Underpowered Land Rover

[Angelo1]

thanks for all the replies. I am certainly having fun driving different vehicles and watching YouTube! Some thoughts so far:
- Land cruiser - love the reputation and engine - seems ponderous on the road vs the LR4 - worry about the 21 hour drive from Chicago.
- LX570 - prefer the Landcruiser badge, seems to drive a bit better but worry about the air suspension in the rough.
- New Discovery 5 (diesel) - Drives really well, awesome engine, but already having maintenance issues and is brand new!
- G wagon - what a beast (awesome engine) but a beast from another century and my god the steering is heavy.
- Ford Expedition - Drives and feels like a truck.
- Ford Raptor - Cool but don't want a UTE/truck
- Nissan Armada - Seems to lack the aftermarket Offroad gear
- Tahoe/Yukon - Not tough enough for the desert.

Going to drive the 4runner Trail Premium today. What do you guys think of these? I worry that the engine will have the same issues as my LR4 and worry about being over gross weight fast with a few bars and racks.

Currently (and this is changing daily is) my thinking is that, at the end of the day, while I love the driving feel of the LR4/Land Rovers I will prioritize the reliability of the Toyota/Lexus platform. Then the decision becomes: LC200/LX570 or LC100/LX470 or 4Runner Trail premium.

PS Thought this thread was interesting 2017 4runner v 2017 Landcruiser

Actually the new G wagon has IFS and the steering is similar to the GLE now. Also the interior is much updated, including S class massage seats. If the gas mileage wasn’t so poor, I’d seriously consider a pre-owned one in the near future. The LC is tough to beat for a Swiss Army knife and i love the fact it takes regular fuel, can tow really well but the range is poor.

The new discovery is ugly and much prefer the LR4 V8. I love the Range Rover but for off-road it seems silly with 21” wheels and no bumber/winch options. The Merc GLS 450/550 would be a another option to consider with off-road option. Again, buy extended warranty on any German brand.

 

[krice118]

@sterlingmossy The LX does not have air suspension it is hydraulic, the AHC is durable and reliable.
In no way is a 4runner offer more power than any option listed above......

Also this depends on budget a nice 100 can be had for under $15k

 

[M1911]

Blind spot monitor
Park assist
Pano roof
Ventilated seats
Power lift gate
Heated steering wheel
Auto high beam lights
Headlights that move left and right as you turn.

Since at least 2013, the LC has had a heated steering wheel and ventilated seats. Blind spot monitor came in 2016. I don’t want a pano roof — I mostly keep the cover closed on my sunroof to reduce noise and glare. I don’t want a power rear lift gate — manual lift gates open and close faster than power units and don’t break.

 

[M1911]

Some thoughts so far:
- Land cruiser - love the reputation and engine - seems ponderous on the road vs the LR4 - worry about the 21 hour drive from Chicago.

I don’t understand what you are worried about. I drove to Colorado from Boston last year, and found the LC to be a completely wonderful road trip vehicle. Yes, it is a 6,000 lb, body-on-frame, solid-rear-axle truck. None of that matters when you are driving on smooth interstate. It is quiet and comfortable on the highway.

Going to drive the 4runner Trail Premium today. What do you guys think of these? I worry that the engine will have the same issues as my LR4 and worry about being over gross weight fast with a few bars and racks.

The engine in the 4Runner doesn’t have enough torque. It is fast enough to accelerate decently when the truck is empty, but only by using high revs, which results in a lot of noise. You won’t like it. You really won’t like towing with it.

 

[sterlingmossy]

I don’t understand what you are worried about. I drove to Colorado from Boston last year, and found the LC to be a completely wonderful road trip vehicle. Yes, it is a 6,000 lb, body-on-frame, solid-rear-axle truck. None of that matters when you are driving on smooth interstate. It is quiet and comfortable on the highway.



The engine in the 4Runner doesn’t have enough torque. It is fast enough to accelerate decently when the truck is empty, but only by using high revs, which results in a lot of noise. You won’t like it. You really won’t like towing with it.

