Test drive Land Rover Discovery 2002 - 2004 SUV

An outstanding personality

What can you say about that high master in an expensive suit? Well, the perfect straightening, complete equanimity and strict tone seems to be a former military man?
 
That's not. We are already familiar with this gentleman. Not that on a short leg, but we know something about him. This is a serious person, but not a bore. He works in the city all week, but as soon as the weekend comes, he, being an avid hunter, goes to his country house to conduct a weekend in nature. It may seem too straightforward and at the same time is able to surprise with non -standard thinking. He began to wear these glasses recently, and even then with the serving of an older brother, who, if interesting, is entered into the highest circles. And the military was his grandfather, the education of which is still affecting everything. In a word, the personality is clearly outstanding. Land Rover cars have always been built according to their own canons and as a result gained the glory of one of the best SUVs of the whole Earth. A mighty frame, unreasonable bridges, a short base and huge suspension moves these machines were genetically predisposed for a long -term off -road driving, for which they were valued by real offrouders.
 
Although why were there? They still remain as and to this day at least that Land Rover Discovery, which visited our dough. All off -road attributes are evident: a fully dependent suspension of all the wheels due to the presence of bridges in front and back, a handout with a demultiplier and a mechanical gearbox to give or take, a real all -terrain vehicle.

Discovery 2003 model year is somewhat different from last year. The innovations affected both the appearance (the new headlights of the head light a la Range Rover, the altered bumper and the radiator grille), and the mechanics. As an option, customers are offered a real blocking of the center differential, supplementing the virtual, the functions of which are performed by the ETC electronic anti -wings system (using the working brake system, it brakes one of the slipping wheels). The list of additional equipment also includes previously known systems, such as, for example, a system for monitoring the ACE rolls and automatic adjustment of the SLS road clearance.

Outwardly, the SUV is designed in the style of the very first disco of the 1989 model: the same simple chopped forms, the same famous second floor with additional glass. The essence of this superstructure becomes clear when you find yourself inside the car. The back row seats are located significantly above the front, and the additional space above the head is very useful. Due to the fact that the rear sofa ascended, the floor was able to make the floor absolutely even.

Opening the trunk door, we understand that the seats that we took over the rear were actually medium. The car is seven -seater! Moreover, additional chairs are added in such a way that they practically do not reduce the volume of the luggage compartment.
 
Once on the site of the driver, the real Landrovarian will experience Deja Wu. The mutual arrangement of the governing bodies makes us recall the previous Discovery. A large lever of the gearbox, an unusual ellipsoid wheel wheel with a thick rim and located in the dead zone in the central tunnel of the windows button all this has already been. Flaws? No, features. Another greetings from the past doors to thin doors with narrow frames and pronounced corners, almost rectangular windshield loyalty to traditions above all! Very British.

The technical characteristics of the diesel do not amaze the imagination with horses and liters, promising moderate 138 horsepower for 2150 kg of a living weight of the machine, but this modesty is more likely. The most important indicator for the SUV size of torque looks optimistic. And although at first it seemed that the engine was somewhat weak, very soon we were convinced of the opposite. It's all about an extremely long -speed gas pedal. To well promote the motor, you need to properly push the pedal right up to the floor and turned on somewhere around 2000 rpm turbine to the engine will give the engine a charge of energy sufficient for a tangible throw forward.

The true hard work of the motor is manifested in a relatively narrow range, limited by the numbers 2 and 4 on the tachometer scale. If you are not peculiar to you, then you can go slowly, simultaneously evaluating the traction capabilities of the motor, the elastic diesel fully allows a confident but non -construction movement on the highest programs. By the way, according to the representatives of Land Rover, the peculiarity of the Land Rover diesel engines is that they really begin to work only after a long-term running-in, the end of which in some copies account for 5-7 thousand kilometers.

By the way, such a long course of the accelerator pedal did not occur from scratch. Outside the asphalt, this feature of Discovery helps to precisely dose the torque supplied to the drive wheels. This is one of those features that have always been inherent in this SUV-professional. As well as an unusual pedal node, it is done to the left so that in extreme off -road conditions it is possible to rule the car, leaning out the window and visually control the wheels. Another raisor of the car is hidden in a handout. The large gear ratio of the demultiplitor when climbing up the mountain allows the car to the mats: the car moves on idle, and the driver steers, walking next to him. We did not go to the mountains, but we managed to test the car in sliding, for which, having left the sinful land, we headed to twist the disco on the ice of the frozen Gulf to the very foundation.

The steering wheel itself is heavy, but the characteristic of the returning effort is optimal. The car has neutral rotation: having exhausted the clutch capabilities of the tires, it begins to slide off by all wheels out of turn. You can try to go through a slippery turn in a drift, but in order to tear the wheels into a slip, you again need to drown the accelerator pedal, and wait a little more. Otherwise, the car will only continue to straighten the trajectory. However, is a rally manner of driving a professional all -terrain vehicle? The answer is negative. It was not created for this. Diesel Disco is patient and reliable and with difficulty lends itself to provocations. And yet, if you miss the moment of the transition of the overlay into the critical phase, further delay will greatly complicate the struggle with it. The large gear ratio of the steering can turn into the fact that you simply will not have time to carry out an adequate complex of stabilizing actions by the steering wheel. It is also impossible not to note the decent radius of the turn, which is why many maneuvers have to be performed in two doses.

The brakes are good. And not only with its effectiveness, but also the convenience of management: the value of slowdown does not depend on the effort attached to the pedal, but on the degree of its movement. And ABS, even on bare ice, does not impose its help ahead of time.
 
The new ACE boxing system has proved its performance. The car holds posture, even if the side overloads reach significant values. Thanks to this, in the turns of any steepness, the driver feels confident. This is at high speeds. But as soon as the speed decreases to a certain threshold, the electronics by hydraulics dissolves the reptile stability stabilizers, and Disco receives precious additional centimeters of the suspension moves, which are so necessary on serious off -road. Despite the decent amount of unsprown masses, the car does not shake on irregularities; In general, the energy intensity of the suspension is very, very impressive.

The new Disco is the embodiment of the traditions of yourself. Or, perhaps, self -digitalization. Sir Land Rover will not get used to you, rather you will have to adapt to him. But, surprisingly, his exactingness for you does not bother him at all interesting to know, like any other outstanding personality.

Going close to him and accepting all his cracks, you will find an interesting comrade and like -minded person. You need to be able to be friends with this gentleman who will not pretend to be reciprocated.
 
 
 

 

Source: Wheel magazine [No. 3/2003]