- Doors and Seats
5 doors, 7 seats
- Engine
4.0i, 8 cyl.
- Engine Power
132kW, 320Nm
- Fuel
NA
- Manufacturer
4XD
- Transmission
Auto
- Warranty
3 Yr, 100000 KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
Regal heir
PIGEONHOLE: Urbane assault vehicle.
PHILOSOPHY: Cool Britannia.
WHO'S BUYING IT: Mums and dads from the posher postcodes. Accessorises well with Country Road, Ralph Lauren and RM Williams. Found in great numbers at Wallaby rugger games.
WHO YOU'D BUY IT: Excellent ride, European style, command driving position, mountain goat ability, strong turbo diesel engine.
WHY YOU WOULDN'T: With new-found exterior bulk, there's not enough room inside. Quality remains questionable given shoddy previous efforts. Thirst from V8 petrol engine is epic and nobody will be able to tell you're driving the 90 percent redesigned new model.
STANDARD EQUIPMENT: Cruise control, anti-lock brakes, central locking, air conditioning, electric windows/mirrors, tinted glass, remote fuel cap release. Long list of options includes hydraulic rear step, third-row seats ($3,000), 12-speaker sound system, CD stacker, leather trim.
SAFETY: Dual front airbags, pre-tensioning seat belts and a softer, impact-absorbing interior. The old model was no crash test star and there are no independent barrier tests available.
CABIN: Stretched by 150mm, Disco II has more rear overhang to improve interior luggage space and accommodate new fold-down third-row seats. The cockpit is familar; chunky plastics and switch gear are hardly state-of-the-art. Instrument shroud moves if you grab it, door handles and ignition lock are difficult to locate. Rear doors are small.
SEATING: Well-designed front buckets and tall driving position are appealing, but cabin length remains an issue with seat travel shorter than its Japanese rivals. Optional third-row pews for kids only, and they sit close to the tailgate.
ENGINE: Choice of revised 4.0 litre grandpa's axe V8 petrol or new five-cylinder 2.5 litre TD5 turbo diesel. If you can stand the clatter, the oil burner is the smarter long-term buy. Torque, towing capacity and fuel consumption are excellent.
TRANSMISSION: A weaker point on older models, the automatic is a new electronically controlled dual mode four-speed, Traction control and Rover's Hill Descent system included.
STEERING: Never a strong point with any 4WD, the Disco's thick-rimmed wheel is pleasant but not communicative with 3.4 turns lock to lock and a horrid 11.9m turning circle.
RIDE: Plush and supple. The most seductive feature of the Discovery.
HANDLING: Depends. Spend an extra $4,000 on the Active Cornering Enhancement (ACE) system and the Disco's leanings are transformed by computer-controlled hydraulic anti-roll bars. The worry is Rover's previous record with complex electronics.
FUEL: The turbo diesel is a model of frugality. Overall test drive average was 11.2 litres/100km in an automatic! Great tank range too. The petrol V8 is capable of using twice as many litres.
BRAKES: Don't like the way the anti-lock system cuts in so early. The response is hair trigger, especially if the Disco hits a mid-brake bump.
BUILD: Two test cars were sound. Manufacturing quality improved but owner BMW is not yet happy.
WARRANTY: Two years/50,000km is half what you get with the competition.
ANTI-THEFT: Remote central locking with latest engine immobiliser system.
AUDIO SYSTEM: Basic four-speaker radio-cassette with no CD.
COST: Blame the pound but the most basic petrol manual begins at $46,900 in a market where $39,990 is the entry point. The turbo diesel costs $48,400 in manual and $51,000 for the auto. The up-market ES will set you back $66,000 with the V8 and $67,728 with diesel power. Ouch!
VERDICT: Playing catch-up in the technical department while making the most of its strengths: that supple ride and a regal demeanour. Buy it if size doesn't matter, but style and brand image do. It's expensive and the chances of a flawless ownership experience are not guaranteed.