Storage: The interior reshuffle has opened up a little extra storage space in the dashboard, but many of the areas are largely similar to those in the pre-facelift Velar. The door bins are fairly deep, but not as wide as the XC60’s, the glovebox is a generous size, and there’s a central storage bin that, while reasonably deep, isn’t too wide. 

As a result, it’s a bit of a squeeze to fit a large smartphone inside – especially if you choose to plug it into one of the USB sockets. There’s also a 12-volt socket in the same cubby.

Practicality

The PHEV powertrain doesn’t compromise what is an impressively roomy SUV.

Rear Space: Kneeroom is very impressive in the back of the Velar, with two six-foot occupants able to get comfortable easily. However, while the cabin is wide, giving great elbow room, the rear bench is set up for two rather than three. The centre seat is quite slim, the backrest is hard, and the central tunnel is quite high. The outer seats are nicely sculpted, though, so this is a very comfortable car for two rear passengers. 

Boot: At 503 litres, the load bay has plenty of room. The area is almost perfectly square, and the large boot opening makes it easy to stack items inside. Four hooks enable things to be tied down securely, while a sturdy load-lip protector means there’s little need to worry about causing damage when lifting heavy luggage in.

What to buy?

Which engine and trim we’d choose