Another LR3 Loaner Review

[JamesWyatt]

This won't be comprehensive and will stick to on road observations. The vehicle I'm driving as a loaner is an 06 LR3 SE with black exterior and tan leather.

1. EXTERIOR

I can't say much for the LR3 in its stock form. I don't dislike it, but I don't love it either. The body style looks like a refined American SUV with more European flare than British character. It's more "fancy pants" than what I'm used to from Land Rover. Just to approach it I felt like I needed to be wearing leather boat shoes without socks and a Polo shirt tucked into belted shorts. The black exterior color was perhaps classing up the joint too much for me. Maybe white or that neat green color would have seemed less aloof. Maybe.

When viewed from the outside, the whole vehicle seems too low to the ground. I really do not like the stance of the vehicle. People who are so old they have to crawl into a vehicle should be at that time in their life where they can afford a full size Ranger Rover. They should have left the safari-ready stance of the Discovery the fuck alone. Some of us get around without a walker and a drool cup. Even the stock height D2 with stock wheels still has a goat-like stance that inspires confidence. When I looked at the LR3 in my driveway, all I could think about was, "Damn, I hope I don't hit a speed bump and damage that front end." The front end looks expensive and flimsy at the same time. How they managed to design the front bumper to give both impressions at the same time is quite impressive.​

2. INTERIOR

The biggest similarity to the D2? Cup holder grip. My styrofoam Chick-Fil-A cup took the cup holder insert hostage and kept lifting it out of the console. I got quite a chuckle out of the fact that they kept that one thing from the D2. Oh, they also kept the awkwardness of the sliding mesh thing under the sunroof; however, they actually made it more difficult to use because now it's just one giant screen that's impossible to close without skilled practice. That's where the similarities end.

I found myself thinking I was in an Volkswagen Passat, mainly because of the dash top and gauge cluster, but also because of some other things I'll mention later. Other than the gauges, I liked the interior design quite a bit. But I always liked the style of the interior from the Freelanders, so that's why I felt OK inside. But I knew I wasn't in a Freelander because my head didn't hit the roof. :applause:

I liked all the controls and knobs and buttons, particularly the A/C knob. I love getting to set the fan speed with a knob instead of that annoying-as-hell "beep beep beep beep" button on the D2 (which reminds me of trying to get to a specific song on an 8-track tape. :banghead: )

The sunroof functioned well, though the fact that you cannot open the rear sunroof is a downgrade from the cool factor of the D2.

The tan leather was nice and the way it went with the black trim all around was impressive.

Dual glove boxes = neato.

Oh-shit handles you can actually use were a nice touch.

Stereo kicks ass, especially the radio. Who knew a Land Rover could actually get in an FM station without crackling?

Visibility is great, even in the SE with the headrests up. I don't know why people are reporting problems with this. It's so much easier to see out of than my D2, especially with a bigger spare on there.

I had plenty of room in the front seat. I hate in the D2 how my left shoulder hits the pillar when sitting up straight. I usually lean toward the center console so as not to notice.

OK, now for my biggest gripe about the LR3. The waist portion of the seat belt is one of those that keeps working down on you tighter and tighter. The lap belt is also positioned slightly too high. A lap belt with a death grip is a "walk away" factor for me with a vehicle.

In a close second for worst LR3 feature was the contour of the front seat. The seat was adjustable every which way but comfortable. I couldn't figure out why I couldn't find a control to adjust out the lumbar turtle under the seat that kept mocking my lower back. On the Land Rover website, there's an interior photo from the LR3 showing a knob on the side of the seat back, which I assume is lumbar support control. No such knob on my loaner. And why, pray tell, did the designers decide that a forward-leaning head rest was a good idea? I swear, I felt like the letter "C" sitting in that thing.
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3. RIDE

Sitting in the vehicle I felt too low. I felt like I was driving a car. Sitting in the front seat I didn't feel in control of a tough vehicle. Even in a Freelander I could get a good look out over the hood, and the view is more machismo.

