DVD
Adventurer
Just posted a trip report in the Adventure Report subforum about our recent offroad trip to the CO Rockies.
This was our first adventure trip in our new to us (5+ yrs old) Land Rover Discovery. We previously had a Land Rover LR3 for 10+ years and had taken it on a lot of offroad adventures. So I wanted to post here with impressions on the new Disco 5 and some comparisons with the LR3.
A couple photos for attention.
(Here's the trip report, if anyone is interested in the generic, non-Land Rover parts of the trip: https://forum.expeditionportal.com/...and-paradise-basin-near-crested-butte.245689/)
Capability + Comfort/Luxury. This is a defining attribute of both the LR3 and the D5 (HSE package with options). It's nice to have the capabilities to run the same trail as lifted jeeps but in a vehicle with more amenities and one engineered for more comfort on the pavement. Like the bumper sticker says: "Nice Jeep, peasant." The much newer D5 takes the comfort/luxury to the next level. For highway travel, the D5 is awesome: better functioning cruise control, blind-spot detection, Android Auto / Apple connectivity, comfortable seats, etc.
Probably the biggest feature improvement for me for offroading is Android Auto. With the LR3, I used a tablet for offroad navigation. The tablet worked fine, but it was always a hassle to mount the tablet. With the D5, it's so convenient to preload the maps and trails onto the phone app and then use Android Auto to have Gaia right on the main display.
Offroad Capability. The promise/expectation from Land Rover is that every generation has more capability than the previous. Just in terms of specs, the D5 has more clearance and better breakover angles compared to the LR3. So there is that. But my LR3 had the locking rear differential, while the D5 doesn't. I researched and found a few videos with non-HD D5s handling very challenging terrain. In one test of locking vs non-locking rear diff, both vehicles got to the same spot on the test trail, but the one with locking diff did it with a bit less drama. On this trip, I never felt any compromise in traction compared to the LR3. For one thing, I think the terrain response software has improved from the L3 to the D5 to make up for the lack of locking rear diff - at least I didn't ever feel like I was lacking traction compared to the LR3 and we took some difficult trails.
The additional clearance and breakover angles in the D5 might have been marginally noticeable, but it's really hard to tell when it is months between using the vehicles. I think the biggest spec improvement for the D5 is wading depth. We had a number of shallow streams, but nothing close to the limits. In the west, where water crossings usually involve current, I wouldn't want to get near the limit.
Offroad manners. I prefer the LR3. I'm not sure if it's the Johnson rods (installed by the previous owner, which trick the air suspension to raise the vehicle, but make the suspension firmer) or the mono frame (as opposed to ladder+frame for the LR3), or just the fact that the D5 is significantly lighter, but the D5 is more jarring when navigating rock obstacles. I suspect the harsher ride is a combination of the above. There were a couple instances where my wife thought she had a frame strike, but it was just the jarring from the tires going over rocks. On the LR3, I would typically not air down (some legit theory about tradeoffs of not airing down with traction control, smallish sidewall, and air suspension). With the D5, I aired down (to 20-25 psi) to alleviate the jarring. At some point, I'd like to swap out the Johnson Rods to see how much difference that makes, but I have to admit, I like the look.
One more comparison, the D5 EAS seems more robust. While the LR3 EAS never completely failed in all my offroading, it would throw error codes - mostly false positives that would go away on their own after a few miles, but occasionally, requiring a reset with the Gap tool. The D5 has no such issues.
Interior for camping. I'd give this one to the LR3 too. After trying many different camping options, we've determined that suv tent and us sleeping in the back of the vehicle (megamat duo fits both vehicles) is our preferred option. I think the D5 is a little bit wider, but it has less headroom. In the LR3, we could comfortably sit up and read in bed. In the D5, we have to have the sunroof interior cover open and situate just so to be comfortable sitting on the mattress. Also the LR3 had flat surfaces and deep cubbies in the back for flashlights, bear spray, drinks, etc etc.
Off-grid power: LR3 was convenient with an empty spot for a 2nd battery and aftermarket dual battery kit from traxide. That worked so well, I could never justify a newfangled solar system. For the D5, I outfitted it with an Ecoflow LI portable battery and installed the optional alternator charger. Between the inherent battery capacity plus alternator charging when driving, plus solar when stationary, we never had any concern about running out of power for the fridge and lights and phone-charging etc.
Overall, I'm very happy and impressed with the D5. It's super capable and it's 12 yrs newer. Now if the boffins at Land Rover had done all the generational updates while keeping the LR3 body static, that would be ideal! Glad to hear if others have similar impressions or solutions.
