How the Range Rover 2022 will stand apart in Australia's luxury SUV segment against the BMW X7, Audi Q8 and Mercedes-Benz GLS

Land Rover’s Range Rover is facing more competition in the large luxury SUV space than ever before, but the brand is unperturbed by new rivals like the BMW X7, Audi A8 and Bentley Bentayga and still expects strong demand for the 2022 model.

When the previous-generation Range Rover launched in 2012, only three other models competed in the over $100,000 upper large SUV market, the Lexus LX, Mercedes-Benz G-Class and Mercedes-Benz GL-Class.

At the end of 2021 however, and on the cusp of launching the fifth-generation model in mid-2022, the segment has ballooned to 12 models encompassing many new comers eager to capture a slice of the growing SUV pie.

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While some are aimed much more upmarket than the Range Rover, including the Aston Martin DBX, Bentley Bentayga, Lamborghini Urus and Rolls-Royce Cullinan, the arrival of the Audi Q8, BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS are aimed directly at stealing sales away from Land Rover.

When asked by CarsGuide however, a Land Rover spokesperson said the brand believes it is still offering a vehicle in a class of its own compared to rivals.

“New Range Rover is a unique vehicle and defies traditional class boundaries. Its breadth of capability means it rivals the world’s finest luxury sedans for comfort and refinement while still providing the all-terrain and towing capabilities our customers expect,” they said.

“No other SUV can match its combination of luxury, innovation, capability, practicality, and quality.”

While the Land Rover representative would not be drawn on specific sales targets for the 2022 Range Rover, the brand is “expecting strong demand” and that “feedback … has been exceptional”.

Land Rover has indicated however, that there will be ample supply of the new Range Rover for Australia, despite ongoing complications in the supply chain brought about due to the global semi-conductor shortage and ongoing pandemic.

“As a result, we have adjusted some production schedules at some of our plants to reflect this. We continue to see strong customer demand for our range of vehicles,” the spokesperson said.

“We are working closely with affected suppliers to resolve the issues and minimise the impact on customer orders wherever possible.”

Though it looks like there is plenty of supply and demand for the just-revealed Range Rover, the new model will be fighting an uphill battle against its rivals when it comes to pricing, with the 2022 SUV opening at $220,020 before on-road costs – more expensive than the base Audi Q8, BMW X7, Mercedes-Benz GLS and Lexus LX.

In the first nine months of 2021, Land Rover has sold 147 new Range Rovers, though the model has been in runout in the lead-up to the new-generation car.

Leading the segment is the Mercedes-Benz GLS with 751 new registrations so far in 2021, followed by the BMW X7 (560), Mercedes-Benz G-Class (475), Lamborghini Urus (474), Lexus LX (287) and Audi Q8 (273).