2021 Range Rover Velar vs. 2021 BMW X3: Luxury and Versatility

December 13 2020,

2021 Range Rover Velar vs. 2021 BMW X3: Luxury and Versatility

Awarded as "The Most Beautiful Car in the World," the Range Rover Velar features a beautiful balance of proportions that creates a true world SUV. It features three strong powertrains, a luxurious but versatile interior, and handling that honours the Land Rover name. It's at home whether you drive in the city or mountains—it can do it all.

Here, we compare the Velar to the BMW X3, a competitor in the compact luxury class. 

The 2021 Range Rover Velar offers a satisfying range of power

The Velar features three powertrains that fill your needs for more efficiency, a balance of both, or an emphasis performance. The Velar S includes a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder P250 engine with 247 horsepower and 269 lb-ft of torque. The P340 engine in the R-Dynamic S bulks up at 335 horsepower with its six-cylinder, turbocharged boost. The R-Dynamic HSE with the P400 engine offers 395 horsepower and a 0-100 km/h time of 5.5 seconds. 

In comparison, the X3 also offers three powertrains. A competitor to the Velar's P250 engine, the 2.0-litre four-cylinder in the xDrive30i offers just about identical horsepower and 256 lb-ft of torque, which is a solid notch below the Velar's P250. The X3's mid-level engine, a hybrid system that generates 288 horsepower, falls behind the Velar's 335-horsepower P340. The X3's other powertrain has 13 fewer horsepower and even less torque than the Velar's best engine—the P400. 

Overall, the Velar challenges and surpasses the X3 in power. 

The 2021 Range Rover Velar is more versatile inside and out

The Velar doesn't hold back terrain handling features its larger siblings have. The standard All-Terrain Response system optimizes the engine, gearbox, differential and other systems to handle any type of terrain.

Six distinct driving modes take on dry roads, mud, wet grass, ice, snow, and dirt. The optional Terrain Response 2 automatically selects the above modes and adds even more capability. The X3 does not have a system this advanced. 

The Velar also features things like the optional Nanoe ionization which enhances driver and passenger well-being by attracting and capturing fine particles and airborne allergens from the outside air to make the cabin cleaner for your lungs. This feature is not available with the X3.

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