The Range Rover is Land Rover’s top-of-the-line full-size luxury SUV. Minimal changes have been made for the 2012 model year, as the Range Rover is expected to be completely designed by Land Rover for 2013. Additional features have been added as standard and optional equipment for 2012, and black accents have been added around the front grille, headlights and taillights.

The 2012 Range Rover is available in three trims from Land Rover: HSE, HSE Lux and SuperCharged (SC). The engine available in all three 4-wheel-drive trims is a 5.0-liter 32-valve DOHC naturally aspirated V8 engine that achieves 375 horsepower and 375 lb-ft of torque. For those opting for more power, the SC achieves 510 hp and 461 lb-ft of torque. All are married to a 6-speed automatic transmission. The EPA estimates that the regular gasoline-powered 2012 Land Rover Range Rover gets 12 mpg city/18 highway in all trim levels.

All trim levels of the 5-passenger 2012 Land Rover Range Rover come standard with power sunroof, tri-zone automatic climate control, cruise control, keyless entry, push-button start, leather seating surfaces, power adjustable heated driver's and front passenger seats (with power lumbar support), heated steering wheel, tilt-and-telescopic steering column, heated windshield and rear window, heated and power folding exterior mirrors, xenon headlights with washers, a 14-speaker Harman Kardon audio system with amplifier, AM/FM/HD radio with in-dash CD changer, touchscreen display screen, GPS navigation system and 19-inch aluminum alloy wheels.

Opting for the HSE Lux trim adds 20-inch aluminum alloy wheels, full leather throughout the cabin, heated rear passenger seats and heated driver's and front passenger seats with ventilation. For those buyers choosing the SC trim, you'll receive all the HSE Lux additions plus adaptive suspension damping and high-performance brakes.

The 2012 Land Rover Range Rover has a number of safety and security features that you would expect to find on a high-priced full-size luxury SUV. These include 9 airbags: Forward-facing driver's and front passenger airbags, side-curtain airbags for first- and second-row passengers, front seat pelvic and thorax airbags, and a driver’s knee airbag. Other safety features include all-terrain antilock brakes, energy-absorbing crumple zones, dynamic stability and roll stability controls, hill descent control, a rear-view camera, front and rear parking aid sensors, and a crash-activated switch that unlocks the doors, turns on the warning flashers and cuts off the fuel pump. For security, the Range Rover is equipped with a perimeter alarm with an engine immobilizer. A blind-spot monitoring system can be added as an option to the HSE Lux and SC trims.

Current owners have raved about the handling ability of the 2012 Land Rover Range Rover—whether off-road or on. The Land Rover’s low center of gravity combined with high clearance makes it a great vehicle for handling gravelly or rocky terrain. Many state that the engine provides a lot of power and is fully capable of handling most driving conditions.

Although dogged with reliability issues in the past, the current version of the Land Rover Range Rover seems to have overcome those past issues to become a viable competitor against the likes of the BMW X5, Cadillac Escalade and Mercedes-Benz GL-Class in the full-size luxury SUV market. Although some buyers may choose to wait to see what changes are in store for the 2013 model, you could do worse than choosing the 2012 Land Rover Range Rover.