Notes from the Road - Land Rover Discovery
Discussion
Such is life. Last car I reviewed here was the detestable Audi A5. Awful thing and I did wonder how long it might take for me to drive a car that I liked less. Alas! Here we are, two weeks later, and I've found it. And I wish I hadn't. I wish the New Discovery was a great car, as I have a huge fondness for JLR despite the patchy quality (a real thing - let nobody kid you). I love the way their cars drive, the steering, more often than not the ride, the brakes especially but it's just a sense of flow they have. They just groove. Even an Evoque in full Brent spec will move along the road in a way that the driver of a Q3 can only imagine. Mercedes get close but there is a final finesse to JLR's mainstream stuff that sets them apart as driver's cars. Funnily enough the F-Type is an exception, it being a lash-up and feeling like one as well. But that is a different story.
The new Disco is a dreadful thing. As a replacement for the masterful old model it is a massive, massive letdown. Be in no doubt, it's nowhere near as good as the old car. Now I know this because, as luck would have it, I delivered a new model and did the return journey in the previous gen Discovery that the delivery was a direct replacement for.
There's something about the old car. Yes, they are unreliable, yes the steering column can misbehave over large bumps, yes it's very heavy (but, then, so is the new car), yes it's not a car to drive fast (again the new model is just as bad) but there is something about it. Something intangible. It is mellow, unhectic, easy, simple. You can see all four corners of the car from the divers seat - the dimensions are vast but, crucially, they are known. The new car is very hard to fathom in this respect. It really needs it's sensors and cameras. In the old car, you get in, rest your arm on the drivers door as you do in a Defender and you cruise. It has a natural gait and speed. Keep at that and it's a very, very pleasant place to while away the miles. I found myself at a chilled 80, with the sunroof open listening to a programme about worms on Radio Four. Happy as Larry. Keep it in it's flow envelope and it's just excellent. Try to push and it will stop you.
The new car, though absolutely massive, feels much more enclosed. The sense of space (and thus of luxury) has gone. It's much more generic. It has the new Sat-Nav (which is... a bit lame truth be told), flasher plastics and materials, a flasher wheel, But it's nowhere near as nice a place to be and there's no lounging room for your left knee - a small thing but over many, many miles one that soon becomes big. You pilot the old car, this one you merely drive. Actually, scratch that, the old car sets sail - this one just sets off. It's mundane. Dull. It's objectively better in many ways of course. Quieter (though not by much), less utilitarian, the brakes are better (JLR really know how to set brakes up - would that certain other manufacturers would have a decent go at this) and it 'handles' in a far more modern way. If the handling of a two and a half ton SUV is really important to you. It shouldn't be.
You see, I'm not a big fan of the SUV in general. That's just my view. It's tired argument on these pages and one I'd like to not get caught up in but, for the avoidance of doubt, I think my negative freedom to be safe from the bloody things offsets the positive freedom people have to buy them. They are stupid. Generally just a massively inefficient type of MPV that can be built cheap and sold high. A logical black hole. But this is a free country and you can buy what you like.
There are exceptions though to my absurd prejudice though. And the last gen Disco was one. Mainly because it is so unashamedly what it is. And it's a truly nice car to do big miles in. I always found that the combination of the vast interior space with the lack of interior gloss made the car feel really luxurious in the true sense. It's a personal thing but, for me, the driving position just worked. I have various aches and pains from a misspent youth but I could do five hundred miles in a last gen Discovery and get out feeling as equally terrible as I did when I got in.
The new car loses all that. It's just a fairly competent full size SUV. And it's absolutely hideous to look at as well. I mean, it's really bad. Up close it's just worse. I don't know what kind of acid they've got hold of a JLR but they need to lay right off it. The proportions are incomprehensibly wrong. How can something be simultaneously too long and too short? Too wide and yet too narrow? I suppose its something of an achievement in and of itself to make such a colossal pigs ear of something. It's terrible.
Ultimately, if you want a humdrum big SUV with not much character that will be too big to park easily and will break down all the time then you are much better off with an XC90. It's on a different planet in terms of usability and technology. JLR have made a fatal mistake here - the old car did not directly compete. It had it's own space in the market. They have thrown that away. I know people who have had three of the old model in a row - they put up with the unreliability (though JLR do seem to make the odd totally faultless car, for reasons best known to themselves) because the cars are so very good in usability terms and so painless to drive. Those owners don't like the new car. It's not a Discovery.
The thing that does it for me is the stupid flap they have put in the back to make up for the lack of a split tailgate. If you saw it, you would be appalled. It's just the daftest thing imaginable. I cannot imagine what has gone on there. Sweet Jesus it's poor. It will last a month tops.
That's the thing I guess. The new car is just a car. It's not a Discovery.
