LR4 Reviews

[Rover7777]

First Drive: 2010 Land Rover LR4 [Review]
09/29/2009, 3:31 PMBY DREW JOHNSON




The Discovery has been a staple of Land Rover’s global lineup for about two decades now, but it has long suffered from two major downfalls – asthmatic powertrains and sub-par interiors. However, now in its fourth-generation – and appropriately re-named the LR4 for North American buyers – Land Rover has finally addressed these key issues, transforming the Disco into a truly luxurious off-road champ.

A quick glance at the 2010 LR4 might indicate that Land Rover didn’t put too much effort into the truck’s mid-cycle refresh. Sure the overall look of the LR4 has been refined, but the outside tweaks don’t amount to much more than a revised front fascia and LED lights front and rear. But just as your mother told you, don’t judge a book by its cover.
Land Rover luxury
Open the door to the LR4 and you’ll be greeted by an all new interior. Gone are the hard plastics (everything in the LR4’s cabin is soft touch) and Jeep-like designs, replaced with materials and shapes worthy of the higher-level Range Rover. The LR4’s center stack has been thoroughly redone, including a clean sweep of the LR3’s sea of buttons. Land Rover says there are 50 percent fewer buttons in the LR4 compared to the LR3, and it really shows. With fewer pieces taking up valuable real estate on the center stack, Land Rover designers were able to give the LR4 a healthy dose of style without compromising the brand’s rugged nature.
In order to reduce the number of buttons by half, Land Rover moved many functions to the LR4’s Infotainment touch-screen. Although much more intuitive than many of the systems currently on the market, we’d like to see a bit more integration. For example, the LR4 comes standard with iPod connectivity, but songs can only be changed via the touch-screen, not the steering wheel-mounted controls. In real-world driving, this can unnecessarily take the driver’s focus off driving while hunting for that next song.
But the system works very well overall and also includes a few new features that are just as helpful off-road as they are in the Costco parking lot. New for 2010 is Land Rover’s version of Infiniti’s Around View monitor. By using five exterior cameras – two mounted on the front bumper, two mount under the side-view mirrors and one out back – Land Rover’s Surround Camera System simulates a 360 degree bird’s eye view on the vehicle. All five images are displayed on the LR4’s touch-screen monitor, with several customizable views available. The driver can choose to zoom-in on a single camera view or choose side-by-side shots. The latter is helpful in parallel parking situations and can be used as in invaluable tool off-road.
The Infotainment screen can also be used to display valuable off-road information, such as front wheel angle and wheel positions.
Engine room
Ever since the original Discovery, Land Rover has never blown away customers with world-class powerplants. Horsepower started out at about the 200 mark and slowly climbed to 300 in the LR3. However, the LR4’s engine bay is all-new for 2010, sporting a highly-capable, direct-injection 5.0-liter V8. Designed specifically for Land Rover – although also used by Jaguar – the new motor cranks out 375 horsepower and 375 lb-ft. of torque. More importantly, Land Rover has significantly flattened the engine’s power curves, resulting in more power throughout the rev band.
Coupled with a revised six-speed automatic transmission, the net result is a better driving experience on-road with plenty of low-end grunt to get through the toughest off-road conditions. The LR4 never felt short of breath and had plenty of twist to escape even the muckiest of conditions during our testing.
Driving demeanor
Unlike other automakers, Land Rover faces the unique challenge of producing vehicles that are world-beaters off-road yet can still handle their own on the paved stuff. The Discovery has historically faltered on the latter, but Land Rover has really shored things up with the 2010 LR4. For the new model year, the LR4 now employs the same front suspension used in the Range Rover Sport. The result is a much more planted feel, without the wiggly feeling associated with past Disco models. The LR4 still isn’t a canyon carver, but it’s a huge – and welcome – improvement.
But as good as the LR4 is on-road, it’s even better off. We tested the LR4 on some of Vermont’s toughest roads and the truck never fell short. The LR4 is packed with off-road tech, including Hill Decent Control with Gradient Release Control, Terrain Response and an Electronic Air Suspension. We doubt a high percentage of LR4s will ever be used to their fullest extent, but we can verify that it can handle virtually any road condition with ease – all while offering seating for seven and enough luxury for the red carpet.
Leftlane’s bottom line
Thanks to a vastly improved interior, substantial on-road refinements and a much more capable drivetrain, the 2010 LR4 is now a legitimate contender in the luxury SUV segment. Add in its off-road prowess and the LR4 is simply peerless.
2010 Land Rover LR4 base price, $48,100; As tested, $61,715.
HSE Lux Plus package, $11,115; Rear Seat Entertainment package, $2,500.

