I have had a loaner D5 for a week Ask Me Anything (LR4 owner)

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machmike

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I have had a loaner D5 with 300 miles on it.

Here are my initial observations:

  • Much bigger than I thought. For that matter than it looks while moving
  • Feels very heavy.
  • Drives like a ford explorer (older ones)
  • Turning radius is NOT good. I had to do a 3 point turn on a residential street.
  • More road noise than I expected. Maybe those 20" are the culprit.
  • Seats are better than LR4 - This really surprised me
  • Some controls are still set for right-hand drive (***). An example includes volume knob for the radio.
  • Navigation system - 10+ this is what the 16 LR4 should have had.
  • Kids have a really tough time climbing in.
  • Visibility is worse than LR4.
  • Rear Cargo area and the sitting platform is terrible. Space is adequate.
  • The back end is as hideous as we all think.
  • Looks grow on you a bit.
  • Too much plastic in strange places on interior
  • Door handles awkwardly placed in the interior. They are very low on the door panel IMO.
  • Feels like an extra 2" for rear passengers - nice
  • Glass tinting is much better than LR4
  • Headroom feels lower. This could be an illusion though.
  • Sun visors are much less effective in this interior. (Should I chalk this up to no sun days for testing in Britain?)
  • Air vents are less effective at lower speeds. They are further away from the driver.
  • LATCH system for car seats is easier to use, however, the weird panel to conceal them gets in the way of the seats.
Currently, I would NOT consider purchasing this vehicle.

I asked the LR dealer if I could take it on their offroad course. It is the molded up/down/tilt 45deg rock obstacle course that is about 200 feet long. They said "Unfortunately Land Rover is NOT that company anymore" "We haven't used the course in 10 months".
 

mbw

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Does it feel heavy because of the engine/transmission or because of how it stops (nosedive) or corners?

I would assume the 20 or 22" wheels would impact it quite a bit.
 

machmike

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It actually stops much like the LR4 (very well). It feels very long and heavy/solid like a piece of lead. This is not a vehicle that aspires to be off-road even though it is clearly capable of it we had a nice ICE/snow storm on Thursday and it handled the skating rink atmosphere very well . It feels like a 70/30 truck. 70% in town 30% off-road. The handling is very nice I feel like I'm turning a barge, unlike the LR4 which feels more tug-boat like in comparison. It seems to sit about the same height as a stock LR4, but I find it hard to get in and out of.

With some nerf bars/rock sliders, wheel flares, a lift and some off-road wheels and tires 18" It would definitely look better.

It doesn't appear you can control the suspension manually either. o_O
 

machmike

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IF anyone wants me to take pictures or go do something they are curious about with it I'm game! it looks like I have it for another 3 days or so days.
 

machmike

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I'm not finding a way to raise and lower the suspension manually.

This is a vehicle for someone who doesn't want a minivan likes luxury or is a snob. It is very nice to drive. defrost works like ****. vents are not effective. We had about 4" of icy snow here, it drove VERY well. Traction control has definitely been improved upon from the LR4.

Looks:
Wheel flares, aftermarket bumpers (especially the rear bumper), 18" wheels and A/T or M/T aggressive tires would help the rear end and the stance.
 

remember5

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I'm really dying for one, so any observations are appreciated. Are you sure you don't have a coil spring version, the 7 seater has the air bag suspension but the 5 seater does not. At least as far as I can tell comparing packages. Also it seems you get 7 passengers/Air Suspension/2 speed Transfer case as a package. What exactly do you dislike about the tailgate/rear hatch, its one piece and power operated, not split like the LR3 and 4. Also when you mentioned the Nav, is it the meridian system or the 8" version with buttons on the sides of the screen?
 

machmike

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The version I have is loaded. Vision package and everything. I could double check on the coils..I don't even see a place where a physical button would be to raise and lower. The tailgate, it is weird. the 30/70 split was much nicer IMO. It was a nicer sitting platform than the new little ledge.
 

ktm525

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Window tint. When you say better do you mean darker?

Where is the world are you? I prefer lighter tints as for 6 months out of the year there is very little daylight here as is.
 

ktm525

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I have had a loaner D5 with 300 miles on it.



I asked the LR dealer if I could take it on their offroad course. It is the molded up/down/tilt 45deg rock obstacle course that is about 200 feet long. They said "Unfortunately Land Rover is NOT that company anymore" "We haven't used the course in 10 months".

LR/Tata got very lucky with a lineup of SUV/CUVs when the market went in that direction. Once the CUV craze ebbs then I believe LR will have a hard time being relevant.
 

catman

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