Land Rover Discovery 4 Reviews

The Land Rover Discovery 4 is now entering its seventh year on sale. Given that it’s based very heavily on the Discovery 3, you could almost get away with saying it has been with us for nearly twelve years. That goes back to when we all sniffed at the phrase ‘premium SUV’ and the Defender was a mere whippersnapper nearing its fifth decade.It may be getting on in years, but the Discovery – or Disco as many of its owners prefer to call it – is still selling strongly, only beaten by Mercedes in its segment in January 2016. It’s on borrowed time but we took the Disco out for a dance to see if it still has the moves.The Discovery 4 diesel range starts at the TDV6 for $69,360, heading up through TDV6 Graphite, SDV6 Graphite, SDV6 SE and on via the HSE to the Landmark, which tops out at $106,690 before on-road costs. There’s a supercharged petrol if you feel the need, priced from $84,040 through to $95,340 for the HSE.(These list prices are probably moot as very soon we’ll see the all-new Discovery, meaning deals aplenty on the last of the current model.)Our SDV6 SE test car weighed in at $84,040 before options. Standard are 19-inch alloys, 11-speaker Meridien stereo with DAB+, USB and Bluetooth, four-zone climate control, keyless entry and start, cruise control, electric front seats, headlamp washers, auto bi-xenon headlights with “signature” daytime running lights, auto wipers, leather trim and auto-levelling air suspension.Predictably, the options list is long and expensive. Our car was painted in Corris Grey metallic ($1800), had the $5170 Black Pack (20-inch wheels, dark tint and blacked-out lettering and exterior trim) and the $3520 Technology Pack (front and rear sensors and reversing camera, satnav) bringing the total to $92,730. You can spend a lot more.With the very recent demise of the Defender as we know it, the current Discovery is the last of the Land Rover range not to get the sleek new look that is trickling down from the Range Rovers. It’s a deeply practical-looking design, a vertical nose and tail with lots of tallness in between. A big, imposing car, it delivers with gigantic interior space and Tonka toughness inside and out. It’s also quite slabby, but gets away with it because of the proportions and rugged intention.The stepped roofline from the original Discovery is still there, with a Range Rover touch in the “floating” roof effect of the blacked out C-pillar. The gigantic rear-vision mirrors look like a pair of extra doors and afford decent vision apart from a fairly hefty over-the-shoulder blind spot.Inside is cathedral-like, with big comfy chairs up front, three individual chairs in the centre row that slide fore and aft as well as two swing out jump seats in the back that are the least awful third row seats in any SUV. The third row even gets cupholders.The Disco’s split tailgate is a rarity these days, but very, very welcome. You can open just the glass and then drop down the lower third which makes an excellent workbench for assembling lunch. You can then use it as a makeshift bench seat.Six airbags, ABS, brake force distribution and assist, hill descent control, terrain control, rollover stability control and trailer sway control add up to…well, it’s complicated. The current Discovery is effectively a big upgrade to the Discovery 3 which dates back to 2004. That model scored four ANCAP stars in 2006.It should be noted that the curtain airbags reach all the way to the third row seats.Jaguar Land Rover’s InControl multimedia system runs the 380 watt 11-speaker stereo as well as the (optional) satnav via a rather tiddly 4.2-inch screen that looks a little lost among the chunky knobs and cliff-face style of the dash.InControl is rapidly improving with every iteration but this one is still behind the eight-ball. It suffers from the same problem as every InControl implementation in that the touchscreen takes too long to respond. The design and controls are vastly improved from the early versions, though, and are easy enough to learn and remember. You only really have to use the screen when you need the satnav or want to go searching through your music, so that’s something.The Disco is powered by a 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel good for 183kW and a grunty 600Nm of torque (up from 155lkw/520Nm of the TDV6). This will push all 2558kg (!) of Land Rover to 100km/h in 9.3 seconds while delivering a claimed combined fuel figure of 8.8l/100km.Astonishingly, we got 9.4l/100km in a 70/30 split of city to highway.The transmission