An autobiography is a self-written life story, a firsthand account of the author’s own life, offering readers an unmatched level of intimacy into the essence of that persons being. This Range Rover Autobiography 7-seat LWB is a memoir of automotive luxury written for those who dwell within.
This opulence is more than skin deep and the further you delve into the Range Rover the more that is revealed. From the moment you open the door and the Range Rover puddle light shines, the aroma from Semi Aniline leather wafts over you. The Caraway coloured perforated leather seats are beautifully smooth and soft to touch. Look up and you will see that even the headlining is covered by the no cost option SV Bespoke Duo Tone Ebony/Caraway leather.
The door shuts silently, thanks to the soft close mechanism, and you can then breathe the purified air within the Range Rover cabin. This is because the Autobiography comes with Cabin Air Purification Pro including pathogen and odour removal. A graphic shows the outside and inside air quality, which I found interesting. But a friend with asthmatic children pointed out that it is actually very useful information for her to know.
Every one of the seven seats in the Range Rover Autobiography has electric adjustment and the driver can raise, lower and move all of the seats from the infotainment screen and save different combinations depending who is in the vehicle with them. All of the seats are heated plus the first and second row seats are cooled as well, with this feature operating quietly and effectively. One thoughtful touch I really liked was the illumination of the seat belt latch so that you can see where it is even in the dark.
Freedom of choice is abundant in the Range Rover cabin with the front seats having 24-way electric adjustment controlled using the door mounted switches and the seat menu in the infotainment system. Once the perfect setting is attained you can save it on one of the three memory positions. To top off this experience, the front seat passengers can select from one of the four massage settings for their back, adjust the intensity and even the direction of the massage. The pleasure of this is such that you may never want to leave the Range Rover once you reach you destination.
So, take a moment to look around at all the Range Rover Autobiography has to offer. The nod to Range Rover’s heritage with the adjustable arm rests on the two front seats and the double sun visor. The Caraway interior elements on the centre console with fine metal strakes within it. Slide this beautifully crafted cover forward to reveal two deep cup holders with grippy sides. Push the cup holders back and you will find a deep storage cubby with one USB-A and one USB-C port in it. At the front of the centre console is another sliding cover and under this is a cubby for your phone with a wireless charger and another USB-C port.
For your listening pleasure the Autobiography comes standard with a Meridian Signature 1600w Sound System with 34 speakers and sub-woofer. This includes 80w headrest speakers in the front seats, which enable Active Noise Cancellation and seat back speakers in the second-row seats. Media sources available include AM/FM radio, DAB, TuneIn and Bluetooth connectivity.
Smartphone connectivity to the 13.1″ infotainment touchscreen, with Pivi Pro (Connected), is via wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The Autobiography also comes with an Online Pack with Data Plan that includes a Cloud Car 12-month subscription, 3 year Connected Speech License, and 12-month Data Plan and Amazon Alexa. The infotainment system can be accessed using voice control via pressing the button with the feminine silhouette on the heated leather steering wheel. The voice control function worked well for me when I used it to make a phone call and change the radio station. To use voice control for the sat nav operation owners require an Amazon account to use the Alexa app, which is integrated, and this can be used to search for POI and or set destinations.
Moving back to the second row and the sumptuousness of the Range Rover Autobiography LWB becomes even more evident. I challenge you not to run your hands through the thick carpet mats on the floor as you step into the second row seats. The second row may well be my favourite place in the Range Rover and obviously there is ample head and leg room for adults to relax back there.
The second row seats have a 60:40 split and can be adjusted for recline and forward/back using the controls located on the rear doors and again there are three memory positions available to save the perfect spot. The centre seat can be folded down as an arm rest with two shallow drink holders in the front with grippy sides and a storage cubby under the arm rest. For junior passengers the second row has two ISOFIX/three rear tether child seat restraint points.
Controls located on the door’s arm rest allow the rear passengers to mute the stereo, open the sunroof, turn on the rear lights and open/close the rear windows and blinds on both sides. The 4-way digital climate control means that rear passengers can individually adjust their temperature and mode with air speed adjustment for the two central vents and vents in the roof above the door. The rear climate can be controlled and locked from the front of the Range Rover as well. Below the rear climate controls there are two USB-C ports, one 12V outlet and one 230V 180w three-pronged plug.
The third row is accessed by pressing a button on the C-pillar that electrically moves the second row seat forward to create a gap large enough for me to step through. Also here are buttons that raise and lower both third row seats. Sitting in the third row my head touched the roof and my knees just touched the back of the second row seats, but I felt comfortable enough.
