs a V8), but this car really benefits from an engine like that. It's about the torque - with so much torque on tap, the car accelerates briskly, but more importantly very smoothly.

Thus, you don't feel the inertia you would expect of a massive car. It also helps that the throttle response has improved. This is also why diesel engines still feature prominently in the Range Rover's global lineup (though not Singapore's, of course). It's all about the torque.

And when you're cruising along the highway, it is a very genteel affair. Noise insulation is excellent (there's even noise cancelling thanks to speakers in the headrests), ride quality is very good, and you have a high vantage point from which to tower over other cars.

Having said all that, the Range Rover is not the last word in driving refinement. This is, at its mechanical core, a very big, off-road derived car. The body doesn't shed shudders as well as some of its peers, but it's a lot better than before.

King of the road

Look, the Range Rover is a very expensive car. This particular one is around $800k with COE. That's the price of a not-tiny condo unit.

So, of course, it's not a car for most people. And it's not meant to be. It is aimed at a particular crowd who want that feeling of being king of the road (whether on-road or off-road), and it delivers that emphatic and dominant experience in spades.

Some owners may not even drive the car. I don't blame them - the rear seats (especially the left one) are arguably the best seats to be in.  

With this fifth generation model, the Range Rover is not perfect, but it is significantly more polished than before. It really amps up the sense of quality and luxury, both in terms of how it feels inside, and how it feels to drive.

It'll take you places. Granted, those places may be a country club for golf, a soothing late evening massage or dinner at a fancy restaurant (certainly not every day occurrences for most people).

But if you walk those circles? The new Range Rover is the ideal companion.

Looking for a big luxury SUV with a big engine? Here are some others to consider: 

The Audi RS Q8 delivers outrageous power, audacious handling and imposing presence

The BMW X7 is sizeably designed and feature-filled, yet pleasingly easy and comfortable to drive

See more the the luxurious interior of the Land Rover Range Rover here in our video review!