The new Disco is a dreadful thing. As a replacement for the masterful old model it is a massive, massive letdown. Be in no doubt, it's nowhere near as good as the old car. Now I know this because, as luck would have it, I delivered a new model and did the return journey in the previous gen Discovery that the delivery was a direct replacement for.
There's something about the old car. Yes, they are unreliable, yes the steering column can misbehave over large bumps, yes it's very heavy (but, then, so is the new car), yes it's not a car to drive fast (again the new model is just as bad) but there is something about it. Something intangible. It is mellow, unhectic, easy, simple. You can see all four corners of the car from the divers seat - the dimensions are vast but, crucially, they are known. The new car is very hard to fathom in this respect. It really needs it's sensors and cameras. In the old car, you get in, rest your arm on the drivers door as you do in a Defender and you cruise. It has a natural gait and speed. Keep at that and it's a very, very pleasant place to while away the miles. I found myself at a chilled 80, with the sunroof open listening to a programme about worms on Radio Four. Happy as Larry. Keep it in it's flow envelope and it's just excellent. Try to push and it will stop you.
The new car, though absolutely massive, feels much more enclosed. The sense of space (and thus of luxury) has gone. It's much more generic. It has the new Sat-Nav (which is... a bit lame truth be told), flasher plastics and materials, a flasher wheel, But it's nowhere near as nice a place to be and there's no lounging room for your left knee - a small thing but over many, many miles one that soon becomes big. You pilot the old car, this one you merely drive. Actually, scratch that, the old car sets sail - this one just sets off. It's mundane. Dull. It's objectively better in many ways of course. Quieter (though not by much), less utilitarian, the brakes are better (JLR really know how to set brakes up - would that certain other manufacturers would have a decent go at this) and it 'handles' in a far more modern way. If the handling of a two and a half ton SUV is really important to you. It shouldn't be.
You see, I'm not a big fan of the SUV in general. That's just my view. It's tired argument on these pages and one I'd like to not get caught up in but, for the avoidance of doubt, I think my negative freedom to be safe from the bloody things offsets the positive freedom people have to buy them. They are stupid. Generally just a massively inefficient type of MPV that can be built cheap and sold high. A logical black hole. But this is a free country and you can buy what you like.
There are exceptions though to my absurd prejudice though. And the last gen Disco was one. Mainly because it is so unashamedly what it is. And it's a truly nice car to do big miles in. I always found that the combination of the vast interior space with the lack of interior gloss made the car feel really luxurious in the true sense. It's a personal thing but, for me, the driving position just worked. I have various aches and pains from a misspent youth but I could do five hundred miles in a last gen Discovery and get out feeling as equally terrible as I did when I got in.
The new car loses all that. It's just a fairly competent full size SUV. And it's absolutely hideous to look at as well. I mean, it's really bad. Up close it's just worse. I don't know what kind of acid they've got hold of a JLR but they need to lay right off it. The proportions are incomprehensibly wrong. How can something be simultaneously too long and too short? Too wide and yet too narrow? I suppose its something of an achievement in and of itself to make such a colossal pigs ear of something. It's terrible.
Ultimately, if you want a humdrum big SUV with not much character that will be too big to park easily and will break down all the time then you are much better off with an XC90. It's on a different planet in terms of usability and technology. JLR have made a fatal mistake here - the old car did not directly compete. It had it's own space in the market. They have thrown that away. I know people who have had three of the old model in a row - they put up with the unreliability (though JLR do seem to make the odd totally faultless car, for reasons best known to themselves) because the cars are so very good in usability terms and so painless to drive. Those owners don't like the new car. It's not a Discovery.
The thing that does it for me is the stupid flap they have put in the back to make up for the lack of a split tailgate. If you saw it, you would be appalled. It's just the daftest thing imaginable. I cannot imagine what has gone on there. Sweet Jesus it's poor. It will last a month tops.
That's the thing I guess. The new car is just a car. It's not a Discovery.
Edited by W124 on Wednesday 26th July 20:27
LOL every time I see one of those things it just offends the eye. First time in the metal, was from the rear and, oh dear, just what were they thinking of. Now even the front offends, it waddles down the road like one of those strange misshapen goblin type creatures that you see in the ice cream section in a supermarket, bit like a slightly misshapen egg on legs. Dear God JLR get your design mojo back.
Probably never going to have another one once the current thing has had enough farm and forest tracks in its weekly diet. Will stick a nose in the direction of the new Defender if still have a need for that sort of thing, but expecting to be fully disappointed.
I know this will prompt the usual, "but I had a whatever that was faultless" but seriously JLR, realise that you are now going for green Welly mob as opposed to us muddy boots shower, but sort out your reliability first, your new marketing targets are a fickle lot.
