L319 vs. L462...

[Quijote]

Considering the LR3/4 chassis was designed at the turn of the millennium, it would be an apocalyptic failure if the D5 were not substantially better. It had all the time in the world to develop.

I just don't care for the looks.

 

[cperez]

I am a long term LR4 owner and have vowed that we will only part upon one of ours unrepairable death.
However I have driven a few stock D5's in some very technical situations, at various LR events and outings with friends, and they have outperformed my semi-built LR4 everytime.
Not an easy thing to admit.
I am not a fan of the looks of the D5, they are not horrible but could be better. Properly kitted, like the Lucky8 D5 can change a few a few minds
The same argument was had about the LR3... now LR4 styling back in the early 2000s. However it is now considered a piece of the LR heritage. The D5 will eventually be there too.

I like tradition and while that may sound like I'm close-minded about new things, the opposite is true. Every tradition had to begin somewhere. I'm willing to give the D5 a chance. I'm not a "Never D5'er" if you get my drift. I prefer my LR4 but admit that it is largely an emotional attachment.

Like you, I have seen the D5 in action. Earlier this year I was the only stock LR4s at an offroad outing on private property here in Maryland. An LR dealer rep showed up in a brand-new stock D5 and I started chatting him up. I decided that I would stick on his tail throughout the day and wouldn't attempt anything that he didn't/couldn't do. We had a blast and other LR owners were loving it as we scrambled up/over/through various obstacles and plenty of mud and ruts (no rock crawling, though we did clamber over our share of logs and roots in the woods). The terrain was wet and muddy and one D1 owner nearly tore his rear bumper off in one deep hole. The only thing that made the D5 throw in the towel was when we got to a really overgrown area and he didn't want to pinstripe the dealership's brand new demo vehicle. TBH, I didn't want to do that to mine either. But I came away with a level of respect from seeing the D5 perform in the wild.

Still not loving the looks of the D5, but I have moved from bummed out to neutral about it. That's progress.

I think LR is doing a good job of "selling" the D5 evolution through videos like this one I saw today. They are focusing less on looks and more on performance and capabilities:

 

[cperez]

I kind of dig the looks of the D5. Yeah, not as rugged / iconic as the LR4, but certainly looks more refined and solidly built compared to an Explorer, in its own quirky way.

That's my main hangup which is largely cosmetic (although form and function are closely tied together in the LR3/4): lack of rugged/iconic looks. Admittedly, a new design rarely comes right out of the box looking "iconic" unless the designers were deliberately going after an homage look. By definition a new design hasn't had time to achieve that level of recognition. Maybe in time.

 

[ktm525]

With the D5's longer wheelbase is the break over angle less than the LR4?

 

[jaguardoc504]

With the D5's longer wheelbase is the break over angle less than the LR4?

At stock height it is slightly increased. But lifted and the change to suspension geometry, and slightly higher lift. It is actually slightly better.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[sonicpix]

Nice Ford Explorer.

I think the same. The new LRs look like Ford's .

 

[sonicpix]

I drove one. I did not like it as it felt like I was sitting in a bathtub. The tailgate opening is beyond ridiculous and the meaningless offset licence plate mounting is awful. Why do people keep comparing this to a Ford Explorer? The D5 is $30k more expensive than a mid Explorer (Canada) . For that price it better have a few more niceties. We should be comparing this to a Land Cruiser.

Personally I am waiting for a Jeep Grand Wagoneer with a big ol proper V8.

The new LRs have a lot of styling simarities to the Ford's. I swear Ford has contracted out their design staff to Tata. I also see front end similarities for my LR3 to a flex .

 

[TheWidup]

The new LRs have a lot of styling simarities to the Ford's. I swear Ford has contracted out their design staff to Tata. I also see front end similarities for my LR3 to a flex .

I was just thinking about that the other day. I went to Ford in 2012 to buy a flex. Left with a f-150. Loved the look of the flex but couldn't pass up the truck. I saw a Flex this week and thought: it's just the design of a LR3/4 that rides lower. (and without the capabilities of a LR) It explains my draw to my LR.

 

[TCM75]

Still not loving the looks of the D5, but I have moved from bummed out to neutral about it. That's progress.

I'm kind of moving in that direction, too.

I think a welded rear bumper (with step) would go a long way to fix the bulbous rear look...but it would extend the rear overhang by a few inches. As long as that's happening a new tailgate with integrated steps to the roof would solve the not-asymmetrical-enough problem.

 

[catman]

The Disco Sport is getting a slight rear end makeover for 2019, so I would suspect the D5 will get a few tweaks for 2020. Now that the Defender is looking to be a chiselled box, more like an evolution of the D4, I think people will not care as much about the design of the D5.