Range Rover Velar SUV - Practicality & boot space

At almost five metres long and two metres wide, the Range Rover Velar is a large car. It’s surprising, therefore, that while there’s plenty of room up front, the rear seats are a little on the tight side.

Range Rover Velar interior space & storage

Those in the front will have little to complain about, as the Velar is very spacious and luxurious. And while the rear is certainly plush, anyone over six feet tall will wish for more legroom, particularly if they’re sat behind someone of equal height. The middle rear seat is also a little narrow.

We wouldn’t exactly call it pokey back there, but it’s more a question of expectation versus reality, as one might reasonably assume given its size that the Velar would be vast inside.

The impression of things being tight in the rear is also arguably due to the spacious nature of the full-size Range Rover. If you’re thinking of trading one of these in for a Velar, check you (and any passengers who’re likely to travel in the back) are happy with this aspect.

Boot space

There’s better news here as, at 632 litres, the Velar’s boot is competitively sized. It’s roughly 120cm wide and over a metre long, too, so offers all the space a family of four could reasonably need. Note the boot shrinks slightly if you order the optional space-saver spare wheel instead of the standard tyre-repair system. Drop the rear seats and the available space grows to 1,690 litres.

For reference, the Audi Q5’s boot takes 550 litres with the rear seats up and 1,550 with them down; the larger Audi Q7’s figures are 770 and 1,955 litres respectively.

Towing

If you’re going to be towing a horsebox, caravan or trailer with the Velar, its braked trailer limit is between 2,000kg and 2,500kg depending on specification. The plug-in hybrid can pull those lower of those two figures, while the punchiest diesel can haul the full 2.5 tonnes. An electrically operated tow bar is available as a £1,135 option.