Drove the new Discovery and I'm totally confused now.

[Surfrider77]

@epiclr4 What AC issues did you have? It really isn't ever an issue discussed on this forum, so it can't be very common. Hell, I am in the middle east and regularly see 110-120F+ for a large part of the year. My AC has never let me down.

I am still flabbergasted with LR's decision to downgrade the 375hp/375tq 5.0 V8 to the 335hp/340tq SCV6. Lots of manufacturers are moving to forced induction (mostly turbo) engines, but all tend to make better power than what they replaced. That said, the SCV6 is all derived from a dinosaur of an engine. They simply need new modernized turbo engines to compete with everyone else.

 

[PaulLR3]

@epiclr4 I am still flabbergasted with LR's decision to downgrade the 375hp/375tq 5.0 V8 to the 335hp/340tq SCV6. Lots of manufacturers are moving to forced induction (mostly turbo) engines, but all tend to make better power than what they replaced. That said, the SCV6 is all derived from a dinosaur of an engine. They simply need new modernized turbo engines to compete with everyone else.

I totally agree. The engine is the one aspect that keeps bringing me back to considering the Q7. The Audi 3.0T supercharged engine is clearly better. Sounds better, happy to rev and gets better mpg too.

 

[mpinco]

@epiclr4 ......I am still flabbergasted with LR's decision to downgrade the 375hp/375tq 5.0 V8 to the 335hp/340tq SCV6. Lots of manufacturers are moving to forced induction (mostly turbo) engines, but all tend to make better power than what they replaced. That said, the SCV6 is all derived from a dinosaur of an engine. They simply need new modernized turbo engines to compete with everyone else.

The SCV6 was derived from the 5.0 V8, hardly a dinosaur.

New Jaguar V8 revealed in Detroit

That design makes lots of torque early in the power band and better matches a vehicle targeted at off-road vs. smaller turbo engines that lag and produce less torque.

For offroad and towing I'll take displacement or supercharging over turbo any day.

 

[mpinco]

I totally agree. The engine is the one aspect that keeps bringing me back to considering the Q7. The Audi 3.0T supercharged engine is clearly better. Sounds better, happy to rev and gets better mpg too.

The Audi is 700 lbs lighter than a D5. It should get better fuel mileage. As for engine, a better comparison would be hp/torque curves. Suspect the Audi produces that power at higher revs, a feature pretty useless in an offroad or tow vehicle.

 

[colorover]

A few thoughts from an owner with combined ~150k miles in an LR3 and SCV6 LR4. We've had our LR4 loaded with people, dog, luggage, and drag from skis on the roof, and the SCV6 has been excellent. Effortless at highway speeds up to and over 80mph, climbing steep grades at high altitude. I'd love a V8, but I think a lot of the negative comments have more to do with the *thought* of downgrading the power v. their actual performance. The 8 speed is a gem and keeps the engine nicely in its sweet spot, without a lot of hunting. Short of a 400+ hp V8, this engine wins. Only thing I truly do not like is the rotary shift knob.

I've been looking to replace the LR3 with something and can only get myself to do it since we still have the LR4. Holding on tight until we see a Defender, otherwise we'll be in a Land Cruiser or (big maybe) G550. My summary of the other options:

Q7: Lovely car but as others said its a lifted wagon without distinction. Fine but bland.
GL: Big outside and less roomy inside than an LR. High seating position with good visibility. Awkward seat configuration with the overdone headrests. Drives nice, but not an offroader.
GC: Very good car, a lot of value for the price, can feel the ML heritage in some places and still has the off road chops. Cheap interior and lacks distinction. Also have to deal with FCA dealers. Much smaller car.
X5: I've owned BMW sports cars for 15+ years, just no longer the same quality or sporting dynamics that made them unique. I honestly wouldn't consider even one with the TT V8 (except an X5M, but then you're not going off road and its $110k)
LC: Best direct substitute, but huge dimensions with less usable space. Third row side folding seats are annoying. Pricey now at mid to upper $80s.
XC90: Looks very nice outside, but the complexity of the higher end hybrid powertrain scares me. Not a very usable 3rd row (if that matters).

I'm actually looking at doing something totally different and going with a Raptor for a while. I'm sure I'll get it out of my system after a bit, but such a unique driving experience.

 

[epiclr4]

@epiclr4 What AC issues did you have? It really isn't ever an issue discussed on this forum, so it can't be very common. Hell, I am in the middle east and regularly see 110-120F+ for a large part of the year. My AC has never let me down.

I had a thread on this forum of my vehicle and talked about it there. Ultimately I bought the LR4 in the winter time and so once it started getting hot realized the AC wouldn't work. They replaced everything in the entire system at least once and it still wouldn't work. Talking to guys who still work at the dealership they all say they have never seen the issue again. I think it was the luck of the draw but between dealing with the dealership and the process of lemon lawing it the other half refused to have another one. Now today she says a different story as I think she really liked the LR4 and misses it as well.

