Land Rover Reviews

Stunning . . .  one word says it all.  Not advised for the introvert, the Range Rover Evoque Coupe was made to turn heads. But with an obvious focus on style, could this beauty come with any brawn? The Evoque looks high maintenance, impractical, and a bit needy, but despite our best attempts at aversion, we became

At an isolated country pub, we felt right at home parking beside heavy duty, battle-scarred 4WDs. Sure, our Discovery 4 was new, it didn’t have a roo bar, or a snorkel to extend our 700mm wading depth -- but it could if we wanted it to. In fact, with great capability on road and off, plus a heap of optional extras, Land Rover’s Discovery 4 gave the impression it could probably do anything we wanted it to.Price and EquipmentRRP is $68,900, though with a smorgasbord of optional extras the price tag can soar with the whims of your desire. Coming standard with the TDV6 are 18-in alloy wheels, independent front and rear suspension, Terrain Response, eight speakers, front automatic climate control, wheel-mounted cruise, Bluetooth and audio, TFT display, CommandShift, EBA, HDC with GRC, DSC, ABS, RSC, ETC, active roll mitigation, rear park distance control, electronic park brake, trailer stability assist, push button start, iPod connectivity, electric heated and adjustable mirrors, and full size spare wheel.Our test vehicle came with extras such as a complicated rear seat entertainment and HDD navigation system, a console cooler box, and a wise addition for those wanting two extra seats - the $2,500 seven-seat pack.TechnologyThe 2.7-litre TDV6 engine, six-speed adaptive automatic transmission, permanent four-wheel-drive Discovery 4 brings 140kW/440Nm.The official fuel figure is 10.2L/100km and our trip on and off road found a comparable 11.9L/100km. With 0-100km in 12.7 seconds, pickup isn’t great pulling onto the motorway, but once you get going the Discovery 4 zips along, and with the comfort and off road abilities afforded in this size of vehicle, a slower take off speed is well worth it.DesignReliable enough for adventurers, stylish enough for cosmopolitan eyes, and practical for the entire family, the Discovery 4 TDV6 ticks a lot of boxes.The luxurious interior makes you doubt the Discovery will ever want to get its wheels dirty. A sophisticated console, leather steering wheel, and plenty of storage keep passengers in pure, refined comfort. Externally a tungsten finish air intake, two new exterior colour options, halogen front lighting, and colour coded front bumper, tailgate lift handle, and mirror caps, dress up the Disco.The tall profile gives plenty of headroom, while stadium seating in the back and command driving position up front gives great visibility, and iPod connectivity lets you repeatedly play Ride of the Valkyries as you shred trails.The seats in back fold flat, making 2,558 litres of storage – good room for transporting large items, or a decent bed if it’s pouring during your camping trip. If you decide to go on safari, the two-piece asymmetric tailgate drops down to provide a standing viewing platform that can take the weight of two adults.Though a bit big for crowded parking, the Discovery 4 TDV6 is capable on city streets, but that’s not where it belongs. In our opinion purchasing a Discovery for city life is akin to keeping a greyhound in an apartment. It can manage just fine, but you’re obliged to take it into the open so it can stretch out and do what it was born for.SafetyWith an Integrated Body-frame, ARM, HDC, RSC, ETC, DSC, EBA, four-channel all terrain ABS with all round ventilated disc brakes, as well as front and side airbags upfront, and curtain airbags in each row, the Discovery 4 TDV6 will protect you from your wild destinations. Incase the bright yellow diesel labeled fuel cap isn’t enough of a hint, the unnecessary diesel misfuelling device will prevent you from filling your diesel vehicle with petrol . . . in case you’re easily confused . . . in which case we suggest you take up cycling.DrivingWith Discovery 4’s five Terrain Response modes, and the electronic air suspension allowing you to raise the ride height up by 125mm or down by 50mm - all at the turn of a dial or touch of a button, the Discovery makes child’s play of finding the optimum settings.Over gravel and potholes it handled great, slipping only a little when we tackled a muddy field, but then picked right up when we drove through a creek and onto a rock trail and the independent front and rear suspension kept a steady cabin.There’s no hiding the fact that it’s a heavy vehicle, but for the size steering is light and the engine has very little NVH, giving the cabin a quite ride. A kerb to kerb turning radius of 11.45m makes hairpin turns on road a bit tough, but if you’re off road it’s not a problem as you can just drive off into the grass/gravel/sand/snow/rocks with hardly an extra bump.Compared with rougher off road vehicles, like Land Rover’s Defender, the Disco stands proud. Wider than the Defender, you may brush against a few branches on narrow tracks, but if you’re a true off roader you’re not going to cry over a few scratches.While the Defender wins extra notches in the bush, in unmodified vehicles the Discovery comes close in ground clearance (310mm with air suspension), it matches the Defender’s 3.5 tonne towing capacity, and surpasses its wading depth by sloughing through 700mm of water (with air suspension).Where the Defender and many other SUV’s can’t compare is in the Discovery 4’s versatility.  