The ride quality was very impressive. It drove smoothly, reminding me again of the Passat or Touareg.

Acceleration with the V8 was stout but clumsy. The transmission shifts are abrupt, probably because the motor's power band is all over the place. From a stop you either launch forward and give yourself whiplash, or you crawl ahead slowly. This is not an easy vehicle to drive moderately. At all speeds, you need to either drive it hard, or drive like a granny. This thing feels like a D2 in ultra-sport mode. Downshifting is this vehicle's favorite thing to do.

Interior noise on the road was very low. The tires, however, have a high pitched whine on concrete at highway speeds that is quite annoying. It also had a rattle somewhere inside the vehicle, which is made worse by the fact that the noise level inside is so quiet. At least in my D2 I have so many rattles and noises that it blends together. If my D2 ever quit rattling inside, it would be like those movies where all the crickets get quiet and you know something bad is about to happen...​

4. OVERALL THOUGHTS

I wouldn't mind having one if they changed the front seat design, fixed the seat belt tensioner, and allowed you to have the off road height at all speeds.

This is a very refined vehicle. Probably too refined for me to ever feel at home in one. I would be afraid to take it off road - not because of any lack of ability, but because it's too nice of a vehicle to get crapped up. The thought of even going over a curb made me feel uncomfortable.

My wife loved it and had no complaints, other than she'd probably like it to be more of the size of the RRS. Land Rover really nailed the female market with this one (pun intended)​

 

[Alyssa]

As for the jerkiness... the transmission is adaptive, so it learns your driving style. Since you had a loaner, and God knows how many people drive it, the poor car can't really "adapt" to anything. So they all end up being jerky.

The new headrest design is a trend in vehicles, and it has to do with whiplash prevention. You're never supposed to "rest" your head on a head rest. If you're just the right height, though, yes, they are very annoying. The trick to the LR3 is that you DON'T adjust the seat like you did in the DII... i.e. you do NOT sit like you sit in a chair. You have to lean the seat back a little. If you do that, the headrest will become more comfortable. I agree, though... no matter what the safety factor of it, I am of the unfortunate height that makes those darn headrests jab the back of my head.

As for feeling low in the seat, did you raise the seat up? I've never felt that way in an LR3.

 

[JamesWyatt]

As for the jerkiness... the transmission is adaptive, so it learns your driving style. Since you had a loaner, and God knows how many people drive it, the poor car can't really "adapt" to anything. So they all end up being jerky.

The new headrest design is a trend in vehicles, and it has to do with whiplash prevention. You're never supposed to "rest" your head on a head rest. If you're just the right height, though, yes, they are very annoying. The trick to the LR3 is that you DON'T adjust the seat like you did in the DII... i.e. you do NOT sit like you sit in a chair. You have to lean the seat back a little. If you do that, the headrest will become more comfortable. I agree, though... no matter what the safety factor of it, I am of the unfortunate height that makes those darn headrests jab the back of my head.

As for feeling low in the seat, did you raise the seat up? I've never felt that way in an LR3.

The adaptive thing makes me feel better about the way it drives. I think the D2 has this to a lesser extent. I'm sure most people drive loaners like sports cars, so that's why it was responding the way it was.

As for headrest safety, as I understood it you're just supposed to have a head rest that's high enough to keep your head from snapping back over the top of the seat during a rear impact. The LR3 headrest forces my head to be closer to it all the time, which I guess is supposed to help. The problem is that this forward tilt in the headreast creates a gap behind the neck. I have to think in a severe rear end collision it would snap my neck back into the gap while pushing my head forward. Hopefully, this is not as dangerous as it sounds. Even if this is a safer design, I do not find it comfortable for distances longer than 30 minutes, such as my commute to and from work. My neck, though, isn't the uncomfortable point, it's the lower back. Because of the way the headrest is positioned, my lower back has to work harder since the upper back and neck has a gap behind it (hence the feeling that there is a giant lumbar support pushing on my lower back). On a long trip I need a seat that supports my back, neck and head when I lean back. I'm just over 6' tall, and my wife is 5'8'. She says they feel more comfortable than the D2. So I guess it's like you said, it depends on your height. I feel Land Rover should have better made them more comfortable for a wider range of people.

