Getting your player ready...
As our mild fall weather continued last week, I climbed into the great snow-buster – the 2011 Land Rover LR4.
“Too early,” I responded to delivery of the vehicle, “there’s no snow.” I crossed no streambeds or climbed no rock walls with the 4-by-4, either.
Of course, we went offroad; that task is an absolute pleasure with the Land Rover.
The LR4 is successor to the LR3 (formerly the Discovery), and comes with a much-improved, direct-injected 375-horsepower, 5.0-liter V-8 engine and smooth 6-speed automatic transmission, replacing the old 300-hp, 4.4-liter.
A stiffer antiroll bar has improved cornering of the tall vehicle, its brakes have been made larger and it boasts a more advanced terrain-response system.
Those terrain settings, selected from a rotary dial in the center console, are primarily what have brought positive attention to Land Rover in recent years. The driver can choose among general driving, snow, mud, ruts and rocks, and a new feature is a sand-launch control which reduces wheel spin to prevent digging in to the sand on takeoff.
I was introduced to the system several years ago while descending the snow-covered and icy highway from Estes Park to Loveland. Acceleration torque is lessened noticeably in the snow setting to avoid spinning on the slippery surfaces; push the pedal down quickly and the gain in acceleration is still only gradual. Besides the torque response, the system adjusts ride height, downhill speed, traction control, transmission shift points and differential settings.
The big LR4 sits high, weighs in at almost 5,800 pounds, and offers spacious third-row seating. With the third row of seats lowered, more than 44 cubic feet of cargo space is available at the back and can be accessed by a handy asymmetrical split tailgate. Groceries are easily loaded over the low side of the odd-shaped tailgate.
Legroom, headroom and shoulder room are plenty throughout the cabin. Sunroofs are positioned over all three rows of seats – a power tilt-and-slide opening at the front and smaller fixed-glass sunroofs toward the back.
Nighttime driving features in the LR4 include well-lighted puddle lamps beneath the sideview mirrors, and automatic headlamps that shine bright on dark nights until meeting another vehicle, then instantly dim.
Without any serious wintertime driving duties, the LR4 averaged 16.5 miles per gallon. A 22.8-gallon fuel tank balances somewhat its low mpg rating.
Not only does the Land Rover offer a clear look on its navigation screen from a backup camera, it has positioned cameras elsewhere on the vehicle for all-around vision for handier parking, low-speed maneuvering and safer entry into the streets.
The vision-assist package helped push price of the LR4 from a base of $47,650 to a sticker of $56,950.
Another boost was from the addition of the rear seats, a hard-disc-drive navigation system with color touch-screen and voice-command capabilities, seven-spoke alloy wheels and satellite radio.
It also was equipped with heated steering wheel, leather seating and walnut interior trim, dual-zone climate control, message information center, halogen headlights with washers, four-corner air suspension, hill-descent control, side-curtain airbags.
The first Land Rover, the Series I, rolled off the assembly line at Solihull, England, and made its debut at the Amsterdam Motor Show in 1948, and got a boost toward permanence a year later when the British Army ordered special editions.
The Series II was unveiled in 1958, the 500,000th Land Rover produced in 1966, the Range Rover was launched as a two-door SUV in 1970 and as a four-door in 1982. The Range Rover went on sale in the U.S. in 1987.
Notes from e-mail
Q: Bud, your reviews of the Volkswagen Jetta turbodiesels seem to indicate satisfaction with performance. I’ve been told that there is a dead spot on takeoff with the TDI models. How about it? – D.R. A: There is a definite lag point in normal driving, Dean, and I’ve mentioned this in my reviews. It is overcome with accelerator pressure. I’ve talked with several persons who own the Jetta TDIs; every one of them says it is a matter of getting used to the proper amount of accelerator pressure, and none believes it is any problem. Q: Bud, can you tell me when a new design is coming out for the Toyota RAV4 and the Honda CR-V? – N.S. A: Both the RAV4 and CR-V are scheduled for redesign for the 2012 model year, Nancy.2011 Land Rover LR4
$56,950
(price as tested)
MPG City 12 Highway 17
Vehicle type: Midsize SUV
Wheelbase: 113.6 inches
Length/Width/Height: 190.9/75.4/74.5 inches
Weight: 5,796 pounds
Engine: 5.0-liter V-8
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Fuel mileage: 16.6 mpg
Fuel tank: 22.8 gallons
Warranty: 4 years/50,000 miles basic
Competitors: Porsche Cayenne, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Volkswagen Touareg, Mercedes ML550, BMW X5
Built at: Solihull, England
THE STICKER
$47,650 base
$4,250 HSE package, 7 seats, navigation, rearview camera, satellite radio
$1,800 Surround camera, high-beam assist
$1,500 Heated seats and steering wheel
$900 Premium audio
$850 Destination
PLUSES
Terrain settings
Seating roominess
Tough-looking exterior
MINUSES
Fuel mileage
Touch-screen navigation
