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3
Performance
4
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Readers' rating
By Ben Pulman
First Drives
18 February 2008 09:11
What's the best multi-purpose vehicle on sale today? You'll struggle to find a better one than the Land Rover Discovery - an amazing jack of all trades, if ever we've seen one. It can go almost anywhere. It can carry seven full-sized adults in absolute comfort. It's family friendly, loves motorway journeys and, in diesel spec, is even vaguely sensible.Yes, ok, so it weighs a frankly astonishing 2.7 tonnes (even Volkswagen’s V10-engined Touareg only tips the scales at 2602kg) and the tide is turning against lumbering, big SUVs. But is this fair? We thought it was time to reappraise the Discovery and its ilk.
The Disco certainly feels better suited to US roads than our more congested European streets. At 4835mm long and 2009mm wide it's actually shorter than an Audi Q7 (5086mm) but wider (1983mm), and only slightly smaller than its big brother the Range Rover. The height also means you’re always instinctively ducking when going into multi-storey car parks.But the Discovery never feels too intimidating to drive. Of course, the Disco feels big but the chunky, angular styling means you always know where the extremities are. The styling of an X5 might disguise its size, but it also hides where the bumpers are. Driving the Discovery around town is like driving an enormous Smart car.
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Land Rover Discovery TDV6 HSE (2008) CAR review
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oohmeconkers says
RE: Land Rover Discovery TDV6 HSE CAR review
Over the last 9 years I have had a couple of Shoguns and 3 Freelanders, the 1st was the L series Diesel and was awful. I soon changed that for a brace of TD4's and had the final one chipped to cope with family holidays in France (try overtaking with a roof box and fully loaded). I made the decision to upgrade to a Disco 3 as the Freelander 2 seemed pricey. I have subsequently driven the new Freelander and was surprised at how good it was however it is no Discovery 3. I agree with other contributors about it being the ultimate family car. We have loaded it to excess during two family camping trips and chucked a roof box into the mix and the car performed brilliantly. I regularly tramp up and down the motorways and get around 30.5 to the gallon the best being 31.9. It does benefit from light throttles and steady driving. Servicing and tyres are pricy but try having a word with your dealer discounts are available on parts and servicing if you are nice to them and ask the question. I have had no reliability problems and will by another one with no hesitation.
06 September 2008 15:46
Britbloke says
The best car I've ever owned
Pretty much have to agree with the article. I bought one two years ago (still have it) and, even though logic tells you otherwise, it's simply the most brilliant car. Who cares that it doesn't corner like a Ferrari, modern traffic doesn't let you do that anyway. Who cares that it doesn't have a 0-60 of 5 seconds or a top speed of 140mph - modern traffic doesn't let you do that either. It goes anywhere and is totally relaxing to drive. Over the years (too many of them!) I've owned all types of car - sports cars, american cars, a Bentley, a Fiat 500 (the original!), Volvos, Fords, Mercedes -you name it. This is the best by a long way. And it has, so far, been reliable. I shall be buying a 2009, no matter how much the greenies tell me I shouldn't.
17 April 2008 15:35
Clarke says
So let's get this straight ....
... this thing is 2.7 tons of metal that doesn't accelerate, doesn't handle, has an Airfix interior, and whose sole redeeming feature is the ability to carry 7 blokes across a muddy car-park. Woo hoo. Is this CAR Magazine, or IRRELEVANT TRUCK Magazine?
29 February 2008 06:30
JohnnyBimmer says
Clear statements
This Discovery smacks of integrity like no other car on the planet. It is quite beautiful and unmatched in its crisp, modern, brick-like design and presence on the road. If only they could do this at 600kg less to up its acceleration and economy figures LR would find many customers moving with their wallets from X5's, Cayennes and Merc GL's. As it stands, all 2.7 tons of it, it remains a heavyweight achievement which I for one love to see on our roads.
25 February 2008 20:19
GDThomson says
Setting the record straight
To MAX25 Although the Range Rover was designed under BMW ownership is was designed by Land Rover's own team working in Munich. The Discovery 3 was conceived under Ford ownership and was designed totally by Land Rover designers. No one from BMW was involved. The Range Rover Sport was also an in-house design, done alongside Discovery 3 but involving a different team of people, most of whom were ex Rover Cars designers.
22 February 2008 19:34
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