Land Rover Discovery Review
Published: 2nd August 2004
Land Rover Discovery TD5 ES
Ease of Use
The Discovery is a very easy vehicle to drive and visibility is exceptionally good all round with large windows and wing mirrors which enabled very clear side visibility, particularly important for such a high sided vehicle. The commanding driving position enables you to see further ahead down the road and over some vehicles at road junctions.
Parking was surprisingly easy and our test vehicle featured Park Distance Control System which uses ultrasonic sensors mounted in the rear bumper. When reverse gear is engaged a 'beep' is heard and the closer you get to an obstacle the tone becomes continuous to warn of a potential impact. Whilst this system is perfectly adequate and necessary on such a large vehicle we prefer the Mercedes-Benz system which has an audible and visual system which actually shows you on a proximity scale how close obstacles are to the front and rear of the car.
The Discovery is a true seven seater with large comfortable seats ascending stadium style. Access to the 3rd row seating is a little awkward with passengers having to climb in through the rear door although a rear step is available on some models to assist with the ascent. The 3rd row seats also fold away when not in use. If you or your family are on the short side the optional integrated side protection runners would be helpful as they aid getting in and out of the vehicle. The doors are surprisingly light but the rear door which houses the spare wheel is heavy and can be a bit awkward to open and close especially if the vehicle is on an incline.
The dashboard is ergonomically laid out incorporating large chunky switchgear which is simple to use. The only downside is that the dashboard is a little dated and we're sure that this will be rectified with the new Land Rover Discovery 3. [ click here for more information ] Our test car featured a few helpful touches including Automatic Drive-Away Locking which is standard on all models and locks all the doors as the vehicle exceeds 4 mph. This system also automatically unlocks the doors when the engine is switched off - this could cause problems with families with young children as they could open the doors or get out when it is not safe to do so. Our test car also had a single point entry system which enabled the drivers door only to be opened should you wish. The Discovery also features a headlight courtesy delay which leaves the headlights on for a useful 30 seconds allowing you to exit the vehicle and open the front door.
The aerial is incorporated into the windscreen which apart from aesthetics is useful when off-road as it can't be broken off.