And about feeling low in the seat, it's not that the seating height is bad, it's just that I feel too low compared to the D2. One of the things I've always loved about Land Rovers is the "command style seating", which gives you a nice view down on things. In the LR3 I feel that I'm sitting as I would in a car. Even the Freelander gives me a commanding view, and I'm obviously not sitting as high in that as I am in an LR3.

 

[NHESS81]

At least in my D2 I have so many rattles and noises that it blends together. If my D2 ever quit rattling inside, it would be like those movies where all the crickets get quiet and you know something bad is about to happen...[/INDENT]

...thank you for making me laugh...that is sooo classic and part of the effin a discovery charm...haha

 

[No Pvmt]

I also had a loaner last week. I love the 300 HP! The LR3 reminded me more of a street car and not an off road LR. I did however take it through my dried creek bed on the property and it did very well. However by looking at it, I felt like it was ment to be on the asphalt.

The interior was okay, very quite. I didn't like the seats (not comfy) I agree you sit very low to the ground. Too much of a plastic look & feel. I did like the cargo area, we had the SE7 and the extra space in the back is very nice. The cargo cover is a joke.

The outside plastic is an overkill. I think they could have done a much better job. I did like the hood lines ( kind of Defender like).

Would I recomend it, yes. But not as a go anywhere Land Rover. More as a nice American SUV like James stated that has nice "European flare". My only worry is what I'am I to do if my `04 ever dies.

 

[Alyssa]

Why is the cargo cover a joke? It's beefier than the DII or DI, and it actually has 2 places to go in the car when you aren't using it. I think it's a pretty clever design.

 

[DiscoMastiff]

This is jacked, you get an LR3 as a loaner? I have been to the dealer 3 times for SB's or recall notices and all I got were minivans. From all accounts (minus lockers) they could have been mistaken for an LR3.

 

[JamesWyatt]

This is jacked, you get an LR3 as a loaner? I have been to the dealer 3 times for SB's or recall notices and all I got were minivans. From all accounts (minus lockers) they could have been mistaken for an LR3.

Yup I kept getting stuck with a rental (Durango) or a Buick from Land Rover Dallas. They seem to like to keep their LR3s away from us lesser Disco owners. I started using the other store here for service, Land Rover Frisco. They put me in an LR3 first time out plus got me a quicker appointment. I think the Dallas store doesn't have enough LR3s for all the people coming in for warranty work. I would complain if I were you. When you bought your vehicle, it was probably understood you got a Land Rover as a loaner. People don't buy vehicles this expensive to be stuck in a minivan during service recalls. Sometimes nothing is better than something.

 

[No Pvmt]

The cargo cover does not have a handle nor tab to hold. The material is to thin, the different postions is nice if you can hold the damn thing with a kid n one hand, while trying to load something. I do like the space and the cargo bins.

 

[nwoods]

The upgraded seat option is very very nice compared to the basic seats. I think you had the standard ones. It's one of those hard to determine kind of things on the 5 minute test drive most dealers want to give you.

 

[No Pvmt]

Nathan your LR3 is very nice, I like the all white look (very clean).

 

[nwoods]

Nathan your LR3 is very nice, I like the all white look (very clean).

Thanks! though it's not very clean very often

 

[Amm134]

Just for kicks I drove over to the Land Rover dealership where I bought my 02' Disco back when it was new.

I have to say, up close I liked the look of the LR3 even tho I was not impressed in the past while seeing them on the road etc..... my very clean Discovery II looked dated sitting next to the LR3s on the lot... I haven't felt the urge for a new truck in a long time, but the LR3 is tempting.