Topic: Test Drive: 2012 Land Rover LR4

[Autos_Editor]

The Land Rover LR4 won over Senior Editor Jonathan Yarkony with its sophisticated looks and practicality despite the big fuel bill.

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[tpl]

Times sure have changed.   Those happy days of 2 litres gas or diesel , 4 on the floor + transfer case and mostly flat aluminium body panels...that is the tan one but even the many years later  version was a simple machine compared to the tested one.

[Ex-airbalancer]

So if you are  normal height,  over 185  , it would be a very tight fit in the back

[Rupert]

This vehicle and the Jeep Patriot featured here recently look very similar.. Oh…ok luxury trim and V8 and so on…I realize that the content is very different; but if you are into murderous terrain a rubber floor mat would be probably more suitable surely. If most of these will never see anything but asphalt or maybe a graded track to the cottage that any vehicle can negotiate… then maybe on this basis it is just the luxury that is being purchased and the aura and that is ok.
 Still, is there an off-road comparison any where for the Pat and LR. The Patriot is trail rated whatever that means…probably it will do more than I would ever try in my wildest dreams. Make that nightmares. So, as a matter of interest, how much less will the much cheaper ‘trail rated’ vehicle do on the trail on a ‘rare occasion’ basis. Is there an objective study anywhere? The ‘seats folded’ flat floor is very practical.

[Fobroader]

I used to love the Discovery, there was a guy down our street that had a yellow Camel Trophy edition and every weekend hed come back from wherever with his LandRover buddies and all their rigs would be covered in mud and have a new dent somewhere. I used to love it, it was my dream rig for years and a yellow Camel Trophy Disco is still on my "must own" list. The newer ones have stopped doing anything for me, they are just another luxury soccer mom assault vehicle, they no longer hold that idea that I could jump in and conquer South America, now, they are just another shiny societal placeholder.......That saddens me. Im sure the leather and sat nav is great, but hows the underbody and rocker protection, sure the third row seats children but are the tow points any good?? Long live the Disco.

[tpl]

^^ I agree. Land Rovers and Land Cruisers should be tough..have rubber mats, power take offs, winches on the front, solid steel sump guards and be capable of a good try at the Darien Gap.     Lexus SUVs and Range Rovers are luxury vehicles for use at country clubs and shopping malls.

[Northernridge]

I used to love the Discovery, there was a guy down our street that had a yellow Camel Trophy edition and every weekend hed come back from wherever with his LandRover buddies and all their rigs would be covered in mud and have a new dent somewhere. I used to love it, it was my dream rig for years and a yellow Camel Trophy Disco is still on my "must own" list. The newer ones have stopped doing anything for me, they are just another luxury soccer mom assault vehicle, they no longer hold that idea that I could jump in and conquer South America, now, they are just another shiny societal placeholder.......That saddens me. Im sure the leather and sat nav is great, but hows the underbody and rocker protection, sure the third row seats children but are the tow points any good?? Long live the Disco.

I hear you. I almost bought an LR4 because I have some great off-road trails at the lake (real ones with mud, rocks and stumps) thinking the rig would be a great daily driver plus a comfy weekend toy. But I chickened out and bought the Berlin taxi for commuting and this rig for the bush...

[Fobroader]

I used to love the Discovery, there was a guy down our street that had a yellow Camel Trophy edition and every weekend hed come back from wherever with his LandRover buddies and all their rigs would be covered in mud and have a new dent somewhere. I used to love it, it was my dream rig for years and a yellow Camel Trophy Disco is still on my "must own" list. The newer ones have stopped doing anything for me, they are just another luxury soccer mom assault vehicle, they no longer hold that idea that I could jump in and conquer South America, now, they are just another shiny societal placeholder.......That saddens me. Im sure the leather and sat nav is great, but hows the underbody and rocker protection, sure the third row seats children but are the tow points any good?? Long live the Disco.

I hear you. I almost bought an LR4 because I have some great off-road trails at the lake (real ones with mud, rocks and stumps) thinking the rig would be a great daily driver plus a comfy weekend toy. But I chickened out and bought the Berlin taxi for commuting and this rig for the bush...

I like the side x sides, cool rigs. The LR4 is allready way to urbanized to be able to keep up with it. I think the low profile tires and huge rims would be destroyed on the aformentioned mud, rocks and stiumps. My dad really likes these, the only think I warned him about it the reliability.......or lack there of.