is an eight-speed automatic with a twin-speed transfer box for off-roading duty. It’s rated to tow 750kg of unbraked trailer and a massive 3500kg with brakes.For such a heavy car, the Discovery is surprisingly light on its big feet. It’s never going to be a racer (it’s highly unlikely you’ll be disappointed to read this) but is more agile than it looks.Around the metropolitan areas it feels very large and is a bit of a pain to park, particularly in tighter inner-city spots. The high roof will occasionally cause concern in areas with slack councils who don’t properly trim trees, but it’s easy to manoeuvre once you work out the dimensions.You sit extremely high in the Discovery in front of a gracefully ageing dash setup. Folks of a certain type will enjoy the captain’s chair feel while others may suffer vertigo – it is a very long way up, with the long flat bonnet accentuating the effect.Once underway, the lazy V6 diesel is brilliant – great globs of mid-range power mean the Disco belts along the freeway with zero fuss, again belying its weight and less than slim-hipped physique. A run up the Blue Mountains to Katoomba barely saw it shift out of seventh gear up the hill and the hush in the cabin was most impressive.Very little wind noise penetrates, with just some rustle around the spare doors, er, rear vision mirrors and even the huge 20-inch wheels couldn’t ruin the plush, air-suspended ride. The air-suspension also proves immensely useful when you’re clambering in and out – when dropped to its lowest setting, it’s barely higher than a soft SUV so you definitely won’t need any running boards to help.Off-road it’s pretty much the benchmark, with a series of terrain settings for the all-wheel drive system and a scarcely believable wading depth of 70cm.

Wagons roll! The swanky big off-roaders combine plush with punch. Craig Duff weighs them up.

Land Rover has introduced a final edition Discovery before the all-new model arrives next year.

If driving a Range Rover or LandCruiser briskly through the bends is akin to pedalling a block of flats, then this is like steering a housing estate.

Like a hawaiian pizza, the Discovery 4 is the 4WD that is on every potential buyer's menu. The mainstay Disco is as competent as its rugged looks imply yet is perfectly suited to commuting duties and with seven seats, is as tempting as the pizza. Upgrades for 2014 only enhance the flavour and though there's temptation elsewhere, few rivals embrace the versatility and driveway cache of the Disco.VALUEPricing hits the mark with competitors all around the $100,000 point, though a diesel Mercedes sends it north of $120,000. In relative terms, the $95,900 for the upmarket HSE version of the Disco 4 is good value. It offers a spacious seven seats, good fuel economy, lots of features, strong 3500kg tow rating plus awesome off-road ability.Its cousin, the Range Rover, is available with the same engine for $72,000 more. Disco 4 HSE gets a Meridian 11-speaker audio, sat-nav, selectable driving mode, leather upholstery and air suspension. The test car cost $105,520, adding the Black Design Pack with 20-inch wheels, premium black paint and a digital audio. Resale is a very strong 63 per cent and though there's no capped-price service program, servicing is once a year.DESIGNIt's always been a box and that's one of its strongest features - this is a Tardis when it comes to maximising cabin room. There's a new dash for 2014 with a smaller panel for the five-mode terrain control which is now moved up the console stack, making more room for personal item storage. The fat window ledge begs for the driver's elbow - don't with the window down, it's illegal - but window switch placement up here is handy.Horizontal split tailgate is brilliant - a picnic seat when the bottom half is lowered, a tailgate upper for loading shopping and open everything for a spacious 1192 litres of load room. But third-row seats, though comfortable and roomy enough for adults, are decidedly complex and fiddly to erect and retract compared with other seven-seat wagons.TECHNOLOGYThe eight-speed automatic helps the 183kW/600Nm 3-litre bi-turbo V6 diesel to move the bulky 2.5-tonne body. The engine is a clean-up version on the longstanding V6 that is also used in the Range Rover and Jaguar. Bonus bits include the five-mode terrain assist mode that alters engine, transmission and braking to suit driver-selected road conditions. Electronic air suspension allows for ground clearance from 185mm to 310mm and flattens body roll when on the bitumen.SAFETYThere's