2008 Land Rover LR3

Review

Everybody has a favorite, and amongst Land Rover's fine line of sport utility vehicles, mine is the LR3. Come to think of it, in many

respects the LR3 is my favorite SUV of all.

Just look at it. OK, I know from my own wife's distaste that the LR3's design isn't for everybody, but by my contemporary to modern leanings its square profile, asymmetric rear end styling and uniquely rugged detailing make it just about perfect, and other than a few interior panels formed of sub-premium-grade plastics, I like the way its cabin looks and functions. What's more, I come from that odd demographic that reportedly makes up some five-percent of SUV buyers who actually off-road their vehicles, and to that end there are few utes more capable than this equally useful seven-passenger family hauler. So, in more ways than just hitting all of my styling buttons at once, the LR3 is close to an ideal fit for my wants and needs. Too bad my dear wife doesn't agree.

She hardly argues about its usability, mind you, as it's extremely spacious inside, especially with the split-folding third row stowed under the cargo floor, while its ride is comfortable, mostly due to its independent front and rear electronic air suspension system, long wheel travel and relatively soft settings,

not to mention the higher sidewalls of its off-road rated 255/55HR19 tires. You'll feel taller in the Land Rover no matter your actual height, its seating position being traditional SUV fare and chairs multi-adjustable and very comfortable. Visibility is fabulous, those large side-view mirrors and the expansive greenhouse giving a near 360-degree view from anywhere inside, an attribute as useful for negotiating city traffic as when attempting to round large trees and house-sized boulders on the trail without the aid of spotters.

I didn't get the chance to off-road this particular LR3, but having previously attended the Land Rover Experience Driving School, I have a good idea of what it can do. That experience had me head over heals in love with Land Rover's then-new Terrain Response system, which lets the driver choose between multiple terrain settings like general, snow, mud, sand and rock crawl, for optimal performance on any road surface and all weather conditions. Whatever wheel found traction managed to bite into the ground and move the LR3 forward,

even if only one wheel happened to be gripping terra firma (or not so firma). When I first read the LR3 specs I was aghast that Land Rover had dropped ground clearance from 8.2 inches to 7.3 inches in the transformation from Discovery to LR3, but upon closer inspection found that the reduced number is merely the southernmost point of the chassis, under the differential, when the air suspension is set to its lowest level. Put it in off-road mode and that measurement extends to 9.5 inches, while ground clearance under the front axle spans 8.0 to 10.2 inches, and under the rear axle there's between 8.4 and 10.6 inches of clearance. What matters at least as much if not more is that the LR3 provides a 37.2-degree approach angle and a 29.6-degree departure angle in off-road mode, with tremendous wheel travel as previously mentioned; up to 10.75 inches in front and 13.0 inches in the rear, allowing for superb articulation. Needless to say I was thrilled at how well Land Rover's air suspension helped the LR3 to perform off the beaten path, not to mention how effective its permanent four-wheel

drive system with traction control (ECT) plus variable locking center differential is at making the best use of available grip. It remains one of the best 4x4s in the industry, and to that end never scraped bottom (front, sides or back) during my daylong drive through some pretty treacherous terrain.

Aiding as much when off-road as on paved surfaces in inclement weather, Land Rover equips the LR3 with all the requisite electronic driving aids, including All-Terrain Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) and Hill Decent Control (HDC), plus four-channel All-Terrain ABS enhanced four-wheel disc brakes with Emergency Brake Assist (EBA), Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) and Cornering Brake Control (CBC). None of these were needed during my zero precipitation drive in and around Monterey, California in late April, mind you, one stretch of which wove over a particularly winding piece of two-lane tarmac that had me wishing for a Jaguar XKR or

something similar. Still, the LR3 managed the tight corners with surprising agility, swaying much less than its tall profile suggests it should and continually delivering that comfortable ride and stoic solidity Land Rover owners have grown to love.