 

[toddjb122]

... including a clean sweep of the LR3’s sea of buttons. Land Rover says there are 50 percent fewer buttons in the LR4 compared to the LR3, and it really shows. With fewer pieces taking up valuable real estate on the center stack, Land Rover designers were able to give the LR4 a healthy dose of style without compromising the brand’s rugged nature.
In order to reduce the number of buttons by half, Land Rover moved many functions to the LR4’s Infotainment touch-screen. ...

This is interesting, as my dealer mentioned the same thing when I was looking at the new LR4 in the showroom. I disregarded it, but it seems to be a main marketing pitch with the new vehicle since I heard it in person and this review echo'd it as well.

Since I own an LR3, I have to say I've never had a complaint (my own, my wife, or another driver) on the number of buttons. I guess somewhere along the line they were told so, though...


Where is this review from?

 

[JackMac]

This is interesting, as my dealer mentioned the same thing when I was looking at the new LR4 in the showroom. I disregarded it, but it seems to be a main marketing pitch with the new vehicle since I heard it in person and this review echo'd it as well.

Since I own an LR3, I have to say I've never had a complaint (my own, my wife, or another driver) on the number of buttons. I guess somewhere along the line they were told so, though...


Where is this review from?

The buttons (and interior) on the LR3 don't bother me at all. However, I do recall the initial reaction from a friend, who noted that the central console resembles an ATM machine

 

[Rover7777]

Todd, its from Left Lane....here is the link

http://www.leftlanenews.com/land-rover-lr4-first-drive-review.html

 

[JackMac]

Here is the review from Car and Driver:

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/car/09q3/2010_land_rover_lr4-first_drive_review

2010 Land Rover LR4 - First Drive Review
It will still take you almost anywhere. You’ll just like driving it more on the road now.
BY TONY QUIROGA
August 2009


The Land Rover LR3 is dead, sort of. After bringing only a handful of 2009 LR3s into the U.S., Land Rover changed the name to LR4 for 2010. But it’s not simply a new badge. The LR4 has been extensively revised in several key areas where it previously came up short against the competition.

Bigger Engine, Improved Dynamics

In our past tests of the LR3, we mainly griped about the leisurely acceleration from the 300-hp, 4.4-liter V-8. With about 5800 pounds of body-on-frame SUV to move, the V-8 felt overworked and, in our long-term LR3, ambled to 60 mph in 8.6 seconds. To correct its lack of motivation, a new 375-hp, 5.0-liter direct-injection V-8 has been fitted that vastly improves acceleration and throttle response. Land Rover claims a 0-to-60 run of 7.5 seconds, but we expect that figure to be a bit conservative. This isn’t acceleration that will lead anyone to confuse the LR4 with a sports car, but we’d say that the power has made the transition from insufficient to sufficient.

In our initial road test of the LR3, we praised the elevated seating position that places the driver high above traffic in the rarefied air of the Rover-sphere. However, although the view might have been commanding, the LR3’s clumsy and slow-witted responses to commands made it feel more trucklike and massive than its carlike competition. To alleviate the clumsiness, Land Rover redesigned the LR4’s front suspension, increased the stiffness of the anti-roll bars, and retuned the dampers. The results are better body control, reduced body roll, and improved compliance and ride quality. The LR4 now absorbs bumps better, and its responses from the helm are quicker and without the lumbering pauses that befell the LR3. Larger brakes at each corner are another change that gives the LR4 a more agile feel.

Despite all the changes to improve on-road behavior, the LR4 is still supremely capable off-road. Our drive in Scotland took us through muddy forest trails, rivers, and fields of grazing sheep. By placing the Land Rover’s Terrain Response system into the appropriate setting (general driving, grass/gravel/snow, mud and ruts, rock crawling), the LR4 basically takes care of lifting the vehicle and tailors the throttle response and shift patterns to suit the conditions. Coupled with the excellent traction-control system and the automatically locking center and rear differentials, the LR4 makes it easy to take advantage of the available traction.

Greatly Improved Interior

Inside, the LR4 has a revised interior that brings new switchgear and electronics, more wood, and a more modern look—all of which make for a richer and more premium environment that is nearly on par with the top-of-the-line Range Rover. The exterior styling has been similarly tweaked to look more upscale; the unpainted plastic of the LR3 is now painted on the LR4. A new front bumper is another subtle change, as are new headlights and taillights.

