The Land Rover Discovery 3 - you'll either love or hate this mammoth of a 4x4 tow car. I know where my affection lies....

I have long been a fan of Land Rover despite some of the issues that surround these vehicles.  I have owned a series of Land Rover Defenders which really are the workhorse of the 4x4 world and many years ago, I briefly owned a Land Rover Discovery as I fancied a little luxury.  That experience put me off Land Rover Discoveries, I thought, forever.  It was one of the worst cars I had ever owned, it leaked, it rolled all over the road and went rusty at an alarming rate.  Despite this, you could see the potential in this vehicle if only Land Rover could have built them properly and applied a modicum of quality control.  I sold the Land Rover Discovery after nine months of ownership after a hair-raising journey to casualty one evening with my eldest son.

The last of the Land Rover Discovery Series 2 models had significant improvements with extra roll stability and the advantages of the TD5 engine, however, under the skin was the old Disco and there was no escaping the problems that the later models had inherited.  There soon came the launch of the Land Rover Discovery 3 with rave reviews from the motoring press and numerous awards.  The shape was bold and aggressive and the new Discovery looked every ounce a mighty 4x4 off-roader.  What was different this time was that Land Rover had created a vehicle that was unbeatable off-road but had lots and lots of on-road refinement.  I was seriously tempted by this new leviathan and despite my better judgement took the plunge into Land Rover ownership once more.  I needed a vehicle that would easily tow a 1.7 tonne twin axle caravan and could get me around in the depths of a Northern Scottish winter.  After surveying the competition: Mercedes M Class, BMW X5 and VW Toureg, I purchased a new silver Land Rover Discovery SE TD6 2.7 diesel.

To say that this is a totally different vehicle doesn't do the Discovery 3 justice.  This really is a re-engineered car from top to bottom but in essence it's still a Land Rover and that's no bad thing.  As I said, you either love or hate this car, there seems to be no inbetween.  From the front it is all Arnie Schwarzenegger, brutal and imposing with a rather Germanic stance.  From the side it looks like a van!  There is no getting away from the fact that it is very slab sided but strangely aesthetic in its plainess.  The rear of the vehicle is practical and pleasing, with a split upper and lower door a la Range Rover. The old Disco had very limited boot space, but now this has totally changed and the boot is spacious and useful.  It also hides two extra seats on all but the budget model.  This makes the Land Rover Discovery 3 a true seven seater and the seats are not just for the kids as access is great for adults and kids alike.  The whole seating arrangement is very comfortable and Land Rover have given the Disco "stadium seating" meaning that each rear row of seats is slightly higher than that in front.  This gives back seat drivers a great view of the road ahead and must be good for car sick prone children (not that you would let them in your new baby!).  The controls feel of a quality nature but the fascia etc. still has a workman like appearance.  Whether this was deliberate or not, I don't know; perhaps Land Rover didn't want their "soft-roader" too soft - remember those Arnie looks.

So, the car looks great, has plenty of practical new features but how does it drive compared to previous editions?  This is a big car.  When I say big, I mean BIG.  It is quite intimidating up close and you would think that a car of this size and weight (2.7 tonnes of Arnie muscle) would be a brute to drive.  Well, I'm pleased to report that the Discovery 3 is an absolute pleasure on all of Britain's wonderful roads.  Once in the driving seat, the overall vastness of this car is not readily apparent.  The Disco handles with elegant ease and has none of the gut wrenching, road rolling characteristics of its predecessors.  The ride is firm yet has a big, luxury car feel to it, being unhurried and majestic.  It's not a sports car and never will be.  The diesel version sounds like a tractor from the outside but once in the spacious and airy cabin there is barely anything to hint that this is a diesel.  The sound proofing is nothing short of amazing and combined with the six speed automatic gearbox, progress is a pleasure.  The auto can be shifted into manual mode but I have only found it of use when overtaking, along with the "sport" mode.  In town, the width of the car has to be taken into account and I have on occasions used the power folding mirrors as a pre-emptive strike along the narrow lanes of Devon and Dorset.  Parking is helped by front and rear sensors and the mirrors can be made to automatically dip in reverse to help you find the kerb.

For towing I really couldn't find fault with this car.  The torque from the Land Rover TD V6 is more than sufficient and combined with the vehicle's weight makes towing even the biggest trailer a walk in the park.  I have to remind myself on occasion that the caravan is stll behind me, and overtaking other outfits up long inclines is as close to macho as it gets!  The nose weight limit of 150kg is great to have when the wife and children start packing the caravan and I have never had any stability problems.  I have the Land Rover detachable tow bar fitted which is quite low.  This can cause problems unhitching on bumpy ground when you can't retract the jockey wheel far enough.  This is easily solved using the air suspension and a quick blip of the switch raises the car to off-road height and hitching and unhitching becomes a breeze.  All of the towing electrics are hidden behind a detachable panel when not in use and come as standard from Land Rover.  For braked trailers the maximum permissible towing weight is 3500kg so no caravan is really going to phase this vehicle.

Economy.  I knew you were going to ask me.  Lets just say that it is not the most fuel efficient vehicle on the road.  It's not the worst by a long shot either.  Okay, you want figures, well around town don't expect more than 28mpg.  On a motorway run I have seen 34mpg and towing 1700kg of caravan with probably a similar amount in the car (!) I get about 21mpg.  Now these figures may put you off but remember this car weighs 2.7 tonnes and 45mpg is just not ever going to happen even with a following wind.  Once you have driven this car, you won't worry about the economy.  Plant a tree every 1000 miles, don't buy anything from China and switch your computer off when you have read this, and you'll be as carbon neutral as the Mayor of London.  Don't move to Richmond either unless you are loaded.

The Discovery 3 has renewed my faith in Land Rover and everytime I drive this car it puts a grin on my face.  I haven't even been seriously off-road with it as it still quite shiny but those that have are fully paid up members of the perma-grin club.  It has had its teething problems, mainly because this computer controlled car is so bloomin' complicated but I haven't experienced many of the horror stories that were floating about a year or two ago.  Anyway, that has always been in a feature of Land Rover ownership! As long as the eco warriors allow us to keep this vehicle on and off the road, I will be firm fan of what is Solihull's finest product to date.