How is your new D5?

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Hawkigrad

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It's funny as I originally planned to keep away from the 4 zone system as it slightly reduced the rear cargo space but then the dealer discounted my order by $2000 so I decided to get the cooled seats and thus 7 passenger climate option so I guess I got lucky.

The windshield does have an area at the top near the center to the left and right of the mirror which is clear so that is where I need to put my sticker for the HOv lane. It's only maybe two inches high so depending on how your detector mounts it may or may not work plus you'd have the power cable dangling. it's at the very top of the windshield.
 

zgaspen

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It's funny as I originally planned to keep away from the 4 zone system as it slightly reduced the rear cargo space

Where is the space reduced? I carry our bikes upright inside our LR4 and know the height has been drastically reduced. I tried fitting our road bikes with the demo and needed to open the 3rd sun shade. Need to go down and do the same with 29" wheeled mountain bike. I assume the demo had the 4 zone system due to the $68 sticker, but you never know anymore with all the options....
 

Hawkigrad

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The left side in the very back sticks out a bit farther due to the cilmate system I believe from looking around. I remember seeing it listed as having slightly less cargo space with 4 zone. It only takes up a small amount of space over the 3 zone. Honestly I don't get why they call it 4 zone as there are only two zones to control from what I can tell.
 

zgaspen

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Thanks. The 4 zones (at least in my 2014 LR4) are front and rear and left and right. So hot lately I've actually had the rear zones running even when it's just me in the truck. Comfort seats are the primary reason I want to trade. So a bit concerned about the comments the interior isn't cooling. Sounds like the 4-zone does the trick and I don't think the space will be of concern. Now if my salesman would actually respond to multiple requests for a trade quote, I'll be good. Never been more tempted to test drive a Q7 or XC90 with air suspension and sacrifice some off road ability, but I would much prefer sticking with LR....
 

PaulLR3

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Q7 drives better than the D5 IMHO. Audi SCV6 feels more powerful. Steering feels more accurate with better feedback. But the D5 has more space in the way back since the Q7 roofline slopes forward. The problem I had with the Q7 is no spare tire. You are stuck with run flats if you get a Prestige with the 20" wheels. It gets worse...the beautiful 21" titanium wheels in the black optic package come with a can of fix-a-flat. Wish we could order one in the US with a spare tire in place of the useless third row seats that only fit small kids.
 

zgaspen

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Yeah, I'd prefer no run flats, but I'd probably stick with the premium plus and 19s. And just learned no air suspension on that model (and may not raise anyway). I've heard it's a much better performer and definitely smaller in rear. The already smaller Disco5 just has me looking elsewhere questioning how much I value off-road. Like having a vehicle that can do it all. Just wish the Disco kept a bit more rear cargo height. Volvo won't perform as well, but fits somewhere in between with nearly as much rear space as LR. Better interior also. I'm sure I'll stick with LR - 2nd LR4, just tired of the front seats...hot and not that comfortable for me anymore...
 

nhskibm

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So, after hemming and hawing for a couple of weeks I'm in the process of ordering a D5 - and I'd consider myself an enthusiast.

We recently finally parted with a beloved D2 - the time/cost of keeping it on the road finally got to the tipping point ($20k+ in three years after getting it for free) and I still have a 30 year old bimmer to keep on the road.

When we parted with our D2 we picked up a 2014 Supercharged RRS. Amazing automobile but without warranty (high mileage) and though it is rated to tow 8000lbs we haven't tried towing our Airstream (25' @ 7600lbs) with it. Our main issues with the RRS is that it doesn't allow for us to store bikes upright - you can barely fit one on its side in the back.

We also currently have a 2016 LR4 Landmark. We LOVE this car. We can store 3 bikes upright in the back, it's iconic and reminds us of the D2, and it does tow our AS. Though we had to go with the Curt hitch bolted to the frame with WD to get to the towing capacity. And regardless of the AS/Towing with RR threads it has towed the trailer just fine - though it could be better.

