Land Rover Discovery 2010 Model Review
It is always hard to build on a successful model, but in the Discovery 4 Land Rover have created an all-round vehicle that is without peer in its class. While some competitors may excel in specific environments, the Discovery 4 is very capable, comfortable and efficient in any environment. If there is any criticism that can be directed at the Disco 4 it's in pricing. While I subscribe to the 'you get what you pay for' principle, the Discovery will either stretch, or be just beyond the average family budget, which is a shame as a vehicle this good deserves to be enjoyed.
My first experience with the Disco 4 was at its international launch in Scotland in 2009. Here I experienced the many facets of the Land Rover, from effortless highway cruising, cushioned ride across rutted tracks, and some extreme four wheeling, including a very wide, metre deep river crossing, an extraordinary example of the Disco's descent control on an extreme slope, manoeuvring tight off road forest tracks, and a series of deep mud crossings. The Discovery 4 proved to be an exemplary performer in all of these challenges, prompting a desire to test the vehicle in Australian conditions.
The local test model was the list priced $94,990 HSE 3.0-litre V6 twin turbodiesel, finished in a brilliant metallic chocolate paint. The mission was to traverse more than 200km of sandy tracks, mild sand dunes and some interesting bogholes in the Little Desert region of North West Victoria.
The Discovery 4 has plenty of storage room, with handy cargo tie downs and 12V plug making storing the Waco fridge firmly a breeze. This still leaves room for recovery gear, bags and the usual bits and pieces a weekend away entails. Once on the road the Discovery immediately shines. Its on road refinement is evident, with ride and handling akin to that of a luxury sport saloon. Seating is good -- not the best available -- but still very good. Personally, I'd prefer additional lumbar support, but with a commanding driving position, little engine noise and a first rate audio system, I won't complain.
There is commanding all round driver visibility, wide side mirrors, a steering column that is adjustable for reach and tilt, and seating for seven. I'm not a great fan of third row seats in four-wheel drives, but the Discovery 4 delivers an excellent system whereby the seats fold flat and easily, flush with the cargo floor.
The interior is large and roomy, finished to a high standard with excellent accommodation for up to seven adults, although the afore-mentioned third row seats are a challenge for adults. The HSE model is packed with luxury equipment that includes leather clad seats, premium Harman Kardon audio, Bluetooth, satellite navigation, rear view camera, rear park distance control, rain sensing wipers and automatic lights, fog lights, rear air conditioning and power adjustable front seats.
The 3.0-litre turbo diesel is a gem, providing prompt launch and acceleration, with loads of power on tap (180kw/600Nm) providing easy highway overtaking, along with excellent on and off road dynamics. The V6 is matched to the superb XF six-speed auto transmission, which also offers Sport mode for sequential gear shifting in off road situations. The 3.0-litre diesel was derived from the LR-TDV6 2.7-litre engine, with twin turbochargers boosting power by 29 percent and torque by a massive 36 percent. It is a versatile engine that can deliver maximum torque at just 2000rpm, with 500Nm of torque available in only 500 milliseconds from idle. This means that 83 percent of maximum torque is available near instantaneously, which is a great attribute for efficient on and off road driving. Official combined on and off road fuel consumption figures are 9.3-litres per 100km, a figure that we slightly bettered at 9.1-litres.
If the ability to access high torque levels rapidly isn't enough, add to this Land Rover's excellent dial select Terrain Response 4x4 system and hill descent control and you have a superb all round package. Underpinning the Discovery 4 and its upmarket Range Rover brothers is a host of electronic controls, which select the optimum vehicle settings for the terrain you are in. Terrain Response has settings for general driving, grass/gravel/snow, mud and ruts, rocks, and sand. As a terrain type is selected all manner of subtle changes occur to the engine management system (off road calibration, suspension settings, traction control, ABS, etc.), but rather than overwhelming the driver, the system is extremely user friendly, undertaking the necessary changes to ensure maximum terrain related performance without additional driver input.
The Discovery 4 is a permanent four-wheel drive with high and low ratios, and makes light work of terrain where other 4x4s may struggle. The vehicle is packed with the latest in technological wizardry which includes electronic parking brake, slip control system, electronic brake force distribution, all terrain ABS, traction control, dynamic stability control, electronic centre differential, emergency brake assist, understeer control, hydraulic rear brake assist, roll stability control, trailer stability assist and hill descent control with gradient release control. While these systems aid mobility, they also deliver an impressive arsenal of safety systems for the driver. Also standard are driver and front passenger airbags, side and head, rear outboard passenger head airbags and third row curtain airbags.
During my time with the Discovery 4, I found little to criticise. On rough 4x4 tracks the ride was comfortable, while highway travel was a treat to be enjoyed. Having not previously had the opportunity to try the sand launch control, it was with anticipation that I engaged it at the base of a sand dune. Essentially, the control introduces speed dependent wheel slip targets for the traction control system, preventing wheel spin, hence the digging effect into the sand. Following some rutted sand tracks the Disco 4 did scrape its under carriage, but this problem was alleviated by selection of the extended height setting on the air suspension which raised the body up an extra few centimetres, and hey presto problem solved. The only other complaint when four-wheel driving was the low profile tyres, which frankly do not contribute to the efficiency of the vehicle off road.
Overall, there is no getting away from the impressive capability of the Discovery 4. It is a pleasure to drive, extremely efficient in 4x4 conditions, and easily shines as a balanced all-rounder that achieves an excellent balance for city highway and off road travel. Its price may be a deterrent to many, but you certainly get a whole lot of vehicle for your money, in a package not bettered by any competitor, including some high-priced luxury brands.
Brian Tanner
