Land Rover Range Rover Velar Spied Hiding Mild Mid-Cycle Refresh

Land Rover launched an all-new Range Rover late last this year, updating the SUV's design, platform, and technology. Next to go under the knife is the Range Rover Velar. The company launched it in 2017, and the model is getting a mid-cycle refresh that our spy photographers caught hot-weather testing in Southern Europe.

The SUV only has camouflage covering the front and rear fascias, which isn't hiding much at first glance. The grille looks unchanged, and Land Rover is hiding the headlights, which are likely receiving new internals. The Range Rover Velar's front bumper also looks unchanged, matching the Velar S's styling with its recessed intakes and smaller lower grille opening.

There's less going on with the rear, which is also covered in a wrap. However, we can't spot any significant changes. Land Rover is likely updating the taillights' design and massaging the bumper into a new shape. There aren't any photos of the Velar's interior, but we don't expect any big updates. Land Rover could give the model its latest infotainment technology which could lead to the SUV receiving new screens that could alter the cabin.

With this being a mid-cycle refresh and little changing with the design, we don't expect Land Rover to change the powertrain lineup. Expect the current range of 3.0- and 2.0-liter engines with varying outputs to return, which will pair with an eight-speed automatic. Land Rover could tweak the SUV's powertrain to be more efficient, but we won't see any substantial performance increases.

This is the first time we have spotted the Land Rover Range Rover Velar out testing, so it could be a while before the official reveal. Land Rover is already advertising the 2023 Range Rover Velar on its consumer site, so we don't expect the updated model to arrive until the 2024 model year. That means it likely won't debut until early 2023. We'll keep an eye out for more spy shots and hope we can also glance at the interior.