no crash rating for this car. The previous Disco 3 rated four stars. New model gets eight airbags, rear camera, front and rear park sensors, heated mirrors, bi-xenon headlights and electronic assistance including anti-trailer away, rollover stability, hill descent and hill holder, traction and stability control. The spare is full size.DRIVINGAfter earlier testing the Range Rover equivalent, I was a bit let down by the engine's tendency to hesitate on acceleration and its indecision to quickly find a gear. It's all to do with turbo lag but is annoying, especially given there's two turbochargers.Ride comfort and handling is, however, first rate. The electronic air suspension is complex and not as durable as steel springs, but thee are over-ridden by advantages such as the flat cornering stance, the ability to raise the vehicle for off-road travel, the disregard it has for speed bumps and the cloud-like glide it gives to the ride.The steering ratio is high so needs more turns of the wheel - typical of 4WDs - but the weighting is close to perfect. It's a surprisingly easy car to park. In the dirt it prefers tyre pressures down to about 18psi and the suspension jacked up. Then, together with the low-range transfer case and the ability to select terrain conditions in the Terrain Response program, it is almost unstoppable.VERDICTLove it. Great allrounder with similar ability as the Range Rover but at a huge discount.Land Rover Discovery 4 SDV6 HSEPrice: $95,900 ($105,520 as tested)Warranty: 3 years/100,000km, 3yr roadside assistCapped servicing: NoneService interval: 12mths/26,000kmResale: 63%Safety: 8 airbags, ABS, ESC, EBD, TCCrash rating: noneEngine: 3.0-litre, V6 bi-turbo diesel; 183kW/600NmTransmission: 8-spd auto, 2-spd transfer; constant 4WDThirst: 8.8L/100km; 230g/km CO2Dimensions: 4.8m (L), 2.2m (W), 1.9m (H)Weight: 2495kgSpare: full size

We turn the spotlight on the car world's newest and brightest stars as we ask the questions to which you want the answers. But there's only one question that really needs answering -- would you buy one?WHAT IS IT?This is the latest model of the fourth generation Land Rover Discovery,in this case, the entry level diesel five seater with a few options thrown in.HOW MUCH?The price kicks off at $68,900 but this one had extra stuff pushing that up to $76,900.WHAT ARE COMPETITORS?Numerous but few with the out and out off road capability of the Disco though a Toyota Prado is a genuine competitor in most respects except prestige value. The Disco has been refined over decades to the point where it will virtually go anywhere and get back. And it features Land Rover's brilliant Terrain Response dial select 4WD system. Every other fourbie manufacturer should copy this if possible.WHAT'S UNDER THE BONNET?This one has a 3.0-litre twin turbo V6 diesel and replaces the previous 2.7. The twin turbo system is sequential with a smaller VGT unit handling low speed stuff and a larger one chiming in further up the rev range. The engine is good for 155kW/520Nm in this model. There's an even more potent version of this engine in a more up-spec' Disco. Transmission is a sweet shifting eight speed auto.HOW DOES IT GO?Like a train. Bit tardy off the line but once up and running there are no complaints. Has strong roll on acceleration, makes little noise or vibration and has plenty of clever technology like auto neutral select at idle to cut fuel consumption.IS IT ECONOMICAL?LR claims 8.5-litres/100km but we saw better on a highway run. The tank is a handy 82 litres.IS IT GREEN?Moderately though moving 2.5 tonnes is going to make an environmental impact.IS IT SAFE?Five stars in the Euro NCAP ratingIS IT COMFORTABLE?Superbly comfortable with a supple air suspension and large seats affording a luxury car feel. Floats over bad roads like they were smooth as a baby's bum. Minimal noise intrusion, plenty of interior room.WHAT'S IT LIKE TO DRIVE?We liked driving the Disco a lot. It is certainly a viable alternative to the expensive Japanese alternatives from Nissan, Toyota and Mitsubishi. Plus, the Disco has heaps more panache and that robust turbo diesel with an eight speed paddle shift auto. Blows them into the weeds on desirability alone.IS IT VALUE FOR MONEY?Yes until you start ticking the options boxes.WOULD WE BUY ONE?Absolutely love one. It looks like Range Rover but costs about a third as much as the big Rangey. Goes anywhere thanks to constant 4WD system, tows heaps, has plenty of driver assist features and safety kit. Not too big, superb ride, impressive array of infotainment. Particularly like the surround camera that looks sideways and back when you are reversing.LAND ROVER DISCOVERY TDV6Price: from $69,900Engine: 3.0-litres 6-cylinder diesel, 155kW/520NmTrans: 8-speed sports automatic, 4x4 constantThirst: 8.5/100km, 224g/km CO2

