Land Rover LR3 Long Term Test

[BMWDave]

Introduction
By Ed Hellwig
Date posted: 06-09-2005

In a recent column on Inside Line, Ken Gross wondered whatever happened to the cool car lingo of the '50s and '60s. Instead of Dynaglide transmissions and Firepower V8s, we're stuck with 700R4s and LS2s, names as forgettable as they are indecipherable.

With only four models in its lineup, Land Rover didn't need to resort to alphanumeric confusion, but it has. What was the Discovery is now the LR3. It was a change intended to emphasize the new vehicle's extensive improvements over the Discovery, but it doesn't make LR3 any easier to swallow.

Wanting to distance the LR3 from the Discovery is understandable. The Discovery was underpowered, handled poorly on the street and was ergonomically challenged in a way that made the urban jungle feel like the Rubicon trail. The LR3 is none of those things, having been put through the focus group ringer and come out a comfortable daily driver.

After conducting our road test, we considered it one of the best SUVs in the midsize class. Now it's time for a tougher test. We recently bought our own LR3 SE and plan to keep it for at least a year to see if its charm will hold up.

The LR3 started off on the right foot as our buying experience was smooth and even enjoyable thanks to a post-purchase jaunt through the off-road course at Land Rover South Bay. Our salesman, Rick Jahshan, responded quickly to our email requests for a base SE model (a less expensive V6 model joins the lineup later this year). We eventually settled on a purchase price that was $750 below invoice, but the dealer was well aware of this LR3's intended purpose so we can't guarantee you'll be able to negotiate a similar deal.

The LR3 SE starts at a base price of just over $44K, but with its lengthy list of options our Adriatic Blue tester came in at $50,745. That price includes every option except the DVD navigation system and center console cooler.

After its first thousand miles, our long-term LR3 feels the way a luxury SUV should. The ride quality is comfortable without feeling sloppy and the controls are right where we expect to see them. "A great view from the driver seat," wrote one editor. "You feel comfortable right away and the controls are well within reach. I don't mind driving it every day."

Unlike the Discovery, the LR3 gets the details right. From radio control knobs with just the right texture to removable storage tray liners to make cleanup easy, the LR3 is a model of ergonomic design. One editor even noted that the door panels were designed to hold a bottle of wine securely. Now that's a luxury SUV that knows its owners.

The Discovery's lack of power is a distant memory thanks to the LR3's strong running 4.4-liter V8 and six-speed automatic transmission. With 300 horsepower and 315 pound-feet of torque, the LR3 feels strong despite a curb weight of 5,426 pounds. After nearly 1,500 miles of mostly highway driving, we're averaging 14.5 miles per gallon.

The LR3's need for frequent gas station breaks isn't very family-friendly, but the versatility of the interior makes up for it. Each individual seat can be folded flat, and it doesn't take quality time with the owner's manual to figure it out. One editor even commented that she liked the versatility of the seats so much she found herself playing with the configurations far more often than she had in any other SUV. She stopped just short of saying it was fun, but admitted that her daughter thought it was.

With no complaints to speak of, the LR3 has passed its initial shakedown in the long-term fleet. We may never like calling it LR3 instead of Discovery, but it's looking like it will be memorable for more than just its name.

Current Odometer: 1,471
Best Fuel Economy: 15.3 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 13.8 mpg
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 14.5 mpg
Body Repair Costs: None
Maintenance Costs: None
Problems: None

[CaseyNPham]

Ooh, goody, my cousin wants to buy an LR3. She's a chef/caterer and I guess she needs to bring all her equipment to places sometimes.  how long have you had the car? Oops, I mean SUV. "^_^"

[R33 GT-R]

Good read.

[BMWDave]

Ooh, goody, my cousin wants to buy an LR3. She's a chef/caterer and I guess she needs to bring all her equipment to places sometimes.  how long have you had the car? Oops, I mean SUV. "^_^"

I have a Discovery II, and I am very happy with it.  This was a long term test by Edmunds though.  

[ifcar]

Ooh, goody, my cousin wants to buy an LR3. She's a chef/caterer and I guess she needs to bring all her equipment to places sometimes.  how long have you had the car? Oops, I mean SUV. "^_^"

And the off-road capability.  

There are dozens of cars with similar or more interior space than the LR3, and many that do other things better as well. Unless she'd be going off-road, there isn't much point.

[Alan]

1471 miles is "long term"!?    

[BMWDave]

1471 miles is "long term"!?  

This is a long term introduction  

[ifcar]

1471 miles is "long term"!? 

This is a long term introduction

Even if it were only 1,500 miles, that's more testing than anyone else short of CR does.

[BMWDave]

1471 miles is "long term"!??

This is a long term introduction

Even if it were only 1,500 miles, that's more testing than anyone else short of CR does.

True