EV sales may have plateaued in the US, but several luxury brands still have a lot of faith in the concept. Yes, Porsche may be doing a u-turn but the electric Macan’s rival, the Range Rover Velar, has a new model heading to the US in 2027. And we’ve managed to snag some recent spy shots of it.
These aren’t the first spy shots of the Range Rover Velar that have cropped up, so the exterior isn’t much of a shock. It’s a low-riding, sporty, SUV with a fastback silhouette. The grille and lower air intake aren’t fully on display, but the black panels taking their place suggest both are substantial. It also has those thin, slitty, headlights many modern SUVs seem to be adopting. Because vehicle design is not about innovation, it’s about imitation. If you’re not confusing the hell out of everyone looking for their vehicle amongst a sea of near identical vehicles every time they visit a parking lot, what are you doing?
However, there is one surprise at the back. There had been speculation that the Velar would not have a rear window, mainly due to said space being blanketed in camouflage. But in this round of spy shots, a rear window has been confirmed. If you look closely at the rear of the vehicle there’s a slit of glass right at the bottom of where the frame would be. Why mask it? Who knows. Maybe Range Rover is slapping a Spirit Halloween decal on there to coincide with the late 2026 unveiling and give a little payback to any F-150s tailgating it. Or maybe it’s just plain glass and the British marque didn’t want to waste a bit of leftover camo.
Range Rover also seems to be using flush-mounted door handles. Now, these theoretically could be mechanical. But they will, at the very least, require electrical power to deploy. Which means they could fall foul of legislation making its way through congress. Other automakers are going back to mechanical handles, so Range Rover could be taking a bit of a risk here.
The inside of the electric Range Rover is a little more interesting
The most interesting info arguably comes from the interior shots. Although the dash and other trim details were well covered. You can spot a two-spoke steering wheel, which may be a brave choice given the mixed reception the BMW i3’s recently received. The wheel has a touchpad in the center, which is likely used to cycle through and select some of the vehicle’s features.
If you look at the middle of the covered dash, you’ll see a square likely 12.something inch, central display. Again, a brave choice considering the “just slap an iPad on the dash!” design is hopefully going the way of the dinosaurs. Many of the Velar’s competitors, like the BMW iX3 and Cadillac Lyriq are going for dash-length, or half-dash-length, panoramic options. So again this could be a sticking point for some potential buyers. The driver’s display is also rectangular but longer, narrower, and popping out of the top of the dash.
As will the lack of physical buttons, with things like the HVAC controls also appearing on the screen instead of the dash. Touchscreens do keep costs down, but a nice set of switches or dials are an opportunity for a luxury car maker to show off. We have five senses, and tactile sensations in luxury vehicles are too often overlooked.
As mentioned, the Velar is set to be officially unveiled later in 2026, with the vehicle making its way onto dealer lots in early 2027. These are spy shots of a prototype, so everything is subject to change. Even though it’s a little late in the game. We also have no idea how the new Velar will drive, but if Range Rover is known for one thing its vehicles that provide an unparalleled driving experience. Right up until they break, which is the other thing Range Rovers are known for.