It can happily accommodate the brazen bushranger or a suburban-tied parent. Push the Discovery 4 down trails, pull it onto the bitumen, brush off the accumulated dirt for the city, and regardless of the situation this SUV takes charge.VerdictTougher than the Freelander and cushier than the Defender, Land Rover’s Discovery 4, 2.7-litre TDV6 is perfect for the adventurer seeking a beast born from the mating of oomph and awe.Land Rover Discovery 4 TDV6Price: $68,900Warranty: 3 years/100,000km roadsideSafety Equipment: EBA, HDC with GRC, DSC, ABS, RSC, ETC, active roll mitigation, rear park distance control, electronic park brake, trailer stability assistCrash rating: N/AEngine: 6 Cylinder, 2.7 Litre Diesel, 140kW/440NmBody: 4 Door SUVDimensions: 4838mm (L); 2176m (W); 1837mm (H); 2885mm (WB)Kerb Weight: 2486kgTransmission: Sports Automatic, 4X4 ConstantEconomy: 10.2 / 100Km; 270g/km CO2

Mud drips from the roof of our Freelander.  A passerby points it out to his wife: ‘They’ve been somewhere fun.’ Indeed we have. When taking Land Rover’s new Freelander off road there is little to limit your journey (except for a stubborn horse that wouldn’t get out of our way).TheFreelander may be a compact SUV, but it will do its best to keep up with the big boys. Dressed enough for the city streets, it truly comes alive in the bush. Through various terrain testing over the week we came to one conclusion: when you climb in a Freelander and turn off-road - adventure will follow.Land Rover’s Freelander 2 SD4 SE, priced from $56,810 comes with 18-in alloy wheels, Intelligent Power System Management for more economic battery charging, full size spare wheel, parking aids, Bluetooth, audio input socket, rain sensing wipers, dual-zone climate control, heated exterior mirrors, bright finish twin bar grille, adjustable wheel mounted audio and cruise, electronic folding side mirrors when the vehicle is parked, six-way adjustable driver seat, push button start/stop, trip computer, and perimetric security system.With 140kW/420Nm the 2.2-litre SD4 diesel engine has plenty of oomph off-road and on. The six-speed automatic transmission is seamless, but if you think you can do better, engage CommandShift and have a go at beating Freelander’s take off of 0-100km/h in 9.5 seconds.When you’re not tackling trails, the official fuel figure is an impressive 7.0L/100km, though our scoot off road and through the mountains found 9.5L/100km, not bad considering the terrain.Smaller than its Land Rover brothers, this compact SUV can still push through water at depths up to 500mm, tow up to twotonnes, and clear obstacles with axel clearance up to 210mm in front and 265mm in back.And with the assistance of Terrain Response’s four modes, and front and rear independent suspension, you’ll find a surprisingly stable ride. After dusting off on your way home, the Freelander’s smaller dimensions make it very capable in busy city driving, and hunting for the elusive parking spot, all while having enough room to accommodate five adults and gear.The exterior of the Freelander has the classic Land Rover look. True to its strong lineage, it’s stylish, but not flashy. Internally however, this 4x4 has a soft side.The interior design is clean and gives the cabin an open feeling. Keeping with this, the back seats are 50mm higher than in front. The stadium seating lets those in back enjoy a clearer view, and the middle seat converts to an armrest with cup holders. With a choice of interior colors, wheel design, and a score of available accessories you can tailor the Freelander to match your taste.Heated front seats, a six-way adjustable driver seat, and an adjustable steering wheel and armrest will make anyone feel at home behind the wheel. Wheel mounted cruise, audio, and Bluetooth add to the driver’s control, though the spacing of the buttons are a bit awkward.You can plug in an iPhone or MP3 player, but without an accessory cord you can’t use the vehicle’s controls to skip tracks, and it’s a shame in this high a model that the Bluetooth connectivity only works for calls.The back seats fold to a 60:40 split, transforming the 755L of storage into 1, 670L of room for larger items, and the 12V power socket in back can keep an esky full of food ready for a picnic.The dash display is more uniform in design than user friendly, but once you puzzle out the numerous functions you’ll feel like a tech expert. Our test vehicle included the touchscreen satellite navigation system. At extra cost it’s a steep addition, but handy if you’re going to be driving beyond the familiar horizon.The Freelander