Here on each side of the vehicle there is a USB-C port, an air vent and a slim, shallow drink holder with grippy sides in the wheel arches. The third row seats both have ISOFIX/rear tether child seat restraint points, but no carpet mat on the floor. To exit the third row, passengers press a button next to the seat heating button that folds the second row seat up and out of the way.
When the third row seats are in use there is still enough room in the boot space for school bags or a small shop, but nowhere to store the cargo cover. Should you need more boot space all of the seats can be raised and lowered using buttons in the boot. I love that the second row seats automatically move so the third row seats don’t jam when they go up and down. With the third row seats lowered the boot space very large and has four substantial tie down points, two hooks, lights and a 12V outlet.
The Range Rover has a split tailgate with gesture open operated by swiping your foot under the rear of the vehicle. Or it can be opened/closed from the button under the tailgate, in the cabin and key fob. The lower tailgate becomes a seat and you can raise and lower the Range Rover using buttons in the boot to adjust the height to suit you and there is even an indentation for your beverage moulded into the tailgate.
Effortless power for the Autobiography comes from a 4.4 litre Ingenium 8-cylinder twin turbo petrol engine with 390kW of power and 750Nm of torque. The V8 easily handles the heft of the LWB Range Rover and it will accelerate from 0-100km/h in 4.7 seconds and on to a maximum speed of 234 km/h. The official combined fuel economy is 11.8L/100km and for my week of lavishness I used 14.3L/100km.
The all-wheel drive Range Rover is paired with an 8-speed Automatic transmission with a twin-speed transfer box (high/low range). Press the rotary switch on the centre console and it raises to enable you to select from Comfort, Dynamic, Eco, Configurable, Grass/Gravel/Snow, Mud & Ruts, Sand, Rock drive modes. As you scroll through the drive modes the 12-inch digital interactive driver display also changes its graphics. Under the Configurable option you can adjust the Differentials, Powertrain, Traction Control and Ride Control and save up to four different configurations and name them to easily find for future use. I kept it simple though and spent my week in Comfort mode, which offers a very pleasant ride that befits the Autobiography. This Range Rover is capable of getting its tyres wet with a wade depth of 900mm and rock crawl mode. But the lack of a spare tyre would be just another reason why I would not be keen to take the Autobiography too far off the beaten track.
Driving is made even more relaxing thanks to the level of driver safety aids that the Autobiography comes standard with. This includes Adaptive Cruise Control with Steering Assist, Blind Spot Assist, Driver Condition Response, Lane Keep Assist, Traffic Sign Recognition and Adaptive Speed Limiter, Rear Collision Monitor, Rear Traffic Monitor and Emergency Braking.
ANCAP tests of the autonomous emergency braking (AEB) (Car-to-Car) system showed GOOD performance with collisions avoided or mitigated in most test scenarios, including AEB Junction Assist where the test vehicle can autonomously brake to avoid crashes when turning across the path of an oncoming vehicle. ANCAP tests of the lane support system functionality showed GOOD performance in lane keep assist scenarios, and ADEQUATE performance in the more critical emergency lane keeping scenarios. The overall ANCAP Safety Assist score is 84%.
The current Range Rover range has a 5-star ANCAP (2022) safety rating with dual frontal, side chest-protecting and side head-protecting airbags standard. A centre airbag to prevent occupant-to-occupant interaction is not available. The Adult Occupant Protection score is 84% (32.12 points out of 38) and a Child Occupant Protection score of 86% (42.20 points out of 49). For convenience you also get a 3D surround reversing camera with front and rear parking sensors and automatic lights, automatic wipers and auto high beam.
The Range Rover Autobiography is backed by a 5-year/unlimited km warranty with 5-years Roadside Assistance. A 5 years/130,000km (whichever occurs first) service plan is also included in the purchase price for added peace of mind.
The 23MY Range Rover Autobiography 7-seat LWB is the automotive equivalent of a literary masterpiece with a distillation of luxury that is rarely seen today. It’s priced from $312,193 plus on-road costs and as tested $318,603 plus on-roads. Find and Reserve your Range Rover on the Land Rover website or visit your preferred Land Rover retailer for more information.
| Pros | Cons |
| The luxury interior | Voice control not up to standard |
| The effortless V8 engine | No mat on the third row floor |
| That the seats don’t jam when they are raised/lowered | No spare tyre |
Photographs by Driven Women Magazine.