At an isolated country pub, we felt right at home parking beside heavy duty, battle-scarred 4WDs. Sure, our Discovery 4 was new, it didn’t have a roo bar, or a snorkel to extend our 700mm wading depth -- but it could if we wanted it to. In fact, with great capability on road and off, plus a heap of optional extras, Land Rover’s Discovery 4 gave the impression it could probably do anything we wanted it to.Price and EquipmentRRP is $68,900, though with a smorgasbord of optional extras the price tag can soar with the whims of your desire. Coming standard with the TDV6 are 18-in alloy wheels, independent front and rear suspension, Terrain Response, eight speakers, front automatic climate control, wheel-mounted cruise, Bluetooth and audio, TFT display, CommandShift, EBA, HDC with GRC, DSC, ABS, RSC, ETC, active roll mitigation, rear park distance control, electronic park brake, trailer stability assist, push button start, iPod connectivity, electric heated and adjustable mirrors, and full size spare wheel.Our test vehicle came with extras such as a complicated rear seat entertainment and HDD navigation system, a console cooler box, and a wise addition for those wanting two extra seats - the $2,500 seven-seat pack.TechnologyThe 2.7-litre TDV6 engine, six-speed adaptive automatic transmission, permanent four-wheel-drive Discovery 4 brings 140kW/440Nm.The official fuel figure is 10.2L/100km and our trip on and off road found a comparable 11.9L/100km. With 0-100km in 12.7 seconds, pickup isn’t great pulling onto the motorway, but once you get going the Discovery 4 zips along, and with the comfort and off road abilities afforded in this size of vehicle, a slower take off speed is well worth it.DesignReliable enough for adventurers, stylish enough for cosmopolitan eyes, and practical for the entire family, the Discovery 4 TDV6 ticks a lot of boxes.The luxurious interior makes you doubt the Discovery will ever want to get its wheels dirty. A sophisticated console, leather steering wheel, and plenty of storage keep passengers in pure, refined comfort. Externally a tungsten finish air intake, two new exterior colour options, halogen front lighting, and colour coded front bumper, tailgate lift handle, and mirror caps, dress up the Disco.The tall profile gives plenty of headroom, while stadium seating in the back and command driving position up front gives great visibility, and iPod connectivity lets you repeatedly play Ride of the Valkyries as you shred trails.The seats in back fold flat, making 2,558 litres of storage – good room for transporting large items, or a decent bed if it’s pouring during your camping trip. If you decide to go on safari, the two-piece asymmetric tailgate drops down to provide a standing viewing platform that can take the weight of two adults.Though a bit big for crowded parking, the Discovery 4 TDV6 is capable on city streets, but that’s not where it belongs. In our opinion purchasing a Discovery for city life is akin to keeping a greyhound in an apartment. It can manage just fine, but you’re obliged to take it into the open so it can stretch out and do what it was born for.SafetyWith an Integrated Body-frame, ARM, HDC, RSC, ETC, DSC, EBA, four-channel all terrain ABS with all round ventilated disc brakes, as well as front and side airbags upfront, and curtain airbags in each row, the Discovery 4 TDV6 will protect you from your wild destinations. Incase the bright yellow diesel labeled fuel cap isn’t enough of a hint, the unnecessary diesel misfuelling device will prevent you from filling your diesel vehicle with petrol . . . in case you’re easily confused . . . in which case we suggest you take up cycling.DrivingWith Discovery 4’s five Terrain Response modes, and the electronic air suspension allowing you to raise the ride height up by 125mm or down by 50mm - all at the turn of a dial or touch of a button, the Discovery makes child’s play of finding the optimum settings.Over gravel and potholes it handled great, slipping only a little when we tackled a muddy field, but then picked right up when we drove through a creek and onto a rock trail and the independent front and rear suspension kept a steady cabin.There’s no hiding the fact that it’s a heavy vehicle, but for the size steering is light and the engine