I just drove one. Lovely car terrible engine. Very buzzy. What a shame.

 

[Dan Higgins]

I had a 2014 LR4 (SCV6, Heavy Duty Package) for 2 years and 50K+ miles. In Colorado which means in the mountains a lot. Loved the LR4. Put slightly larger tires (KO2s) and sliders on it. I miss a lot of things. But I don't miss others. And there are things that the LC has that the LR4 did not. There were two big things that drove us to the LC.

First was towing a 6,000# travel trailer. There were questions about how much tongue weight the hitch receiver could handle (owners manual says 556# and the dealership and LR corporate stuck to that number when I asked) and Land Rover doesn't want you to use a weight distribution hitch. Toyota is the opposite. Seems to embrace towing more. Better hitch receiver setup, tongue weight that exceeds 10% of the max trailer weight and encourages the use of a WD hitch. Also, the LC has 401 foot lbs of torque compared to the 340 of the SCV6 LR4s.

The other area was that I knew I would need to put a LOT of miles on whichever vehicle I had. Lots of road trips. Though my LR4 had been flawless, at just over 50K miles the battery that charges the ECO Start/Stop function died and was going to be $600 to replace (maintenance item, not covered under warranty.) I could see a future of lots of maintenance costs. I began to worry about getting stuck out in the outback somewhere.

BTW, my 2016 LC has ventilated seats, heated steering wheel, auto high beams, BSM, adaptive cruise, Siri-Hands-Free (not Carplay), room for larger tires and more.

I would miss the "alpine roof" except that I had a permanent roof rack installed. I do miss the huge cargo space with the ability to make the floor completely flat.

As for the ride, I think the LR4 was "better" but I long ago forgot about it. I have done road trips to the PNW from Denver, to San Diego and Arizona and am on another one now to the PNW. 8-12 hour days. No problem. Adaptive Cruise is awesome. (That was on option on the 2015 LR4.)

Very happy with the LC. Would have been OK with an LX except that I would have "felt" a bit less comfortable with taking it off road but that's just me. Maybe when I replace the LC in 10 years I'll get an LX. (I would have had to replace the LR4 2-3 times in those 10 years!)

I don't like the new Discovery at all. Too gimmicky. No improvements for towing. And having had a first-model-year Acura MDX (2014) I learned my lesson about getting a car in the first 2-3 years of a new model - especially one that has lots of gimmicks. I also prefer a split tailgate - not the gimmicky fold down panel. And I don't like all the push button stuff which can break and which is typically much slower than me just doing it manually.

 

[ryanCA]

Actually the new G wagon has IFS and the steering is similar to the GLE now. Also the interior is much updated, including S class massage seats. If the gas mileage wasn’t so poor, I’d seriously consider a pre-owned one in the near future. The LC is tough to beat for a Swiss Army knife and i love the fact it takes regular fuel, can tow really well but the range is poor.

The new discovery is ugly and much prefer the LR4 V8. I love the Range Rover but for off-road it seems silly with 21” wheels and no bumber/winch options. The Merc GLS 450/550 would be a another option to consider with off-road option. Again, buy extended warranty on any German brand.

I am hoping to really add one to the fleet in the next few years.

 

[ryanCA]

- Nissan Armada - Seems to lack the aftermarket Offroad gear
r

Tons of parts for the Nissan Patrol.... and heck of the deal in the USA at the true transaction prices...

 

[M1911]

I just drove one. Lovely car terrible engine. Very buzzy. What a shame.

Yup. Told you you wouldn’t like it

I test drove the 5th Gen 4Runner 3 times when I had to replace my 4th Gen V8 4Runner. I liked the truck but hated the drivetrain. It needs another gear or three and I hate that V6

 

[SWUtah]

No SUV lights a candle to RR, RRS, or LR4 in terms of ride comfort. That starts with the seat of the Rover. It is perhaps the best designed seat, in terms of comfort, in all of car-dom. Also, the leathers in the higher end Rover lineup are of the highest quality and are buttery soft. The air suspensions of the Rovers provide a ride that a LC can't remotely duplicate. And the interior cabins of the higher end Rovers will be significantly more quiet.