And these are unique individuals, by the way, who not only tend to use their vehicles for adventurous activity more often than other SUV buyers, but are ultra-loyal. And why shouldn't they be, as Land Rovers, whether discussing the compact LR2 or top-line Range Rover Supercharged, are benchmarks in their respective segments, with top-tier features, interior quality, on and off-road manners, styling and a badge cachet that's hard to beat. Truly, while some of Land Rover's older models have suffered through suspect reliability issues, their new SUVs are much improved, leaving the only real complaint fuel economy.

It's

important to note that Land Rover has made some serious headway in respect to fuel consumption as well, especially since adapting a version of Jaguar's 32-valve, DOHC, 4.2-liter V8 for use in the LR3, Ranger Rover Sport and top-line Range Rover. Jaguar, in case you hadn't heard, is a leader in quality and reliability now, amongst the top three in J. D. Power and Associates initial quality and dependability studies. Land Rover, which doesn't fare quite that well in such third-party studies, has been rising up through the ranks thanks to a good partnership with its British-made sibling. With the introduction of the LR3 in 2004 as a 2005 model, that Jaguar-derived mill was enlarged to 4.4-liters to extract more torque, necessary for moving such a large and heavy vehicle. The result is an even 300-horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 315 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm, ample to move this rather hefty 5,787-lb SUV to highway speed (60 mph) from standstill in a little more than eight and a half seconds. And it's a wonderfully refined engine too, smooth and quiet other than a healthy burble from the exhaust out back, giving the ute a substantial presence. Compared to the archaic burrow that hauled the old Discovery up rocky crag and

through swampy bog, the new 4.4 is altruistically efficient with an EPA rating of 12 mpg in the city and 17 on the highway, but then again it can hardly be considered green.

To this end I have a dream. As noted I'm a big LR3 fan, but I'm pulled to one side by a desire to tread as lightly as possible on the environment with regards to air quality as I do with the all-terrain tires in the woods, and at the same time still enjoy this big, accommodating SUV for shuttling the family around during the week and escorting me and whoever's crazy enough to come along on camping and fishing outings on weekends. I would normally be against a hybrid version unless Land Rover could figure out a way to maintain the vehicle's towing, hauling and off-road prowess in the process, although it looks as if they've found a way around tradition hybrid problems. With a new

initiative Land Rover calls e_Terrain, which up until now has included various diesel engines and an idle stop technology similar to those used with today's hybrids, plus a dual-clutch sequential manual transmission to reduce drag on the driveline, the British brand has gone the whole distance with an electric drive system as shown recently at the London Motor Show with the LR2 Prototype. Dubbed ERAD, which stands for Electric Rear Axle Drive, this new environmentally focused drive system combines an electric motor, located on the rear axle, capable of moving the LR2 around on electricity alone, making it a full hybrid vehicle. While the name suggests rear drive, the system actually propels all wheels via a driveshaft connected to its 288 volt electric motor, which manages 25 kW of power that can be increased by 10 kW when more power is needed. Just like today's hybrids, when coasting or braking the system recovers energy, charging the battery. And while ERAD is featured in this LR2 prototype, which in road-going guise is more of a soft-roader than the LR3, Land Rover says the technology is being developed for the larger ute too, as well as its Range Rover Sport and top-line Range Rover models. And what's the benefit? According to the British brand a 20-percent fuel savings can be achieved, and my guess is that they're talking about 20-percent over their current range of international market diesel engines, so the gains over one of our North American V6 or V8 engines would be even greater.

But that brings up another alternative that might be worth investigating. Providing Land Rover can meet North America's tough emissions regulations, clean diesel could be a good interim or even a strong long term solution. To this end Solihull sells two diesels in Europe and other markets, one if not both of which would fit in well here in the Americas.