has very little NVH, giving the cabin a quite ride. A kerb to kerb turning radius of 11.45m makes hairpin turns on road a bit tough, but if you’re off road it’s not a problem as you can just drive off into the grass/gravel/sand/snow/rocks with hardly an extra bump.Compared with rougher off road vehicles, like Land Rover’s Defender, the Disco stands proud. Wider than the Defender, you may brush against a few branches on narrow tracks, but if you’re a true off roader you’re not going to cry over a few scratches.While the Defender wins extra notches in the bush, in unmodified vehicles the Discovery comes close in ground clearance (310mm with air suspension), it matches the Defender’s 3.5 tonne towing capacity, and surpasses its wading depth by sloughing through 700mm of water (with air suspension).Where the Defender and many other SUV’s can’t compare is in the Discovery 4’s versatility.  It can happily accommodate the brazen bushranger or a suburban-tied parent. Push the Discovery 4 down trails, pull it onto the bitumen, brush off the accumulated dirt for the city, and regardless of the situation this SUV takes charge.VerdictTougher than the Freelander and cushier than the Defender, Land Rover’s Discovery 4, 2.7-litre TDV6 is perfect for the adventurer seeking a beast born from the mating of oomph and awe.Land Rover Discovery 4 TDV6Price: $68,900Warranty: 3 years/100,000km roadsideSafety Equipment: EBA, HDC with GRC, DSC, ABS, RSC, ETC, active roll mitigation, rear park distance control, electronic park brake, trailer stability assistCrash rating: N/AEngine: 6 Cylinder, 2.7 Litre Diesel, 140kW/440NmBody: 4 Door SUVDimensions: 4838mm (L); 2176m (W); 1837mm (H); 2885mm (WB)Kerb Weight: 2486kgTransmission: Sports Automatic, 4X4 ConstantEconomy: 10.2 / 100Km; 270g/km CO2

Volkswagen Touareg and Land Rover Discovery4 go head-to-head in this comparative review.

I always have a sense of trepidation when any manufacturer reworks a 'landmark' model. That’s even more the point when the vehicle has been as successful globally as the Discovery 3. If it ain’t broke, and all that...The Discovery 3 has won just about every global award possible, so Land Rover could not afford to take shortcuts when it came to the Discovery 4. The good news is that the new model is better in just about every important facet than the outgoing D3. On-road and off-road performance, styling and refinement have all been improved.Some might say the exterior styling is more gentle or in fact softer than the outgoing model. I'd say it's more purposeful, and while the subtle changes combine to enhance the looks of the Discovery 4, I tend to think it looks more aggressive overall, tougher if you will, than the D3. Styling aside, it's the performance on road and off the beaten track that we were more concerned with at the recent global launch in Scotland.NEW ENGINESWe weren’t able to drive the new petrol V8 engine on this launch, but spend no more than ten minutes on the road (or off for that matter) with the new sequential twin turbo diesel V6 under the control of your right foot and the argument for the big petrol engine gets a whole lot tougher to sell.Numbers don’t always tell the whole story, but 180kW and a thumping 600Nm are certainly impressive on paper. The big gain on the D3 though is in real world driving situations. The 2.7-litre TDV6 punched well above its weight in just about every way that you can judge an engine. We often commented in testing that it still nailed far newer engines from other manufacturers years after it’s initial launch.However, the two minor gripes we could find (you had to dig deep though it must be said) were with slight turbo lag low down and a lack of ultimate power if you needed to overtake quickly.Thanks to their clever use of sequential turbos, Land Rover has dialled out any perceptible turbo lag as far as we could feel, and there’s more than enough grunt on tap for overtaking manoeuvres, towing and any situation where rapid acceleration is needed. The 2.7-litre single turbo engine will remain available in Australia (good news for potential owners on a budget) as the entry level offering, while we also get the heavy hitting naturally aspirated five-litre V8 that replaces the 4.4-litre bent eight in the current model.The petrol engine is every bit as impressive as the diesel by the numbers with the direct injection V8 churning out 276kW and 510Nm. We drove the Supercharged V8 (in RR Sport guise) and will report on the five-litre V8 as soon as we have the opportunity to test it. On face value