KING OF THE HILL / Land Rover

[Admin]

KING OF THE HILL
The Disco remains the ultimate luxury SUV for venturing into the wild, although some aspects could have been better
By: RICHARD LEU
Published: 16/01/2009 at 12:00 AM
Source: Bangkok post. Motoring

What is it? Luxury SUVs with true off-road capability aren't easy to find anymore in the Thai market.


Although the Mitsubishi Pajero could be an alternative, its 3.8-litre petrol V6 doesn't really fit the off-road bill. The same goes for the Toyota Land Cruiser VX200 and Prado which can be fetched in the grey market.

That's why Land Rover (Thailand) is now selling only diesel engines in nearly all of its model ranges. And it has good reason: modern-day diesels are efficient and suit the marque's off-road image.

The Discovery 3 tested this week is the 2009 model that incorporates nano changes like new bumper design, key-coloured wheel arches and boot lever, plus enhanced specification to help justify the B6.49m price tag.

Although the model tested is the five-seat SE version, Land Rover is promoting the seven-seat HSE variant as it wants buyers to enjoy the full specification the Discovery has to offer.

What's cool?

Ever since the Discovery 3 rolled onto the market some three years back, it's stood out with a highly practical package whose third row of seats can disappear into the floor to make way for a spacious boot like in the Volvo XC90.

 
Interior looks good, although some plastics are tacky in feel.
Apparently, that it is also the reason why the Thai Land Rover office wants buyers to go for the seven-seat matrix which can easily transform into a five-seat configuration when users don't need those extra seats.

Adding up to this practicality aspect are the numerous cubbie holes around the cabin. In other words, Land Rover has made good use of nearly every corner of the interior for those details.

Since the Discovery is conceived as an SUV with proper off-road ability, it meets such a prerequisite that comparable rivals like the BMW X5 can't match.

There's enough ride plushness, engine punch and steering comfort for jungle-trekking. Things that make life easier in the mud are all-terrain tyres and low-range gear.

In spite of the need to shine here, the Discovery still feels at home on the sealed tarmac with good cruising ability, adequate external noise suppression and tidy handling in corners.

For those who like to be seen, the Discovery's big-car appearance virtually dwarfs all other SUVs (pickup-based 4x4s included) on the road in size and has lots of presence.

What's not?
 
Nano-changes include new bumper design and keycoloured wheel arches.
For those who don't like to be seen, the Discovery's eye-catching presence may be a letdown.

While the cabin looks good, as is customary of very Land Rover, there are some plastics that feel cheap and don't match the Disco's premium positioning in the Thai market, where the Audi Q7 and BMW X5 now boast class-leading levels of interior quality.

The air suspension of the Discovery may help make the ride comfortable at most times, but there is still a significant amount of vertical movement of the body over road undulations.

Lastly, you will always feel the sheer bulk of the Discovery (some 2.5 tonnes) be it when manouevring at low speeds, moving away from the lights or braking from high speeds. Thankfully, the process of undertaking these three tasks isn't painstaking at all.

Buy or bye?
 
A complete set of driver’s aid make the Discovery unrivalled in the mud.
The Discovery virtually remains the only species around with that real go-anywhere attitude to easily make itself a compelling buy for drivers not constrained by budget needing to go off-road.

At the same time, the Discovery manages to maintain good manners on-road to convince punters who additionally need a practical and comfortable package for weekend drive.

On the other hand, it isn't for us at Motoring to give the Disco a bye. Rather, it is its opposition like, for example the X5, who are trying to tell SUV customers that the fun of real-world driving is on the black top.

Please judge it for yourself.


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[Lourens]

It's a beautiful car I must agree and I don't doubt Land Rover capabilities one bit but be reasonable: Would you drive a car like that with a gleaming paint job and plush interior through the bush with branches scratching or get back in after you walked around in the mud? Personally I think it's impractical and would never buy it. Give me the old Land Rover with the riveted aluminium panels and bare interior any day. It is still a practical vehicle with "go-anywhere" capabilities that far surpasses any other four wheel drive on the market.

[Admin]

yes of course.. but we're talking here about supreme vehicle.all in together. the question if you'll take it into the mud is very individual. it's not a car for every person and it never aimed to be in this "vigo/Dmax" catergory market..
  

[Admin]

with all the uk expats here no comments on LAND ROVER ? ? ?    

[dave the dude]

with all the uk expats here no comments on LAND ROVER ? ? ?    

Very tactful

I have fond memories of my TDi90 Defender

Dave

[dave the dude]

BTW if anyone is interested in a LR Disco, there's a second hand one for sale on the Highway214 half way between Presat & Surin.
Looks in good nick IMO

Dave(no its not mine BTW)

[Bicko]

Many of the armed forces in the world are still using Landy's. They've certainly been worked over and fitted out with all sorts of sophisticated equipment but underneath is still a Landrover. Great old workhorse.
Many years ago when i worked in the highlands of New Guinea we had the basic Landrover and it would go anywhere. If we got into real trouble in boggy country we could recruit a few men from the village and lift the car out. They then changed over to Land cruisers. We spent more time hopelessly bogged than we did driving and when they were really bogged we had to get a tracked vehicle to get them out. After a few months we went back to our Landy's.

[Admin]

Many of the armed forces in the world are still using Landy's. They've certainly been worked over and fitted out with all sorts of sophisticated equipment but underneath is still a Landrover. Great old workhorse.
Many years ago when i worked in the highlands of New Guinea we had the basic Landrover and it would go anywhere. If we got into real trouble in boggy country we could recruit a few men from the village and lift the car out. They then changed over to Land cruisers. We spent more time hopelessly bogged than we did driving and when they were really bogged we had to get a tracked vehicle to get them out. After a few months we went back to our Landy's.

And I thought most use HAMMER !!

[dave the dude]

And I thought most use HAMMER !!

or even Hummer. As a LandRover fan, I see that the British Army has withdrawn many many LR Defenders now from active service in wartorn situations. They are not safe enough where land-mines are involved and too many fatalities/injuries have happened.
That said, I still believe they make the best vehicle of that type in the world IMHO.

Dave