gets a five-star ANCAP safety rating, with seven airbags, a monocoque body, front and rear crumple zones, a large battery of braking, stability and traction aids -- HDC, ABS, EBD, CBC, EBA, ETC, RSC, DSC and so on -- plus two child seat anchor points.To be honest there wasn’t much about this SUV we didn’t like. Descending a steep gravel road did little to disturb the twenty roos grazing at the road’s edge, as the Freelander’s hill descent control kept us from sliding.The HDC is handy on difficult terrain and it can be engaged at speeds up to 50km/h, using the cruise + and – to set the speed, though on anything short of moderate difficulty the HDC is almost too grabby. Still, we’d rather have the HDC overprotective than too carefree on tough descents.Terrain Response allows you to easily pick the right setting for current conditions. We played around with the grass/gravel/snow, and the mud and ruts settings and weren’t disappointed (there’s also a sand setting if you want to brave the beach in winter, or if you’re smarter this time of year and want to trek across the desert instead). The vehicle’s traction quickly adjusts to the road -- or lack thereof -- and you can drive on in confidence.The Freelander 2 is at home on the motorway as well as off, roll stability control compensates for any smidgen of body roll, and the compact size makes parking easy. While you wouldn’t use this in any stealth operation due to the external noise from the engine, internally it’s a quiet ride.Follow your friends on a 4x4 adventure and once you reach your destination, turn off the Freelander’s engine, step from your heated seats, pull a cool beverage from the esky in back, and try to pretend it was a rough drive in a compact SUV, so your mates aren’t disappointed.An impressive compact SUV, the comfortable and versatile Land Rover can handle just about anything. 

VW Touareg TDI and Land Rover Discovery go head-to-head in this comparative review.

I remember the `Wow' that escaped my lips when I laid eyes on this car for the first time overseas in Wales.Driving the Evoque months later in Sydney it still had the same effect on me and I'm not on my Pat Malone. Whatever else you want to say about the baby Rangey, it's certainly an attention getter.Not everyone likes the look though. Our office courier prefers the squarer look of the Freelander, but Alan strikes me as a conservative kind of bloke. Each to his own.THE COSTPriced from $49,995 the Evoque comes in three and five-door guise, two and four-wheel drive, with a choice of diesel or petrol engines. Our test vehicle the three-door, all-wheel drive petrol Prestige SI4 auto, is priced frm $77,395 but a few extras brought the grand total cost at the time of testing to $98,759.THE ENGINEIt's a 2.0-litre turbocharged four cylinder engine that delivers 177kW of power and 340Nm of torque. This is the same engine that powers the just released four cylinder Falcon, but in a slightly different state of tune.It's hooked up to a six-speed Japanese auto with paddle shifts (note there's no shifter lever as such). As with other Jags and Rangies initial gear selection is performed via a space saving rotary knob.PERFORMANCE0-100km/h takes 7.6 secs, top speed is 217km/h and fuel consumption is rated at 8.7 litres/100km (we were getting 10.1). We're still not completely sold on this engine. It's still a little slow to respond sometimes and makes some odd noises on occasion.But generally it provides lively performance and relatively good fuel economy. The electric steering is good with plenty of feedback, but perhaps not as good as BMW's variable ratio steering.OFF ROADYes. Despite its manic urban appeal you can still take yourself seriously off road in this car. Not that most owners would even consider the possibility. It actually has 12mm more ground clearance than the Freelander on which is is based.THREE OR FIVE?The more practical five door costs $1500 less. The roof line is actually 30mm higher than the coupe, but you wouldn't pick it unless the two were side by side.BACK SEATThere's plenty of room back there but getting accessing it can be challenging. The front seats slide forward electrically but they are oh so slow to do so. The resulting opening is okay but still requires some athletic ability to negotiate the opening.PRESTIGEThis model represents the ultimate in Range Rover luxury. It also includes all the latest safety gear, but sadly scores only four stars in crash tests. Comes with 19 inch alloys, xenon/LED lights, and a 380 watt, 11-speaker sound system.The finish inside is first rate with a two tone colour scheme that featuring premium twin-stitched leather and real wood and metal finishes. There's still plenty of options to chose from, like the Prestige tech pack for $5900 that includes such things as satnav, front parking sensors, a reversing camera and power operated tailgate.VERDICTYou know you want to. Goes as well as it looks. This car has way more character than a BMW and we suspect that Land Rover is going to have trouble keeping up with demand.