[Northernridge]

I used to love the Discovery, there was a guy down our street that had a yellow Camel Trophy edition and every weekend hed come back from wherever with his LandRover buddies and all their rigs would be covered in mud and have a new dent somewhere. I used to love it, it was my dream rig for years and a yellow Camel Trophy Disco is still on my "must own" list. The newer ones have stopped doing anything for me, they are just another luxury soccer mom assault vehicle, they no longer hold that idea that I could jump in and conquer South America, now, they are just another shiny societal placeholder.......That saddens me. Im sure the leather and sat nav is great, but hows the underbody and rocker protection, sure the third row seats children but are the tow points any good?? Long live the Disco.

I hear you. I almost bought an LR4 because I have some great off-road trails at the lake (real ones with mud, rocks and stumps) thinking the rig would be a great daily driver plus a comfy weekend toy. But I chickened out and bought the Berlin taxi for commuting and this rig for the bush...

I like the side x sides, cool rigs. The LR4 is allready way to urbanized to be able to keep up with it. I think the low profile tires and huge rims would be destroyed on the aformentioned mud, rocks and stiumps. My dad really likes these, the only think I warned him about it the reliability.......or lack there of.

My pickup can't follow it either. I'm a little worried about reliability too...so far so good though. The thing is a monster off road. I am not an expert driver nor terribly brave but I am astonished what it will go through..in the mud it just slides around a bit until the tires find purchase and surges ahead. Also clocked it at 53 mph on a gravel road with the GPS, same reading as the speedo. Got the model with power steering...some semblance of civility. Oh yea, dual gun scabbards too.

[dirtyjeffer]

^^ I agree. Land Rovers and Land Cruisers should be tough..have rubber mats, power take offs, winches on the front, solid steel sump guards and be capable of a good try at the Darien Gap.     Lexus SUVs and Range Rovers are luxury vehicles for use at country clubs and shopping malls.

you can get a nicely equipped Jeep Wrangler Unlimited for $30k that is a pretty decently capable off roader...not saying it's the best thing since sliced bread, but for $30k, it's a solid off roader and FAR less expensive.

[johngenx]

Jeep Wrangler is a SERIOUS off-roader.  Not a poseur mobile at all.

[Fobroader]

^^ I agree. Land Rovers and Land Cruisers should be tough..have rubber mats, power take offs, winches on the front, solid steel sump guards and be capable of a good try at the Darien Gap.     Lexus SUVs and Range Rovers are luxury vehicles for use at country clubs and shopping malls.

you can get a nicely equipped Jeep Wrangler Unlimited for $30k that is a pretty decently capable off roader...not saying it's the best thing since sliced bread, but for $30k, it's a solid off roader and FAR less expensive.

Oh a Wrangler Rubicon is a much better offroad machine than anything out there when it comes to offroading, nothing this side of an ATV will touch it. Just too bad to see the LR4 fall so far from where it used to be.

[Rupert]

I think the point is that these vehicles are not really suposed to go blasting up trails. 70k to drive over stumps...I don't think so; and as someone else said...the std. tires here would not survive probably. Maybe it should be, and I think it is, reviewed as a luxury vehicle for the well off. Take away it's capabilities though and it would not stand out for them.
Personally, I don't think that vehicles with a heavy lean towards off road driving are a comparrison to the subject vehicle here and believe that the Patriot is a contemporary...albeit sans the luxury and no doubt ultimate capability. How much less that is for real purposes...is unknown.

[Northernridge]

Tires aside the LR4 does have real off road chops, it's not like the Range Rovers at all. People really do take them off road...not many, but some.

[OliverD]

I think the point is that these vehicles are not really suposed to go blasting up trails. 70k to drive over stumps...I don't think so; and as someone else said...the std. tires here would not survive probably. Maybe it should be, and I think it is, reviewed as a luxury vehicle for the well off. Take away it's capabilities though and it would not stand out for them.

In other countries, the Discovery (as it's known elsewhere) can be had with a much more basic interior, small diesel motor, and six-speed manual transmission. Obviously, the North American market cares little for those kind of SUVs.

[Rupert]

Yeah, NA wants the aura of 'The Snows Of killimanjarro' but not the rough arsed ride.