This was our first adventure trip in our new to us (5+ yrs old) Land Rover Discovery. We previously had a Land Rover LR3 for 10+ years and had taken it on a lot of offroad adventures. So I wanted to post here with impressions on the new Disco 5 and some comparisons with the LR3.
A couple photos for attention.
Beautiful scenery along Devil's Punchbowl trail
Dispersed camping in the Rockies!
(Here's the trip report, if anyone is interested in the generic, non-Land Rover parts of the trip: https://forum.expeditionportal.com/...and-paradise-basin-near-crested-butte.245689/)
Capability + Comfort/Luxury. This is a defining attribute of both the LR3 and the D5 (HSE package with options). It's nice to have the capabilities to run the same trail as lifted jeeps but in a vehicle with more amenities and one engineered for more comfort on the pavement. Like the bumper sticker says: "Nice Jeep, peasant." The much newer D5 takes the comfort/luxury to the next level. For highway travel, the D5 is awesome: better functioning cruise control, blind-spot detection, Android Auto / Apple connectivity, comfortable seats, etc.
Probably the biggest feature improvement for me for offroading is Android Auto. With the LR3, I used a tablet for offroad navigation. The tablet worked fine, but it was always a hassle to mount the tablet. With the D5, it's so convenient to preload the maps and trails onto the phone app and then use Android Auto to have Gaia right on the main display.
Offroad Capability. The promise/expectation from Land Rover is that every generation has more capability than the previous. Just in terms of specs, the D5 has more clearance and better breakover angles compared to the LR3. So there is that. But my LR3 had the locking rear differential, while the D5 doesn't. I researched and found a few videos with non-HD D5s handling very challenging terrain. In one test of locking vs non-locking rear diff, both vehicles got to the same spot on the test trail, but the one with locking diff did it with a bit less drama. On this trip, I never felt any compromise in traction compared to the LR3. For one thing, I think the terrain response software has improved from the L3 to the D5 to make up for the lack of locking rear diff - at least I didn't ever feel like I was lacking traction compared to the LR3 and we took some difficult trails.
The additional clearance and breakover angles in the D5 might have been marginally noticeable, but it's really hard to tell when it is months between using the vehicles. I think the biggest spec improvement for the D5 is wading depth. We had a number of shallow streams, but nothing close to the limits. In the west, where water crossings usually involve current, I wouldn't want to get near the limit.
Offroad manners. I prefer the LR3. I'm not sure if it's the Johnson rods (installed by the previous owner, which trick the air suspension to raise the vehicle, but make the suspension firmer) or the mono frame (as opposed to ladder+frame for the LR3), or just the fact that the D5 is significantly lighter, but the D5 is more jarring when navigating rock obstacles. I suspect the harsher ride is a combination of the above. There were a couple instances where my wife thought she had a frame strike, but it was just the jarring from the tires going over rocks. On the LR3, I would typically not air down (some legit theory about tradeoffs of not airing down with traction control, smallish sidewall, and air suspension). With the D5, I aired down (to 20-25 psi) to alleviate the jarring. At some point, I'd like to swap out the Johnson Rods to see how much difference that makes, but I have to admit, I like the look.
One more comparison, the D5 EAS seems more robust. While the LR3 EAS never completely failed in all my offroading, it would throw error codes - mostly false positives that would go away on their own after a few miles, but occasionally, requiring a reset with the Gap tool. The D5 has no such issues.
Interior for camping. I'd give this one to the LR3 too. After trying many different camping options, we've determined that suv tent and us sleeping in the back of the vehicle (megamat duo fits both vehicles) is our preferred option. I think the D5 is a little bit wider, but it has less headroom. In the LR3, we could comfortably sit up and read in bed. In the D5, we have to have the sunroof interior cover open and situate just so to be comfortable sitting on the mattress. Also the LR3 had flat surfaces and deep cubbies in the back for flashlights, bear spray, drinks, etc etc.
Off-grid power: LR3 was convenient with an empty spot for a 2nd battery and aftermarket dual battery kit from traxide. That worked so well, I could never justify a newfangled solar system. For the D5, I outfitted it with an Ecoflow LI portable battery and installed the optional alternator charger. Between the inherent battery capacity plus alternator charging when driving, plus solar when stationary, we never had any concern about running out of power for the fridge and lights and phone-charging etc.
Overall, I'm very happy and impressed with the D5. It's super capable and it's 12 yrs newer. Now if the boffins at Land Rover had done all the generational updates while keeping the LR3 body static, that would be ideal! Glad to hear if others have similar impressions or solutions.
. It would be fun to get a go-pro and/or drone someday!