Overall, the result is a cleaner and less utilitarian look that should resonate well with buyers willing to shell out $48,100 to start for the LR4. And although that price is $1350 more than the 2009 LR3, the sum of the changes has created a quicker, more refined, and less clumsy vehicle that retains its off-road abilities.

 

[Rover7777]

Jalopnik First Drive of LR4
2010 Land Rover LR4: First Drive, By Ray Wert, 4:00 PM on Thu Sep 24 2009, 9,176 views
http://jalopnik.com/5366993/2010-lan...r4-first-drive

With a straight-from-the-parts-bin interior and engine, the LR3, Ford-owned Land Rover's luxury off-road-ready-and-willing SUV failed miserably at the "luxury" part. After spending the day driving its successor, the 2010 Land Rover LR4, it looks like India got it right.

Stepping up to the LR4, you immediately see an SUV very similar to the LR3 — but with a few minor updates. The LR4 gets exterior enhancements such as new tail lights, a two-bar mesh grille (with matching fender vents — ooh!) and new front bumper and fenders. But the exterior was never the problem for us.

The two biggest problems we had with the 5,800 lb. LR3 were the clumsy and — thanks to the 300 HP, 315 lb-ft o' torque 4.4-liter V8 under its hood that helped it to chug to 60 mph in an anemic 8.6 seconds — sluggish on-road experience and an interior that seemed to borrow more from the Ford parts bin than a luxury vehicle ought to.

Land Rover's fixed the first problem with a brand new engine for the LR4 — 375 HP, 375 lb-ft of torque 5.0-liter direct-inject V8 — mated to a new, upgraded 6-speed ZF auto tranny with a select-a-gear manumatic system called "Commandshift." The powertrain upgrade's propel the 5,800 lb-plus SUV from 0-to-60 in a manufacturer-claimed 7.5 seconds while simultaneously getting the same 12 / 17 City / Highway fuel economy numbers as the LR3 and helps the once-only-capable-off-road SUV feel like it's got the power necessary to get back home from a to-late-for prep school night date faster than your over-Xanaxed parents can ground you.

But the engine wasn't the LR3's only problem. It was combined with a teeth-rattling suspension. Luckily, Land Rover redesigned the LR4's front suspension, increasing the stiffness of the anti-roll bars, and provided the dampers some much-needed re-tuning. All of those suspension upgrades combine to significantly reduce the LR3's much-maligned tendency for body roll 'round the turns and make the overall on-road driving experience shockingly significantly better.

The LR3 was always capable off-road. Land Rover added some minor updates and tweaks to their Terrain Response system that, combined with the traction-control system and the automatically locking differentials, makes the LR4 even more-so. Whether slipping through two-foot-deep muddy ruts in the hills of Vermont, or scrambling over foots and tree stumps that managed to fell even a mighty Land Rover Defender, the LR4 took on anything in front of it.

But back to the second problem with the ol' LR3 — the interior. If we look at Land Rover's LR2 as the entry-level into the second oldest off-road brand, then the LR3 was always meant to kick things up a notch. For the mid-level buyers in the $45,000+ luxury SUV segment to go "Yeah, I'll try one of those $95,000 Range Rovers — you know, so I can give this to the kids." However, thanks to an interior with a center console that looked like it was built out of alphabet blocks from Peter Horbury's parts bin and plastics that somehow managed to be simultaneously rock-hard and flimsy.

The seven-seater LR4's interior has been completely redesigned from that craggy mess into something that actually approaches luxury rather than sidestepping it to save money. The center console almost flows into the rest of the dash. The key controls have been repositioned to enhance both the appearance as well as ergonomics. And speaking of ergonomics, the LR4 also receives an optional captain's chair with side bolstering — a must-have for off-roading in order to avoid smacking your left side into the door on sudden, steep sideways descents. And speaking of the seats — thank god for Land Rover's continuing use of infinite-adjusting arm rests. I wish more automakers still had anything approaching that minor, but important, accoutrement.

The LR4 is substantially better than its parts-bin-born predecessor and shows that maybe Land Rover's new Indian owners can teach the Americans — and even the British — a bit about luxury.

 

[Rover7777]

automobile.com

http://www.automobile.com/2010-land-rover-lr4-review.html

2010 Land Rover LR4 Review


Admittedly there were issues with the Land Rover LR3. Consumers and professional reviewers alike complained about the vehicle’s slow acceleration, its clumsy overall feel and handling capabilities, the massive number of buttons and gears inside the car that were arranged in confusing array. There were only a small handful of the cars even delivered into the United States thanks to the lukewarm response.