though, it looks like the twin turbo diesel V6 will win out as the most versatile choice. Seamless and effortless power delivery from a standing start, or for accelerating is impressive by any measure.OFF ROADAs you’d expect, the Land Rover honchos had worked out a formidable off-road course for us to test the abilities of the Discovery 4, and Scotland was the ideal location for such a challenge. Ironically, the weather was perfect but the forest floor was wet, slippery and extremely steep in places. Exactly what we needed to test the capability of the new suspension tune, terrain response settings and diesel engine.We’d knocked over a solid 200km+ run on bitumen where the Discovery 4 had impressed with it’s composure and power delivery, but we’ll get to that later. Prior to our more extensive off-road evaluation, we had to cross a river, one that was approximately a metre deeper than the day before when the engineers had worked their way across. As the water lapped ever higher at the doors, I started to wonder whether we’d bitten off a little more than we could chew. The presence of instructors from various Land Rover Experience centres around the world made me feel a little less nervous as the D4 started to drift ever so slightly in the fast moving water. However, each of the 20 or so Discoverys worked their way across the River Tweed with no problem whatsoever, once again highlighting the versatility of this formidable off-road machine.Across the range, the new Rock Crawl setting on the terrain response dial is an excellent addition to an already brilliant system. You’d know the other terrain response settings from previous models, but Rock Crawl mode will be handy in off-road situations down under.Another genuinely versatile feature of the electronics is the Hill Descent Control. Even after three or four seriously steep descents, I could still hardly believe the ability of the HDC to hold the big Discovery steady and straight on even the most slippery and uncertain terrain. I challenge anyone to point their vehicle down a steep grade and resist the urge to touch the pedals. It’s a strange sensation.ON ROADThe enhanced suspension tune is perhaps most noticeable on road where the new steering geometry delivers 'car like' feel at low and high speed, and where the revised shocks and springs deliver enhanced stability and cornering balance. The new braking package matches that of the outgoing sport and even in the wet, the D4 pulls up straight and without fuss from license endangering (in this country) speeds. I was particularly impressed with the braking system on loose dirt and gravel as well, where a complete stop was achieved with a minimum of lock up or lack of composure.As I’ve mentioned above, the new V6 engine has more than enough punch to deliver the goods on road at any speed and once again feels impressive in terms of refinement and acoustics. Chassis wise, the D4 is more settled and planted than the D3. Fast sweepers, even those interrupted by mid corner bumps and ruts, do little to unsettle the big wagon. Having not long previously driven a D3 back home, I could immediately pick the sharper steering and handling.The cabin delivers the expected Discovery feel and driving position, although in a somewhat more cosseted environment thanks to upgraded materials and finishes. Driver and passenger get a commanding view from the cockpit. Inside, the D4 is comfortable and quiet with sensible controls positioned exactly where you want them. You won’t have any issues whatsoever knocking over long distances in the D4.RANGE AND PRICINGDiscovery 4 2.7 TDV6Price: from $68,490Engine: 2.7L V6 diesel w Variable Geometry TurboPower: 140kW @ 4,000 rpmTorque: 440Nm @ 1,900 600 rpmTransmission: 6-Speed adaptive automaticTop speed km/h: 1800-100 km/h: 12.7Economy/CO2 g/km: 270Discovery 4 3.0 TDV6 SEPrice: from $81,990Engine: 3.0 V6 diesel w Adv. Seq. Twin-turboPower: 180kW @ 4,000 rpmTorque: 600Nm @ 2,000 rpmTransmission: 6-Speed adaptive automaticTop speed km/h: 1800-100 km/h: 9.6Economy/CO2 g/km: 244Discovery 4 3.0 TDV6 HSEPrice: from $94,990Engine: 3.0 V6 diesel w Adv. Seq. Twin-turboPower: 180kW @ 4,000 rpmTorque: 600Nm @ 2,000 rpmTransmission: 6-Speed adaptive automaticTop speed km/h: 1800-100 km/h: 9.6Economy/CO2 g/km: 244Discovery 4 5.0 V8Price: from $126,460 Engine: 5.0L V8 Normally Aspirated PetrolPower: 276kW @ 6,5000 rpmTorque: 510Nm @ 3,500 rpmTransmission: 6-Speed adaptive automaticTop speed km/h: 1950-100 km/h: 7.9Economy/CO2 g/km: 328

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