manoftaste
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- Sep 18, 2006
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Last week, I drove to the dealership in our 2013 LR4 LUX HD and a couple of hours later left the dealership in our new 2016 Landmark HD. I was quite skeptical at first (the whole V6 vs V8, the gear selector rotatory knob vs the lever, etc, etc.) but I have been very pleasantly surprised so far.
Here are my first impressions, mostly about the drivetrain and suspension, and some Quality Control nonsense that should not really be there:
SUSPENSION:
The first thing that I noticed soon after leaving the lot was how much more refined the suspension was in 2016 compared to my former 2013 LR4, thus adding to the overall ride quality. The drive home included both the freeway (that lovely and ever so welcoming 405) and the city driving. The ride in 16 is much smoother and better composed over uneven and bumpy surfaces, with almost no judder. It soaks up smaller bumps and surface unevenness much better, and the front wheels do not not just flow right into the path/direction that the bumps want them to go into, like used to happen in my 13 LR4. And this smooth ride is with the 20 inch wheels (with less rubber/sidewalls) that came standard with my 2016, vs my former LR4' 19 inch wheels.
I remember when I traded in my LR3 for LR4 a few years ago, the ride home that day was a bit on the firmer side and wasn't as plush and buttoned down as LR3. I can elaborate on the whole suspension experience later.
SCV6:
This has been a bit surprise for me so far, perhaps because I am still in the break in mode and by no means pushing the vehicle in any way.
My biggest fear was that this is where I would notice the most difference (going from V8 to SCV6), but honestly, I am a bit pleasantly surprised. During normal everyday driving, this little SCV6 really could. Granted right now I have been driving like an eighty year old, the engine pulls without feeling stressed. No struggle or higher RPMs required (like my former 2006 LR3).
With only about a 127 miles on the truck, I'd say, in the city driving, its very comparable to almost the same as the V8. And on the freeway as well, with me not having gone above 60 mph yet and without doing any hard pulls etc, it feels the same as far as the effortlessness. And this particular truck is loaded with extra weight of the running boards, full size spare, tow package (that heavy tow hitch stowed inside the vehicle) with wiring harness, Longer/Full length roof rails, and the extra weight of the rear seat entertainment headrests. I mean the brochure for 2016 mentions the weights starting at 5840 Lbs
. So I am guessing, mine maybe over 6000 Lbs.
Only two or three hours after I had pulled into the dealership with my V8, and with that right foot/pedal force to the V8/vehicle' response ratio still fresh in my memory, As I started driving my new SCV6 LR4 (probably a bit heavier than my V8 LR4) for the first time, with both of my slightly overweight parents in my new car, I was a bit surprised at the level of refinement, lack of engine stress, and just overall effortlessness. The drivetrain pulled nicely going up the hill/mountain pass on the 405 with no sign of stress or struggle.
I was weary of a bit of a crude feel that you get when you just start driving a brand new car due to everything/part being new and fresh and still in need of settling in. I remember experiencing just that when I switched from my buttery smooth and well broken in LR3 HSE with almost 50k miles to my new 2013 LR4 LUX. It was like a bit night and day. The engine in LR4 was much smoother but the overall drivetrain/suspension refinement fully came in after a few thousand miles.
With respect to SCV6, another important thing that I noticed immediately was the absence of the supercharger whine. And I do remember that whine very clearly from when I test drove an SCV6 last year. It may very well be that I am not pushing the engine yet (though I dont remember pushing the engine on the test drive vehicle either) or it could be that hey may have tuned or modified something under the hood to muffle the sound. Either way the current engine sound is definitely not that same annoying flimsy V6 sound that I had feared.
TRANSMISSION:
The only annoying thing I have noticed so far is when you are coming to a very slow stop from a slow speed, the vehicle jerks a bit due to abrupt downshift(s) and you hear a muted noise as well, like metal to metal noise. It happened literally first few seconds right after I started driving for the first time as I pulled up the exit gate at the dealership. By now I have noticed it at least three or four times. Service Manager relates this to the transmission learning my style. Hope it will go away soon.
Another aspect, which is more related to the engine perhaps, sometimes as you start driving again slowly after a complete stop or from very slow speed (like when slowly pulling into a parking space while turning etc) the engine throttles up bit quickly without that intention with the vehicle lunging forward a bit, and then comes under control as you ease off the gas. Not sure if its an attribute of the supercharger kicking in etc, but for sure is annoying.
Have to run now but will post later about some gremlins and quality control crap that they really need to get right by now, its 2016 and not 1996 anymore, buyers notice these things.
