2010 Land Rover LR4: New owner -- new respect?

JIM KENZIE FOR THE TORONTO STAR

The 2010 Land Rover LR4 proved its mettle in Roxburghshire, Scotland.

Jim Kenzie

SPECIAL TO THE STAR

EDINBURGH–It has been a challenging year for Land Rover.

First, the global recession and increased concerns about fuel pricing and availability made things tough for all luxury cars, but especially SUVs, which carry something of a less-than-green stigma.

Second, Land Rover continues to score poorly in J.D. Power's Initial Quality Survey, although it does much better in the so-called APEALS survey, which tracks desirability and customer-pleasing feature content.

Stuart Frith, chief engineer on several of the new Land Rover models, told me that warranty costs – really the truest indication of quality – have plummeted in the last year or so; it may take a while before this perception reaches the marketplace.

Third, the company was bought by the Indian industrial conglomerate Tata, along with British sister carmaker Jaguar almost a year and a half ago.

Frith noted that the new owners are very supportive, they don't look over engineers' shoulders, and are surprisingly rabid car fans, all of which plays well with the technogeeks who sometimes chafed under the too-watchful eyes of their former American (Ford) and German (BMW) masters.

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Still, the one thing all carmakers have to keep on doing is develop product. Nothing sells like "new."

Land Rover's 2010 lineup will be significantly upgraded, with the emphasis on a long-term strategy of making its vehicles more functional, more premium, more desirable, and, in deference to recent global trends, with greater attention paid to sustainability: in better fuel consumption, reduced emissions, environmentally friendlier materials and less weight.

2010 Land Rover LR4

Called Discovery 4 everywhere except in North America, the LR4 replacement for our LR3 hides fairly significant technical changes under largely unchanged skin.

The much-abused term "facelift" really applies here, as a new grille, fascia with lower air scoop, and more aerodynamic headlamps with LED parking lights give a more up-scale, friendlier, less industrial look to the nose. Rear lights get LEDs.

The rest of the sheet metal and glass is carry-over.

The interior is all-new: seats, instrumentation, and centre console, with cup holders located within easier reach. Materials and fit have been upgraded throughout.

The most obvious mechanical change on the LR4 is under the bonnet. No more V6 model for North America; for us, only the direct-injection 5.0 L V8 is on offer. This is essentially the new Jaguar engine, adapted for Land Rover.

Bolted to the back is a new ZF six-speed automatic transmission with manual override shift capability.

This powertrain yields 25 per cent more horsepower and 16 per cent more peak torque than the (also Jaguar-based) 4.4 L V8 it replaces, yet delivers 7 per cent better fuel economy and creates 8 per cent fewer emissions.

This task is not made easier by the LR4's massive weight: 2,646 kg is actually a bit lighter than it otherwise could have been because of some minor weight reductions.

One strength of all recent Land Rovers is their remarkable on-road dynamics, despite their immense off-road capability.

The new LR4 takes this even further. New steering knuckles and revised suspension mounting points move the "roll centres (of the overall vehicle) closer to the centre of gravity of the vehicle,'' said chief engineer Frith. In English, this means reduced tendency to lean in corners. New dampers also help achieve a smoother ride.

A new variable-ratio power steering system, suggested by long-time Jaguar test driver Mike Cross (who now also signs off on Land Rovers), reduces sensitivity on-centre for a less nervous feel at high speeds, yet offers quicker steering at full lock for easier parking and more nimble off-roading.

We started the driving portion with a motorway out of Edinburgh, south and east into the Scottish Borders region, A-, B- and C-roads of ever-decreasing width, culminating in some rugged off-roading on the estate of Floors Castle in Roxburghshire.

The first thing you notice is that given aerodynamics akin to the proverbial barn door and tires intended for mud and rocks, the interior silence is almost deafening.

Without an LR3 for back-to-back comparison, it was difficult to quantify the improvements in on-road ride quality and handing. Suffice to say that this vehicle feels remarkably smooth and nimble, belying its 2.6 tonne weight.

The steering is light yet direct and the LR4 is surprisingly satisfying to hustle down a twisty road.

I rode in the back, too; loads of room, nice high seat, excellent comfort. I sat in but did not ride in the optional third-row seating. You wouldn't want to go Toronto to Timmins back there, but despite it being somewhat awkward to scramble in, it was decently comfortable, even for adults. Two kids will be more than happy.

The added power from the bigger Jaguar engine is welcome. There was a moment of hesitation before the transmission downshifted when I brought out the whip.

One of the ironies of any Land Rover's appeal is its totally incredible ability to crawl over rocks, climb impossible hills, traverse mud that would scare a John Deere, and ford deep streams; yet the vast majority of owners would never even think about subjecting their expensive cars to such torture. A few centimetres of snow in King Township is probably going to be the typical LR4's toughest test.

But just as few Porsche owners will ever drive their cars on a race track, the very fact that Land Rovers can do these things is a big part of their appeal.

Again, without back-to-back comparisons with such vehicles as Audi Q7, BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz M-class or Porsche Cayenne, it is difficult to say definitively who is best.

What is easy to say is that the LR4 talks the talk, and walks the walk.

Improvements to the Terrain Response system – rotate a dial to select various pre-sets for ride height, Hill Descent Control, differential locking, etc. – make it easy. You just steer – and you will be stunned at what this SUV can do.

Starting price of the 2010 LR4 in Canada is $59,900, $2,190 more than last year's base V8. With more power and features, this seems reasonable.

While I have never been much of a fan of show-off SUVs, Land Rover more than any other brand has the right to build vehicles like the LR4 – because it is what they do.

Travel was provided to freelance writer Jim Kenzie by the automaker. jim@jimkenzie.com

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