Volkswagen Touareg and Land Rover Discovery4 go head-to-head in this comparative review.

There are plenty of choices in the compact premium SUV segment from a range of manufacturers including BMW X1, Volkswagen Tiguan, Volvo XC60, Mini Countryman and Audi's Q3. Mercedes-Benz is noticeably absent but that will change.All of them face a serious challenge in the guise of Range Rover's stunning Evoque — possibly the most desirable SUV on the market right now regardless of size or price.Evoque 4x4 five-door pricing starts at $53,395 for the TD4 Pure. Our diesel SD4 (high output engine) mid-spec Dynamic auto with quite a few options rolled over $94,000, that's right, add on-roads and you are talking $100K.It's a big price for a smallish vehicle especially when you consider it gets you into an Audi Q7 3.0TDi, BMW X5 3.0d, two Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo diesels or a Benz ML350CDi.But when a car looks like this, you instinctively reach for your wallet. Value in a distilled form...Gets the expected Range Rover treatment though the coarsely textured dash finish is not pretty. The interior itself is stylish and functional and the test vehicle's optional 820 watt audio system was monumental.There's a large touch screen, Bluetooth and audio streaming. It's a sea of leather inside with comfortable sculpted seats though comment from rear seat passengers suggested they were on the firm side.It's roomy too despite the sloping rear roofline. We were taken aback by the (optional) twin screen panel that shows satnav to the driver on one angle and TV to the passenger on the other side — at the same time.The wheel's chunky and has multiple controls including paddle shift for the auto transmission. They are cheap plastic paddles that are contrary to the Evoque's overall look and feel.The SD-4 uses a 2.2-litre Peugeot-built turbodiesel four cylinder with 140kW/420Nm output.The engine, pretty much the same as in LandRover Freelander, has twin balance shafts and a variable nozzle turbo to deliver strong performance over a wide operating range.It gets out of the blocks fairly smartly, has strong mid-range and will even rev to about 4500rpm without grumbling.It's aided by a slick shifting six-speed auto transmission — not a DSG in this case. Fuel economy is a claimed 6.5-litres/100km - we got close.The test car's drive select offered `sport' mode which not only makes the instruments glow red but alters how the chassis dynamics and engine respond.But it's fairly firm for everyday use. Point it at come curves and the Evoque feels like a sporty coupe, flick it to normal and it's comfortable and controlled.There's also a version of  dial-up Terrain Response for various types of off road driving. The full time 4WD system aids grip on all surfaces with the large 19-inch tyres further improving matters.It has strong brakes and the chassis feels strong. Evoque's a good thing to drive in a variety of environments and surprisingly competent off road.It gets a five star Euro NCAP crash rating but narrowly misses out on the Aussie five star rating because of a pedestrian safety.All the same, Evoque gets the full set of airbags, stability control plus plenty more like hill descent control, hill start assist, auto adjust xenon headlights, auto wipers, headlights and rear view mirror tint.What can you say — a stand out glamour from every angle. People run up to you in the street to talk about the Evoque. It has more cut through than a Ferrari — well almost.And apart from the rough textured dash, the interior is the same — incredible wow factor. The Poms still have it in styling terms.Too much money and extensive gouging on options but the queue begins over here...