Oh, one more thing: I just effing hate that rotary knob shifter. Not efficient at all. Cant throw the transmission into sports mode as quickly as I could with that lever on my older LR4 during any type of evasive maneuvers for that extra vehicle control and engine/drivetrain braking. It just purely sucks. They've got to give that shifter/lever back to us.
Here are my first impressions, mostly about the drivetrain and suspension, and some Quality Control nonsense that should not really be there:
SUSPENSION:
The first thing that I noticed soon after leaving the lot was how much more refined the suspension was in 2016 compared to my former 2013 LR4, thus adding to the overall ride quality. The drive home included both the freeway (that lovely and ever so welcoming 405) and the city driving. The ride in 16 is much smoother and better composed over uneven and bumpy surfaces, with almost no judder. It soaks up smaller bumps and surface unevenness much better, and the front wheels do not not just flow right into the path/direction that the bumps want them to go into, like used to happen in my 13 LR4. And this smooth ride is with the 20 inch wheels (with less rubber/sidewalls) that came standard with my 2016, vs my former LR4' 19 inch wheels.
I remember when I traded in my LR3 for LR4 a few years ago, the ride home that day was a bit on the firmer side and wasn't as plush and buttoned down as LR3. I can elaborate on the whole suspension experience later.
SCV6:
This has been a bit surprise for me so far, perhaps because I am still in the break in mode and by no means pushing the vehicle in any way.
My biggest fear was that this is where I would notice the most difference (going from V8 to SCV6), but honestly, I am a bit pleasantly surprised. During normal everyday driving, this little SCV6 really could. Granted right now I have been driving like an eighty year old, the engine pulls without feeling stressed. No struggle or higher RPMs required (like my former 2006 LR3).
With only about a 127 miles on the truck, I'd say, in the city driving, its very comparable to almost the same as the V8. And on the freeway as well, with me not having gone above 60 mph yet and without doing any hard pulls etc, it feels the same as far as the effortlessness. And this particular truck is loaded with extra weight of the running boards, full size spare, tow package (that heavy tow hitch stowed inside the vehicle) with wiring harness, Longer/Full length roof rails, and the extra weight of the rear seat entertainment headrests. I mean the brochure for 2016 mentions the weights starting at 5840 Lbs
. So I am guessing, mine maybe over 6000 Lbs.Only two or three hours after I had pulled into the dealership with my V8, and with that right foot/pedal force to the V8/vehicle' response ratio still fresh in my memory, As I started driving my new SCV6 LR4 (probably a bit heavier than my V8 LR4) for the first time, with both of my slightly overweight parents in my new car, I was a bit surprised at the level of refinement, lack of engine stress, and just overall effortlessness. The drivetrain pulled nicely going up the hill/mountain pass on the 405 with no sign of stress or struggle.
I was weary of a bit of a crude feel that you get when you just start driving a brand new car due to everything/part being new and fresh and still in need of settling in. I remember experiencing just that when I switched from my buttery smooth and well broken in LR3 HSE with almost 50k miles to my new 2013 LR4 LUX. It was like a bit night and day. The engine in LR4 was much smoother but the overall drivetrain/suspension refinement fully came in after a few thousand miles.
With respect to SCV6, another important thing that I noticed immediately was the absence of the supercharger whine. And I do remember that whine very clearly from when I test drove an SCV6 last year. It may very well be that I am not pushing the engine yet (though I dont remember pushing the engine on the test drive vehicle either) or it could be that hey may have tuned or modified something under the hood to muffle the sound. Either way the current engine sound is definitely not that same annoying flimsy V6 sound that I had feared.
TRANSMISSION:
The only annoying thing I have noticed so far is when you are coming to a very slow stop from a slow speed, the vehicle jerks a bit due to abrupt downshift(s) and you hear a muted noise as well, like metal to metal noise. It happened literally first few seconds right after I started driving for the first time as I pulled up the exit gate at the dealership. By now I have noticed it at least three or four times. Service Manager relates this to the transmission learning my style. Hope it will go away soon.
Another aspect, which is more related to the engine perhaps, sometimes as you start driving again slowly after a complete stop or from very slow speed (like when slowly pulling into a parking space while turning etc) the engine throttles up bit quickly without that intention with the vehicle lunging forward a bit, and then comes under control as you ease off the gas. Not sure if its an attribute of the supercharger kicking in etc, but for sure is annoying.
Have to run now but will post later about some gremlins and quality control crap that they really need to get right by now, its 2016 and not 1996 anymore, buyers notice these things.
Oh, one more thing: I just effing hate that rotary knob shifter. Not efficient at all. Cant throw the transmission into sports mode as quickly as I could with that lever on my older LR4 during any type of evasive maneuvers for that extra vehicle control and engine/drivetrain braking. It just purely sucks. They've got to give that shifter/lever back to us.
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