That said, the Cruiser is going to outlast the Rover about 3 to 1.

I look at my LC as a tank that will last forever. I look at my RRS as an SUV sports car. Two different things. Both are fine workmanship, but in their own unique ways.

If you want nicer get a LX570. RR are rated at the bottom for quality

 

[SWUtah]

@sterlingmossy The LX does not have air suspension it is hydraulic, the AHC is durable and reliable.
In no way is a 4runner offer more power than any option listed above......

Also this depends on budget a nice 100 can be had for under $15k

Bingo!!! I was wondering how long it would take this group to point out it’s not a piece of shat air suspension like RR AND Mercedes.

 

[hickuptruck]

OP is an SUV goldilocks. Go buy a Bentley Bentayanga or whatever those are then!

 

[sterlingmossy]

OP is an SUV goldilocks. Go buy a Bentley Bentayanga or whatever those are then!

Thanks

 

[krice118]

@sterlingmossy I dont think you will be disappointed with an LX. The ONLY downside I see to a Cruiser (80, 100 or 200) is the cruising range is around 300 miles but now Cruiser Brothers has imported Long Ranger Tanks and solved that issue.

 

[sterlingmossy]

Thanks everybody for the thoughts and ideas. It has definitely helped me narrow to an LX or LC. I am leaning LC200 as I plan a trip to Argentina somewhere down the road and lean towards the simplicity of no AHC.

 

[SWUtah]

Thanks everybody for the thoughts and ideas. It has definitely helped me narrow to an LX or LC. I am leaning LC200 as I plan a trip to Argentina somewhere down the road and lean towards the simplicity of no AHC.

And owner on expedition did a 8000 mile trip through Africa never had a single problem with his AHC very robust system works on hydraulics not Air. Much better system then in the 100 series and people have used the 100 Series LX with AHC for a couple hundred thousand miles without problem. But I see your point

 

[coleAK]

I had a g500 before my LX. They are fairly equal off road just go about it differnat ways. In terms of drive and ride, the LX is way better in all areas: steering feel, body roll , breaks, ride comfort,...In terms of towing the g was rated to 7000 I think but due to its narrow short wheelbase I wouldn’t have gone over 4000-5000 and no way would have pulled a camper larger than an rPod.

 

[mooneywa]

@sterlingmossy - My 200 goes up and over Teton Pass no problem, not even a second thought. The less twisty, steep passes like Togwotee or just the long hills south of Pinedale or even Elk Mountain on I-80 are a couple easy downshifts and you barely even notice it. That's with meatier tires and stout headwind too.

The LC is wonderful cruising from Texas to Wyoming and I'm sure the straight shot across on 80 will be the same. If you're doing the drive vice flying into JAC a lot, the LC will be be the least maintenance intensive. Also, in case something DOES go wrong, you have dealers that can work on all of the LC's systems about every 150 miles west of Omaha (Grand Island, North Platte, Cheyenne). If you're in a Benz or a Land Rover you have Denver... and that's about it.

Congrats on the house in Driggs. Two of our very close friends have property up there and are moving full time in 2 years. It's the views of Jackson without the fuss and $$$$$$.

 

[sterlingmossy]

@mooneywa - That is great to hear. That Teton pass can be quite eye opening to a flatlander. I am sure that if you are happy cruising from Texas I will be fine coming from Chicago. Thanks also on the dealer intel (although I am sure I won't need them with a Toyota ).

We love Driggs. I have been coming to Jackson for years and you are correct Driggs is all the joys without the $$$$. I am sure we will bump into your friends as there only about 1,000 people in town. Tell them to look for an Englishman that recently sold a Land Rover!