Regal, royal (by appointment to several crown-wearers) and rapid, the Range Rover Sport is a more youthful take on the long-running off-roader nameplate. Yet is is more closely related to the Discovery than it is to the Range Rover Vogue flagship, despite the aesthetic similarities.  We're driving the entry-level

Range Rovers have been the reigning all-terrain wagons since they appeared in the 1970s - equally at home on a regal hotel forecourt as in the British bogs of their Solihull birthplace.Market trends have forced the iconic box to update -- and the Evoque is the result.And given Victoria "Posh Spice" Beckham was a design consultant, you might guess offroad was less a priority than off-the-runway.VALUEIf you're accustomed to browsing in Range Rover showrooms, you'll know that value isn't the first thing sales staff tout.But the Evoque - in this case the Si4 Dynamic Coupe with a $75,395 pricetag - has looks and badge value that might make the pricetag look credible. There were plenty of features on the test car - terrain response, power-adjustable seats, automatic xenon headlights, fog lights, folding, heated exterior mirrors, rear parking sensors, 19in wheels - but the test car was chock-full of bits from an extensive options list.The Dynamic had the Tech Pack (up-spec satnav, hard-drive, voice control, headlight washer, electric tailgate, front parking sensors and rear camera, upgraded climate control) that costs $5900, the excellent 17-speaker Meridian Surround Sound System (for $2385), the Adaptive Dynamics (which adds the electromagnetically-controlled dampers and Dynamic mode to the Terrain Response system) for $1950, digital TV with the clever dual-view screen ($1450 and $1270), $1300 worth of metallic paint and the $1035 panoramic fixed glass roof.But wait, there is indeed more - the Park Assist system (for those who can't park themselves - $1090), the useful "Surround Camera System" for $900, tyre pressure monitoring ($545) and automatic high beam assist for $335 - all of which ramps up the as-tested price to $98,150 - ouch.TECHNOLOGYTop of the pops here is the peppy little petrol powerplant - a 177kW/340Nm variable-valve lightweight alloy 2-litre turbo with direct-injection that gives more than a few clues to the Falcon EcoBoost. Land Rover claims 8.7l/100km on the combined cycle claim as well as a 0-100km/h claim of 7.6 seconds - the latter is likely and but we got low 13s on the trip computer.That might have more to do with the driver's enjoyment of the engine noise and handling, but there are diesel variants that are worthy if fuel economy is your thing. Ride and handling characteristics of the test car had the benefit of the optional Adaptive Dynamics, which employs the magnetically-controlled dampers to constantly adjust for the best of both worlds.It also adds a Dynamic mode to the Terrain Response for a back-road run sans body roll.DESIGNBold, aggressive and a real head-turner - the Evoque is a looker. Lower, shorter in overall length and wide, the Dynamic three-door has short overhangs and broad shoulders, so there's no missing it on the road.The engineers have used plastic and aluminium for some panels and components, as well as ultra-high-strength boron steel in the A- and B-pillar for extra strength, although the former are still a little wider than is ideal.The cabin is littered with luxurious bits, comfortable seating and no shortage of gizmos, but rear passengers don't get any vents (that adds $190) and can't wind down the windows - which is not pleasant in our climate with the glass roof.Rear vision suffers for the styling as well - straight back through the rear screen or three-quarter vision is hampered in sacrifice to the external lines.SAFETYThe brawny upstart of the Range Rover line-up is an NCAP 5-star car, with driver and passenger front and side airbags, a knee airbag for the driver and full-length side curtain airbags. The active traction and stability systems include anti roll-over and trailer stability systems, as well as hill start and descent control systems.DRIVINGWhen it comes to fashion I claim refugee status, but it's not hard to see why the Evoque is a head-turner, in three or five-door form. There's a sniff of styling heritage from the bigger Rangies but the new-age Evoque can't be accused of dwelling in the past. Technically the test car is a five-seater, although I don't think there's really room for more than four adults - whatever the age of the two rear occupants, they won't enjoy the lack of rear air vents or moving windows.The driver can have a bit of fun though, on sealed and unsealed roads - flick it into Dynamic mode (which changes the instrument lighting to mist-red), swivel the Jag-sourced transmission selector into Sport mode and the Evoque is extremely swift and agile, but the steering is lacking a bit of weight.The powerplant is a willing and flexible