With all of that said we are moving forward with replacing both the RRS and our LR4 with the D5. Here are our reasons:

- My better half decided she wanted a Disco Sport (she's little and the RRS and LR4 were hard to load SUPs on)
- This left me with the RRS and LR4 - and I'm still trying to figure out how to drive both at the same time
- The RRS is by far the superior driving machine, and even though it can tow our AS, we lose valuable overnight interior storage of our bikes (the kind you don't want to leave outside overnight)
- The LR4 has been a workhorse but the bolt on curt hitch/WD mathematical "hack" doesn't fit my bill for a long distance (1k+ mile) tow - though as I've said it's towed great in the 300-400 mile trip around New England.
- The D5 comes with a Diesel that rivals the torque on the RRS
- The D5 comes with 8000lbs of towability without the LR4 tongue weight issue (the reason I have the curt hitch)
- The D5 does drive better than the LR4 (I commute between 50 and 130 miles daily)
- The D5 does store bikes upright with the seats down (brought my biggest mtb to the dealer and tried stuffing it in a full size RR and the D5)
- The technology on the D5 is sweet - I mean massaging seats?!?!
- The D5 has the option to come with a full-size space (per the Audi comment above)
- The D5 is a capable tow AND offroad vehicle (we have plans to spend a month in Moab in the next year)
- Diesel gas is $.20 cheaper a gallon than Super here in NE and the car gets 50% better gas mileage. Combined with dropping to a single car payment and single insurance payment and it is cheaper to operate than the two we have

Effectively while the D5 doesn't drive like a 500hp RRS or is iconic or as utilitarian as an LR4 it does combine as much of the best qualities of both of those vehicles. When test driving it (multiple times) I can feel a little LR4 and a whole lot of RRS. The biggest problem for me is the ugly as all get out rear - but we are ordering the tow package on a black package which helps... a little.

Once the car arrives and we've towed, commuted, offroaded, etc. I'll be sure to get those thoughts up there - but I'll throw my enthusiast joining the "dark side" hat into the ring. Though I've been approved by the boss to buy an LR3 and build it up over the winter to offset the D5 defection...
 

Spyder13

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By the sales figures, they have sold 1400 already, not including July - but the demographics may be completely different than the LR4 - perhaps the intitial wave of buyers are less "forum" oriented. Or everyone is just on summer vacations :burnout:

May
555
June
845

"There is a retractable hook for a shopping bag." As I showed my daughter the progression of Discos over the years it appears as though Land Rover has lost the soul of the original Disco in the new Disco 5.
The height in the back has been reduced, from the LR4, by 1.5". I stand my bikes upright in the back load space of my LR4 using a custom bike rack I made. I can put four bikes in the back of my LR standing them upright. There is no way this would work in the new Disco 5.
LR also took out the split hatch in the back and now has a mini-van style hatch. The split hatch helps with my dog.
There was also no way to get a hitch receiver with the vehicle without a special order and loss of part of the back bumper. This would increase the chance of corrosion due to road salt in the winter. I need the hitch for the additional bike rack. Yes, we have a lot of bikes (mtn, road, cyclo).
There is a possibility for a roof rack, but there is no ladder to climb up to the roof. "That accessory does not yet exist.", according to the dealer.
Overall, the look, utility and roominess of the LR4 was the reason why I rushed to buy one of the last available 2016 models last January to replace my 2007 LR3. I would love to improve the technology, but it is not worth buying something that won't suit our needs.
Land Rover should really revisit what made the Disco a standalone in the market.
 

Davidinseattle

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From what I read on another LR forum, the TD6 discovery is being ordered by people that currently own an aging Touareg TDI. I can see where the Discovery is a good choice if coming out of a Touareg. And if you're a fan of diesel, there aren't many options left in the US.

yeah, too bad VW mucked up the VW Touareg. I have a chance to ride in one for a few different times and I can tell you, it is one of the nicest diesels I've ridden it. And b4 the haters tell me they aren't available for retain, yeah, I know, I wasn't riding around in a retail unit.
 

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