2008 Land Rover Range Rover

Land Rover's prestigious Range Rover is the most capable and luxurious SUV ever built.

Recently, I had the privilege of driving a 2008 Range Rover up to Elkhart Lake, Wisc. I felt like royalty sitting inside the Range Rover tester. Its cabin is fit for a king. The high seating position provides an excellent view of the road and the seats are supportive and comfortable.

Heated front seats are standard and an air conditioning system that blows cool air through perforations in both the seat cushion and backrest is available.

There's an abundance of brushed-aluminum and genuine wood trim inside. There aren't many interiors that look, smell or feel this good.

I enjoyed the touch-screen at the top of the dash which features a standard navigation system with on- and off-road functionality.

When driving off-road, you can set the Nav system to leave "breadcrumbs" and mark your route. Of course, you can save your routes and return back to them at a later date. That can be a most useful feature if, in fact, you actually take your Range Rover off-roading. Land Rover actually makes it easy for you to go off-roading thanks to a five-position (general driving, grass/gravel/snow, sand, mud ruts and rock crawl) console-mounted switch that provides electronic control of the drivetrain.

Land Rover refers to this as their "Terrain Response" system. Turning the knob obviously controls the four-wheel drive system but also allows the system to manage throttle response, transmission operation, electronic differentials, anti-lock brakes, air suspension, traction control and hill descent control.

It sounds complicated, but actually all you do is turn the knob to the type of terrain you'll be driving on. Then, the system makes you the most capable off-roader. All you need to do is steer the vehicle and brake when necessary.

I drove the Range Rover tester down a very steep dirt hill and used only the steering wheel during this exercise. The electronics did the rest, and I negotiated the incline like a pro.

Then I drove this luxurious SUV through mud, over rocks and various rugged terrain. Of course, it handled them with ease and made me feel like an expert

I doubt that many Range Rover owners will subject their vehicle to the rigors I did. For those that won't, just know that it is more than capable.

For those that decide to stay on paved roads, Range Rover delivers a plush, smooth, and refined ride. There's a slight bit of body roll when taking corners at speed, but that's expected for a vehicle that stands so tall.

A three-zone automatic climate control system is standard and it quickly brings the cabin to the preset temperature.

Also standard is a 710-watt, 14-speaker Harman/Kardon Logic 7 surround sound system. This system is like having your premium home system in your car. It's awesome. I also enjoyed the standard rear back-up camera.

Range Rover features a 4.4-liter V-8 engine that delivers 305 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque. The engine provides plenty of power, but requires premium fuel and fuel economy isn't that good.

Mated to Range Rover's engine is a smooth-shifting 6-speed automatic transmission. The combination is very likable and so is the standard air suspension that automatically provides the proper height for on- and off-road driving.

With everything that Range Rover has to offer, its premium price tag should be no surprise. And with it, comes exclusivity.

2008 Land Rover Range Rover 

Engine: 4.4-liter (305 hp) V-8

Transmission: 6-speed automatic

Drive type: AWD

Fuel economy: 12 city/18 highway

Base price: $77,675

As tested: $85,450 (including $775 for destination)

Web site: www.landrover.com