Nothing.
So far this vehicle has proved to be excellent.
We previously test drove a Discovery in 1998 and weren't impressed. The seats seemed too short and build quality was less than was to be expected from an almost $60,000 (CDN) vehicle. BMW acquired Land Rover and made 13,000 (I think that's correct) minor, yet very necessary changes. After test driving the Series II, we were pleasantly surprised, and purchased a fully loaded Discovery Series II.
The engine is somewhat under powered, but we didn't buy the vehicle to serve sports car purposes. If the sport button is activated the truck will move quite quickly, but fuel consumption becomes ridiculously heavy. The engine is a little noisier than our previous vehicle.
It is very comfortable and the driver position commands outstanding vision. The headroom is cavernous and the cabin is very roomy. We love the big windows.
Our model is equipped with the ACE (active cornering enhancement) which is none-less-than a technological marvel. The truck shows no sign of listing or body roll through corners, a very nice feature for an SUV. The "ACE" makes my wife feel much safer, a Toyota 4-Runner we had (and loved) years earlier rolled unexpectedly and with little provocation.
The vehicle is equipped with all of the necessary modern conveniences and then some.
It has proven to be a fantastic vehicle to help us through the brutal Canadian winters. This vehicle doesn't hesitate in worst of conditions, ice, deep snow, and even in the muddy roads in the spring.
It is by and far the most capable SUV we have ever owned. We purchased a second Discovery last month. We will never look at any other SUV again. We're sold on Land Rover.
The Disco is alas not too great off road - the computer controlled traction control system does not work very well requiring a lot of wheel spin and dust to move if there is a hint of an axle twisting obstacle.
They don't sell where it counts here in Africa outside of the yuppie urban centres and in the Australian outback.
The disco is a wanabee town car.
I purchased a new Disco here in Ireland in February 2002. The second day there was a heavy fall of snow and the vehicle performed admirably. I also live off the main road on a steep hill, but that proved no challenge to the Disco.
Agreed it is not a sports car, but that is not why I purchased it. The three year warranty, improved build quality and two year roadside assist is what sold it for me.
Also the support from the local dealer was superb.
The few niggles would be the diesel cap will not lock without a minor adjustment each time and the accelerator is a bit flat (3-5 seconds) when pulling away from a stop.
A Discovery is not a Defender, and certainly not an SUV.
I'd rather see it like this:
Freelander = SUV
> competitor-SUV models are: RAV4, X5, RX300,...
Discovery = offroader & decent on-road behaviour
> competitors = LandCruiser, Pajero,...
Range Rover = luxury offroad limo
> competitors = Lexus LX470, LandCruiser 100,...
Defender = extreme offroad vehicle
> competitors: Hummer, some LandCruiser models, Wrangler...
It is the best 4x4xfar..., remember?
Land Rover's are top quality cars with a reputation to match. Two of my uncles are bush men out in Kenya, and both rely heavily on their Series Land Rovers for survival. One of my uncles was driving in heavy rain on his way back home from some Lion control, and had to traverse a very slanted, and wet slope. Unfortunately for him the slop was too steep and the Land Rover rolled down, going over 3 to four times. Anyway, all belted up inside was my uncle. He got out, attached the winch to a tree to raise the vehicle back onto its wheels, go in it, and carried on his journey. The Land Rover is an extremely robust and reliable vehicle, why else would the British Armed Forces use them for over 40 years? They're mean machines which very few other cars can compete with.
The other uncle tells a story about a tug-of-war competition, whereby a rope was attached to the front chassis of each car. His Land Rover Series II took out all of the competition, and was only forced to retire after some bloke challenged him driving a monster truck, 6-wheeler with spiked wheels.
Land Rover's are quality cars, and long may that continue.
We have a Discovery Series 2, which had proved to be a very roadworthy vehicle. Travels fairly fast and very comfortable. Even after driving for five hours you feel as you have been driving only for 15 minutes. This vehicle can overtake pretty fast, 3.5 Litre petrol Model zooms past others. Up to date there had been no jeep that could perform better than this in sharp bends.
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