I am still flabbergasted with LR's decision to downgrade the 375hp/375tq 5.0 V8 to the 335hp/340tq SCV6. Lots of manufacturers are moving to forced induction (mostly turbo) engines, but all tend to make better power than what they replaced. That said, the SCV6 is all derived from a dinosaur of an engine. They simply need new modernized turbo engines to compete with everyone else.

Still say the dream would be the LR4 Body/Chassis, 50i BMW Engine, BMW iDrive and RRS active sway bars all put together in the LR4. Would be my ideal vehicle.

A few thoughts from an owner with combined ~150k miles in an LR3 and SCV6 LR4. We've had our LR4 loaded with people, dog, luggage, and drag from skis on the roof, and the SCV6 has been excellent. Effortless at highway speeds up to and over 80mph, climbing steep grades at high altitude. I'd love a V8, but I think a lot of the negative comments have more to do with the *thought* of downgrading the power v. their actual performance. The 8 speed is a gem and keeps the engine nicely in its sweet spot, without a lot of hunting. Short of a 400+ hp V8, this engine wins. Only thing I truly do not like is the rotary shift knob.

I've been looking to replace the LR3 with something and can only get myself to do it since we still have the LR4. Holding on tight until we see a Defender, otherwise we'll be in a Land Cruiser or (big maybe) G550. My summary of the other options:

Q7: Lovely car but as others said its a lifted wagon without distinction. Fine but bland.
GL: Big outside and less roomy inside than an LR. High seating position with good visibility. Awkward seat configuration with the overdone headrests. Drives nice, but not an offroader.
GC: Very good car, a lot of value for the price, can feel the ML heritage in some places and still has the off road chops. Cheap interior and lacks distinction. Also have to deal with FCA dealers. Much smaller car.
X5: I've owned BMW sports cars for 15+ years, just no longer the same quality or sporting dynamics that made them unique. I honestly wouldn't consider even one with the TT V8 (except an X5M, but then you're not going off road and its $110k)
LC: Best direct substitute, but huge dimensions with less usable space. Third row side folding seats are annoying. Pricey now at mid to upper $80s.
XC90: Looks very nice outside, but the complexity of the higher end hybrid powertrain scares me. Not a very usable 3rd row (if that matters).

I'm actually looking at doing something totally different and going with a Raptor for a while. I'm sure I'll get it out of my system after a bit, but such a unique driving experience.

This really is a great list. I've thought about every one of these vehicles and yet I have a burning desire like @colorover to own a Raptor. Deep burning desire that every time I bring it up the misses ****** on and puts out. Such a great blend of power, big tires, size, space and still a truck with a bed. Honestly really hoping the new Wrangler Pickup truck comes true as I think it would better suit my life/needs than a full sized truck.

 

[manoftaste]

Still say the dream would be the LR4 Body/Chassis, 50i BMW Engine, BMW iDrive and RRS active sway bars all put together in the LR4. Would be my ideal vehicle.

And the Adaptive Dynamic Suspension (from the FFRR), a must for LR4 But again then the LR4 would start competing with its big brother.

IMHO, this internal competition with the FFRR and the LR's desire to keep the distance between LR4 and its big brother, is the main reason why LR4 never got those things that it needed and would have benefited the most from in LR' entire lineup, even as options. And to maintain that distance, even the wood trim options have been cheap looking despite what the bloggers-turned-car critics say. Even the older and much cheaper LR2' wood trim looked more posh and luxurious than LR4's. And all other vehicles in its class have had better looking/feeling wood trim such as the Lexus GX 460 and even the older 470.

The SCV8 with its massive low-end torque, at least as an option would have been an excellent choice for LR4 with its weight and offroad duties, but again, it would have then competed with the RR.

They have had an excellent product which was maturing well and had an amazing potential to reach great reliability standards and undo some of that classic LR reliability reputation, but they killed it

 

[PaulLR3]

I've been looking to replace the LR3 with something and can only get myself to do it since we still have the LR4. Holding on tight until we see a Defender, otherwise we'll be in a Land Cruiser or (big maybe) G550.

So true. We have 2 LR4's so I'm willing to part with mine as it approaches 60K miles and is still holding it's trade-in value far better than our LR3 did. I already told my wife that we are keeping her LR4 forever.

 

[PaulLR3]

The Audi is 700 lbs lighter than a D5. It should get better fuel mileage. As for engine, a better comparison would be hp/torque curves. Suspect the Audi produces that power at higher revs, a feature pretty useless in an offroad or tow vehicle.

No, according to the brochures the D5 weighs 187 pounds LESS than the Q7. LR says the D5 with gas engine weighs 4751 and Audi has the Q7 at 4938.

 

[mpinco]

No, according to the brochures the D5 weighs 187 pounds LESS than the Q7. LR says the D5 with gas engine weighs 4751 and Audi has the Q7 at 4938.

Yup, not sure were I got the Audi weight. Tow capacity is also the same as the D5.

That said, I would still lean D5 as it is more of an off-road vehicle. But I already have a LR4 so not in the market. If I were it would be another LR4 5.0L