Probably never going to have another one once the current thing has had enough farm and forest tracks in its weekly diet. Will stick a nose in the direction of the new Defender if still have a need for that sort of thing, but expecting to be fully disappointed.
I know this will prompt the usual, "but I had a whatever that was faultless" but seriously JLR, realise that you are now going for green Welly mob as opposed to us muddy boots shower, but sort out your reliability first, your new marketing targets are a fickle lot.
I've had two Land Rovers. Both were the most unreliable vehicles I have ever owned, and not by a small margin. For me to be interested in another would take it being perfect in almost every other way, so I can stomach the unreliability..... this new Disco is hideous. I haven't seen the inside, but I've seen the outside... that was enough.
Great read OP. Keep em coming.
As the owner of a 62plate D4 on 115K miles I can say its been faultless apart from a Bluetooth issue early doors.
The D3 and more so the D4 truly are unique and unless apex kissing and running cost are a main consideration the D4 is probably one of the best cars ever. You truly do Pilot these things
Regarding the D5, we all know the looks are appalling but interesting to read your comments that its compromised on the inside and to drive.
What a shame!
As the owner of a 62plate D4 on 115K miles I can say its been faultless apart from a Bluetooth issue early doors.
The D3 and more so the D4 truly are unique and unless apex kissing and running cost are a main consideration the D4 is probably one of the best cars ever. You truly do Pilot these things
Regarding the D5, we all know the looks are appalling but interesting to read your comments that its compromised on the inside and to drive.
What a shame!
Pintofbest said:
Very good. But do you believe with what he said and have you read any other reviews that match it?
It's one man's opinion. Getting all menstrual about it only serves to bolster opinion that JLR are a bit sulky.And you have to admit, you may be carrying a little bit of bias, no?
apotts said:
Hello Mr JLR.
What JLR failed to do was understand WHY people bought and liked the D3/D4. Just like a crap Hollywood sequel.
I'm guessing you have done your own research on the whole customer base and not just from PH and people with a 'One life live it' or '4x4 response' sticker on their car?What JLR failed to do was understand WHY people bought and liked the D3/D4. Just like a crap Hollywood sequel.
Product design moves with customer needs and demands, especially those who buy them new and not those waiting for it to 'drop like a stone' in value which evidence suggests LR products more certainly do not.
Rawwr said:
It's one man's opinion. Getting all menstrual about it only serves to bolster opinion that JLR are a bit sulky.
And you have to admit, you may be carrying a little bit of bias, no?
Possibly, but I did 1k miles in one in a week at Easter taking my family to Cornwall and it was a fantastic car for that. Not off road but that isn't what I'd ever use one for, however I know they can do that as well if needed.. I'd add to your point that everyone else get's over emotional the other way about JLR stuff too - at least it gets people talking!And you have to admit, you may be carrying a little bit of bias, no?
Lots of talk about disco reliability here. I am sure we were lucky but we bought a Disco 2 from new in 2002 and sold it earlier this year for a late model D4. Over the 120,000 miles we put on that car, through the alps, school runs, teenager's driving, it never missed a beat, never wanted for anything. Some preventative maintenance was carried out but nothing OTT, just a well looked after example - so they're not all bad!
The new D4 is lightyears ahead in terms of cabin and ride quality, and agree with OP entirely, what an incredible place to watch the miles float away. Here's to hoping it will last as long too....
The new D4 is lightyears ahead in terms of cabin and ride quality, and agree with OP entirely, what an incredible place to watch the miles float away. Here's to hoping it will last as long too....
Pintofbest said:
I'm guessing you have done your own research on the whole customer base and not just from PH and people with a 'One life live it' or '4x4 response' sticker on their car?
Product design moves with customer needs and demands, especially those who buy them new and not those waiting for it to 'drop like a stone' in value which evidence suggests LR products more certainly do not.
Not at all. I bought a MY12 D4 new, and as a family we loved it. Luxurious and comfortable, yet boxy and practical. Huge, yet easy to manage. Reasonably priced. Not ostentatious. Product design moves with customer needs and demands, especially those who buy them new and not those waiting for it to 'drop like a stone' in value which evidence suggests LR products more certainly do not.
I went to one of your customer focus days a few years ago, where you had invited a group of D4 owners. We all said the same thing to you about the D5 and you clearly ignored us all.
When it came to replacing the D4, the D5 failed miserably for us. In nearly every department. It seemed strangely expensive, ostentatious, bulky, less rugged, less Land Rover and more Range Rover. And it lost that imperious waftability, that could be enjoyed without looking and feeling like a t
t. We thought about a late, used D4, but our experience recently with your service network has been poor. Latest fiasco was a crank position sensor (£1500) where we were without a car for a month, because all your service centres were booked up. Used was out of the question.
So no. New car buyer here. Made my own mind up, thank you.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff