The real big news about the 2019 Land Rover Range Rover and Range Rover Sport is the introduction of the P400e plug-in hybrid trim, which can apparently drive 31 miles on its battery alone. Both SUVs get a few other little updates for the new model year but a water wading depth sensor sounds like the most fun.
Range Rovers, even the hybrid, can drive through almost three feet of standing water according to Land Rover. At least, as long as there’s traction below the surface. Somehow I doubt too many owners ever stretch the limits of that, but for those who do, or want another neat blinking display to look at, the Wade Sensing system is optional on all variants for 2019.
As explained in Land Rover’s announcement:
The system provides real-time wading depth information relative to the maximum wading capability for the current location of the vehicle. Using sensors on the underside of the door mirrors, the system reports this information to the driver via a dedicated display on the vehicle’s touchscreen. The system also provides the driver an indication of the vehicle’s position/angle, and can estimate when the vehicle is potentially going into deeper water or coming out of the water. The driver is able to turn on the Wade Sensing feature using a soft button in the 4x4i menu.
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This has been a feature in other markets for a long time, but I guess 2019 is the year Land Rover decided Americans also needed to know exactly how deep the puddles we’ve been driving through are.
You can see an old version of it in action on a Discovery 4 right here:
On new U.S.-spec Range Rovers, you’ll be treated to a much more modern looking display, like this:
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So Wade Sensing will join a tilt-and-roll gauge, a drivetrain status and differential position alert, a little infographic of where your front wheels are pointed, and other fun frivolous items baked into the command console of well-appointed Range Rovers.
I know most people only by Land Rovers for luxury, but as long as the company is still coming up with toys like this, I choose to keep the faith that somebody, somewhere, will treat their $100,000 SUV like a workhorse and put it through hell on off-road adventures.
Truck YeahThe trucks are good!
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