The first, dubbed TDV6 is a 2.7-liter direct-injection, turbocharged V6 that makes 190-horsepower and 325 lb-ft of torque at less than 1,900 rpm, good for moving the big brute up to highway speeds at a leisurely but livable pace. The second is the engine Land Rover should probably offer here, the TDV8 that makes 268-horsepower and an earthmoving 472 lb-ft of torque continuously from just 2,000 rpm to 2,500 rpm and in excess of 370 lb-ft of torque on tap from less than 1,500 rpm and more than 3,700 – eat your heart out M-B 3.0-liter Bluetec. Zero to 60 mph in about 8.6 seconds, a top speed electronically limited to 130 mph and the pulling thrust to tow just about anything mixed with a 21 mpg combined city and highway fuel economy rating is a sport ute recipe most any North American premium buyer would welcome at today's gas prices, and fuel savings mean a great deal more to the LR3 customer than a Range Rover buyer,

as its starting price of only $49,300 doesn't necessarily target it at the highest end of the SUV spectrum. I should mention that a $49,300 LR3 is V6-powered and therefore more fuel efficient than the V8 I tested.

Benefits to the current gasoline-powered LR3 V8's fuel economy and its strong acceleration have much to do with its smooth and quick shifting six-speed automatic transmission. This is a nice gearbox that matches the engine's powerband effectively, and its CommandShift, for normal, sport and manual shift modes gives it a sporty feel when tackling twisting back roads as well as greater control off-road.

Adding to that control is an incredibly stiff body structure that can handled 7.3 million lb-ft of resistance, created by integrating a rigid truck-like hydroformed boxed-steel ladder-frame connected to welded steel monosides within

a car-like unibody monocoque, resulting in a best of both worlds scenario. It combines the torsional rigidity of a unit-body design with the heavy hauling capability of a ladder-frame, complemented with zinc-coated steel body panels and an aluminum hood and tailgate. Additionally, aluminum chassis components reduce overall weight and add rigidity for improved stability.

Protecting everybody inside, Land Rover loads up every LR3 with eight airbags, including two dual-threshold bags up front, a side-thorax airbag for each front occupant, side-curtain airbags for the first and second rows and two separate side-curtains for third row passengers. The LR3 gets additional safety gear too, all expected, such as height adjustable front seatbelts with pretensioners, child locks for the rear doors and tethers plus the LATCH system for securing child safety seats and front and rear park distance control.

Other standard items include dual-zone automatic climate control that works very well and is easy to figure out, plus rear climate control with A/C and heating controls is optional across the line. Bi-xenon HIDs are optional, however, while leather seats, a leather-wrapped tilt and telescopic steering wheel, cruise control, power front seats with memory for the driver, power windows, a message information center, and 35/30/35 split-folding second-row seatbacks are part of the regular LR3 package. Also standard is a feature that I would be willing to pay extra for, Land Rover's Alpine Roof which includes a power glass sunroof over the driver and front passenger, plus two fixed glass sunroofs over the second and third rows of passengers. It's massive, really opening up the cabin and giving off an airy feeling all-round.

The

standard audio system in my HSE tester was pretty sweet with 550 watts of power accessible via the steering wheel mounted controls. It's a 14-speaker harmon/kardon Logic 7 surround sound system featuring a six-disc in-dash CD player, plus the integrated GPS system can actually be used off-road to bring you back home by dropping “digital bread crumbs” while on your way into a given wilderness area. It's pretty cool stuff and the only one I know of that can do this. You can enter commands via voice activation or through the steering wheel controls. The HSE includes Bluetooth connectivity too.

Additionally, my tester had Sirius satellite radio, an option that's well worth the price of admission if you're a music fan or love non-stop news and talk radio. And the no-cost-option black lacquered wood was a nice touch, although

there's too many wannabes creating fake plastic versions of black lacquer in the lower realms of autodom so I think I'd opt for the walnut trim that's harder to duplicate. My test LR3 included higher grade leather seats and trim, adaptive front lights, the cold climate package and a cooler box in the center console.

As a seven-passenger SUV with pedigree, premium status, impressive off-road characteristics and looks to die for, the LR3 doesn't have many competitors. And if you're a Land Rover loyalist with a medium to large family, there's no other ute that'll do. Then again, if you're new to the Land Rover brand it's certainly worth a look as the LR3 offers a strong value proposition along with its prestigious name.