With the all new 2010 Land Rover LR4, it is quite obvious that the vehicle manufactures not only got the hints, but they took them very well.

Vehicle Performance
The Land Rover LR4 has received an upgrade as far as all the power is concerned. Going from a 300-hp engine which cruised gently from 0-to-60 in something close to 9 seconds, the new LR 4 has a 375-hp, 5.0-litre V-8 engine that performs considerably better. Achieving a test speed of 0-to-60 in just under 7 seconds, the vehicle’s handling has shown marked improvement. The luxury SUV has increased responsiveness and no longer feels like a lumbering giant while it absorbs those annoying bumps and shocks in the road much better, lending a much greater sense of agility than its predecessors.

Off-road, the LR4 has amazing capabilities. Using the Land Rover’s Terrain Response system, you can decide which setting you are driving through in order to enable the onboard computer to best assist you with your driving task. Along with the added traction-control system this car’s ability in the deep and rugged terrain is excellent for its class. It is a wonder, however, just how many people will shell out the $50,000 for one of these luxury cars in order to put it through that kind of punishment. Well, the capability is there should the need ever arise.


With a fuel economy rated at 12mpg city and only 17mpg highway, this car comes in somewhat lower than other cars in its class as far as efficiency goes. In addition, the price tag of $48,100 for a base model is also somewhat higher than other luxury SUVs in its class as well, so those who have an interest in buying this car, certainly should have an interest in something other than saving money.

Vehicle Design
Along with its stunningly better engine performance and handling, the designers for the 2010 LR4 made the interior much better than in previous models of the Land Rover. Updated looks for all the controls which are much more stylistic and progressive, while definitely maintaining an upscale appeal are a nice touch. In addition, they reduced the total number of controls in the car from 50 to fewer than 40 and clustered them together in a more logical and useful grouping that is easier to manage.

The vehicle design also includes changes to the headlights and the front bumper, neither of which, take away from or significantly alter that traditional Land Rover look or appeal.

Vehicle Specifications:

Vehicle Types Available: The Land Rover LR4 comes in a simple 4 wheel-drive style with either a 5 or 7 passenger setup.
Transmission: The transmission is a 6-speed automatic with an optional manual shifting system.
Physical Dimensions: 113.6 inch wheelbase, 190.1 inch width, 75.4 inch width and 74.1 inch height with a curb weight of 5,800 lbs.

 

[Rover7777]

Some review articles & cool videos of the LR4!

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/motors/2587298/New-Land-Rover-Discovery-is-good-4-you.html

http://www.lr4review.com/

 

[Rover7777]

Motor trend First drive
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/suvs/112_0907_2010_land_rover_lr4_drive/index.html

First Drive: 2010 Land Rover LR4
To the Manor Borne On a Stately Steed
August 09, 2009 / By Frank Markus


The secret to a successful vehicle launch event, in addition to offering all-day access to food and nightly binge drinking, is scheduling events that help put the hack journo in the mindset of the vehicle's target customer. For the launch of Land Rover's heavily freshened LR3, rechristened LR4, the itinerary included an opulent dinner with his Grace, the 10th Duke of Roxburghe (say ROX-bruh), at his residence, Floors Castle in southeast Scotland. Owing to the go-anywhere nature of the brand, we dressed up in carry-on-wrinkled Yank interpretations of appropriate attire, boarded our dapper Landies, and set out along the historic carriage approach to the castle, which fords the River Tweed. Water that would have been just above knee high on a horse and well below the floor of a proper carriage lapped midway up the doors and submerged the new proximity-view cameras mounted in the front bumper, affording us a salmon's-eye view. It was also moving swiftly enough to push the 5850-pound Rovers just a bit downstream.

Land Rover arguably holds the high ground among serious off-roading luxury 'utes, and the Discovery-now dubbed LR4 in America and the Mideast-is its most versatile model. For 2010, its performance envelope is increased with the addition of a vastly higher-performing new 5.0-liter V-8, myriad driveline revisions, improvements to the renowned Terrain Response System, and a vastly upgraded interior. A brand new electrical architecture shared with Range Rover and Range Rover Sport models (and future Jags as well), lays the groundwork for current and future comfort, convenience and safety technologies. So while the exterior revisions appear modest, this is indeed a very new vehicle.