engine, making all the right noises (with some help from the engineers) and punching far harder than you'd expect from a two-litre hauling over 1800kg (with driver). With 215mm of ground clearance there's some scope for getting it properly dirty - it is a Land Rover after all - but anything more than an A-grade dirt track is unlikely to ever see one of these.If you want to go off-road, head toward a Discovery 4 in the same showroom - a three-litre SDV6 HSE can be had for a similar price to the as-tested figure here. Vision forward is reasonable (although the A-pillars are a little thick) and the mirrors give a good view aft - that combined with the sensors and cameras help offset the abysmal rear vision through the back window and around the thick C-pillar.Anyone buying one of these should add $635 worth of blind spot monitoring as it will save on apologetic waves and potential panel damage.The touchscreen works well enough when you can see it - the pushed-back angle of the dash means the screen is over-exposed to light from the windscreen making it difficult to see, getting it closer to vertical and deeper-set would fix the problem.The specs say the boot is 550 litres in capacity but width will be an issue for anyone looking to carry golf clubs or the like. The negatives also include a wayward left-hand exterior mirror that didn't want to lock in - eventually several pushes of the fold button rectified the problem.VERDICTAs a stylish, swift, capable and prestigious coupe, the Evoque more than cuts the mustard, even if it is wearing Louboutin stiletto shoes. But don't let the Range Rover badge lull you into thinking the breadth of capability is that of its forebears.This is fashion - to some extent - over function and for my money I'd rather buy a $50,000 off-roader and a Mazda MX-5 for fun.

More. Give us more.  That's what Range Rover's well heeled buyers want with each new model. And the company is only too happy to oblige, with the addition of a even larger, harder hitting twin turbo V8 diesel that produces a whacking 700Nm of torque.We put the big Rangey through its paces on NSW's South Coast over a mixture of back roads and fire trails. It was all a walk in the park for the Range Rover Vogue which combines supreme off road ability with sumptuous luxury appointments. But, with prices starting from $158,000 - it's not for everyone.ENGINE AND MECHANICALThe diesel sounds like a V8 when presshed hard and is paired with an eight-speed ZF auto, complete with paddle shifts. It doesn't get much better than this. Power jumps 15 per cent to 230kW and torque is up nine per cent to 700Nm, compared with the previous 3.6-litre engine. What's more, the extra torque is produced 500rpm lower in the rev range, from a low 1500rpm.To go with the diesel, there's two petrol V8s one of which is supercharged. Both are carry overs from the previous model. The supercharged engine produces 375kW of power and 625Nm of torque while the naturally aspirated V8 delivers 276kW and 510Nm. Both petrols are teamed with a six-speed ZF auto.The most popular configuration by far is the V8 diesel which accounts for about 70 per cent of sales. And why not when it sounds like a V8 and uses half the fuel, with a rating of 9.4 litres/100km.DRIVINGWhichever way you jump it all translates into effortless cruising and overtaking. But start to push the big Rangey hard and you are reminded of the bulk and weight of this vehicle, which ranges from 2.5 to 2.8 tonnes, depending on what model you're driving.Despite its size the Vogue gets going, with the diesel taking a scant 7.8 seconds to reach 100km/h. Ultimately, however, the vehicle's weight counts against it. Corners are best approached with caution and the car will try to run wide if you're carrying too much corner speed. Best to go in slow and come out firing.The Vogue's electronic stability system cuts in early and harshly to avoid expensive mistakes. Six piston Brembos are fitted at the front, but it's still a big ask, especially in traffic. Ideally, it's best to be decisive and brake early. The 2011 model is further enhanced by improvements to the Terrain Response system in the form of Hill Start Assist and Gradient Acceleration Control.Inside the diesel inherits the push-button, rotary gear selector which has earned accolades for Jaguar in the XF and XJ. There is also and improved entertainment system and illuminated treadplates for the front doors are available as an option. New colours and wheels have been added and a new exterior design pack allows customers to give their Vogue a more individual look.LAND ROVER RANGE ROVER VOGUE TDV8Available: NowPrice: $160,500 - $212,500Engine: 230kW/700Nm 4.4-litre V8 bi-turbo-dieselEconomy: 9.4 l/100kmTransmission: 8-speed sequential automatic; 2-speed transfer case; constant 4WDDimensions: 4972mm (L); 2034mm (W); 1877mm (H)Wheelbase: 2880mmWeight: 2810kg (loaded)Tow: 3500kg.