The 11-percent-larger naturally aspirated V-8 bumps power by 25 percent and torque by 19 (to 375 hp and lb-ft) by utilizing direct fuel injection and a sophisticated new variable valve timing system that leverages natural variations in camshaft torque that occur as each lobe approaches and passes the point of maximum valve lift. These tiny fluctuations are captured hydraulically and used to rotate the cams, instead of drawing pressure from the engine oil pump. These technologies boost performance and economy, and other efficiencies like earlier torque-converter lockup, lower rolling-resistance 19-inch tires, and aerodynamic improvements are expected to result in unchanged EPA city/highway fuel economy of 12/17 mpg

Of course, adding this much power without a commensurate chassis upgrade would have been like hitching Seabiscuit and Citation to that 19th century carriage. Changes to the suspension knuckles revise the geometry in such a way as to bring the vehicle's center of roll to within a couple inches of passing through the center of gravity. The closer these are to each other the less tippy a vehicle feels. A larger front anti-roll bar curbs body roll even further. Front brake discs are almost an inch larger than before and the rear calipers are now aluminum.

But the real joy of owning a Land Rover is the ability to head off in practically any direction a horseback rider could, and the go-anywhere improvements include a new sand-mode launch control that helps accelerate from a stop without digging in, and more responsive traction and anti-lock control in "rock-crawl" mode to prevent a wheel rolling the wrong direction while maneuvering on boulders. Gradient Release Control releases the brakes more gradually to bring the vehicle from a stop up to the programmed Hill Descent Control speed on a steep grade.

Interior and exterior revisions are aimed at making the LR4 look and feel more expensive (prices are expected to rise about 3.5 percent), hence the black plastic exterior cladding goes body color and the front and rear lighting includes jewellike LEDs. Inside it's all ambient lighting, soft-touch surfaces, and available premium leather with stitching of Range-Rover quality. Wood accents the console and doors, and there are fewer buttons controlling more features. Things like 360-degree camera views that aid in parking and off-road maneuvering plus hitch guidance and trailer-maneuvering assistance, high-beam assist, keyless entry and starting, and available Harmon-Kardon audio with HD radio and iPod/USB stick/aux-jack inputs.

Our drive from Edinburgh to the Duke's crib included a mix of freeway, twisty, and hilly roads, on which the LR4 exhibited a carriage-to-chariot level improvement in acceleration feel, with way more midrange punch and a more pleasing engine note. We know better than to expect much steering feel from a dedicated off-roader (that extremely geared-to-the-road feel can tend to result in kickback that could take a thumb off when you're rock-climbing), but the effort and weighting feels about right. Anyone who values on-road dynamics and never plans to venture off pavement should shop BMW, Audi, or Mercedes.

Rubicon-running Camp Jeep regulars ready to do some social climbing to the Land Rover Experience will appreciate the upgrade in the ride comfort and cornering departments. They're likely to be impressed with what the Terrain Response electronics allow this long, heavy truck to do on street-biased tires, and they'll surely enjoy being able to use cameras to monitor the precise placement of the front tires, to see how close the bodywork is to encroaching rocks and obstacles, and to search for fish in the River Tweed. Crawling around on the Floors Castle grounds we were again struck by degree of precision with which Land Rover products can be placed. The throttle mapping in the off-road modes is very gradual, the brake modulation permits rolling a tire off a boulder and tiptoeing it down onto the ground, all of which makes "treading lightly" easier in a Rover than in most factory original rock-hoppers.
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Our most serious misgivings are on the reliability front, especially as concerns the new electrical architecture. We were admittedly driving early vehicles, but the LR4 on hand to demonstrate the new trailer-tow functions experienced a fault in that very system and the driver seat of one test vehicle refused to power all the way forward. Another model had the nav system suddenly stop navigating at a critical intersection (simply reentering the destination got it back up and running). Fixes are underway for the above issues, but might other teething problems await? Probably. But there's a comprehensive four-year/50,000-mile safety net in place, and if your dealer gives you any flack, just tell him you're a friend of a friend of the Duke's.

2010 Land Rover LR4
Base Price $48,100-$51,750
Vehicle layout Front-engine, 4WD, 7-pass, 4-door, SUV
Engine 5.0L/375-hp/375-lb-ft DOHC 32-valve V-8
Transmission 6-speed automatic
Curb weight 5850 lb (mfr)
Wheelbase 113.6 in
Length x width x height 190.1 x 75.4 x 74.3-78.5 in
0-60 mph 7.5 sec (mfr est)
EPA city/hwy econ 12 / 17 mpg
CO2 emissions 1.40 lb/mile
On sale in the U.S. October 2009