Discovery 2017

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  • AndrewS
    Member Since: 28 Apr 2016
    Location: Pembridge
    Posts: 410
    United Kingdom 
    2019 Discovery SDV6 HSE Silicon Silver

    D5 a year in

    My 3L DTV6 HSE D5 is now a year old I will try to keep this short and factual. I’m not slating the D3/4 or praising the D5 these are the facts from my own experience. In no particular order.

    Just opened the app on my phone to check the miles he's covered 15,515. The app is great and has handy features, I can start the car to pre heat the cabin from the app this has worked every time.

    I travel all over the place long journeys and short journeys in other words I don't travel the same route every day.

    The D5 has been very reliable and has had no issues, it’s been in to get the odd up date at the dealers, and this was at the dealers request not mine.

    I tow a lot, normally heavy trailers, I have had no issues. It’s a great tow vehicle not as good as the D3/4 when empty however if you load the D5 up its just as good. This is purely down the weight of the vehicle v’s weight of the trailer.

    I carry passengers in all the seats with people that have travelled in D3's and D4's. I have asked about the seats, the response is 3rd row in a D3/4 are more comfy and easier to get to. 2nd row are lower but that's not an issue it’s just different. The majority prefer the D5 to travel in.

    The D5 feels more nimble, feels very sporty.

    Potholes, you can really feel the 'bang' in the car when you hit a pothole compared to a D3/4 this I presume would be down to the fact that the D5 is lighter and has more aluminium in its construction.

    Driving position is great. Seats are supportive there's plenty of room in the foot well.

    All round visibility is good I expected it to be a lot worse due to the shape of the C pillar its not a problem.

    Reverse lights are poor. Headlights are very good, auto dip works well although it did have a wobble last week in bad fog/heavy rain.

    Sat nav is great, with the sim in the car you can type a place name (for instance a hotel) it will do an online search, once you have found what you want you can navigate to it.

    I wish I had gone for the adjust seat phone app option. Initially I thought “electric seats” what a load of rubbish. OMG they are brill  having the adjust seats on app option must be great. It’s one of those things you don’t know how you survived without it.

    Boot, I’ve not noticed any difference in size and have always easily loaded all my kit as I would in the D3/4. I will say that the D5 is easier to load and unload as it’s easier to reach in with the raised lower tailgate. One thing that is an issue with the D5 is the side trim its not as robust as it was in the D3/D4. If you are carrying lots of builder’s kit make a wooden box.
    I have only hit my head on the corner of the tailgate once 

    Infotainment is good, sound system is great, its fast, occasionally its slow to start at around 10 seconds.

    There is a bit more tyre noise coming into the cab, this could be down to the type of tyres fitted.

    Off road its very good and will go places a D3/D4 wont simply because its lighter. Would I take one to Morocco and compete with one? No as I feel its not as robust. There are lots of vulnerable places underneath where pipes and wiring are exposed. I’m sure you would have great fun in the sand dunes. However when driving over rocks or a lane full of twigs things will get damaged and knocked off. Having said that a few bits of underbody protection would fix this issue.
    At the end of the day I suppose the D5 is not designed to go crashing over stuff, but then was the D3/D4? I think not, but you could if you wanted to.

    Is it worth £20k more than a D4 NO

    It is a very nice car a great place to sit but its not a D3/D4, I would have preferred it to have been designed to be a bit tougher and have a tougher look and feel about it, having said that would I go back to a D4? Not a chance.

    To end I will say that this vehicle has been the most reliable Land Rover product I have owned and I’m fortunate enough to say that I have owned quite a few.
  • Chalkys HSE
    Member Since: 04 Jun 2017
    Location: Yorkshire
    Posts: 339
    United Kingdom 
    2017 Discovery Td6 HSE Corris Grey

    Thank’s

    A well rounded informative insight from both sides of the coin. I’m less than a week in and absolutely blown away by mine.

    Interesting reading that you have had no major problems to speak of, a mate has a 17 plate 3.0 litre and has done 25k in 9 Months and it hasn’t missed a beat. Here’s to the next 12 Months.

    2017 MY D5 HSE 3.0 Td6 Corris Grey, Side steps, roof rails,
  • jeb3
    Member Since: 23 Aug 2017
    Location: Monument, CO
    Posts: 33
    United States 
    2017 Discovery Td6 HSE Lux Aruba

    Thanks for posting. great read. You mention towing. Did you pull a trailer around or above 2,770 KG? Any issues? Did any of the trailers have electric brakes? if yes, how did you connect the electric brake controller to the D5? any sway or weight and balance issues (light steering)?
    thanks
    Jieb3
  • APCo
    Member Since: 21 Mar 2017
    Location: York
    Posts: 26
    United Kingdom 
    2017 Discovery Td6 First Edition Namib Orange

    20391 miles in the year

    1 year today and I can mirror most of your post. Great vehicle and we absolutely love it. very glad we waited instead of getting a D4 landmark.

    20391 miles, who has done the most?
  • DiscoStu
    Member Since: 28 Apr 2016
    Location: Greater London
    Posts: 407
    United Kingdom 
    2019 Discovery Td6 HSE Lux Carpathian Grey

    I'm 6 weeks in and now at 5K, so catching up fast Laughing

    About time to order my next one, I think....

    MY19 Silver HSE Lux SDV6
    MY19 Carpathian Grey HSE Lux SDV6 - gone, MY18 Carpathian Grey HSE Lux TDV6 - gone
  • Russell
    Member Since: 26 Jun 2016
    Location: Lydd
    Posts: 1104
    United Kingdom 
    2017 Discovery Td6 First Edition Namib Orange

    I have had mine now for 12 months and would agree with most of what Andrew has said.

    I have had issues with sat nav freezing, and very very slow start up of infotainment system, this has been partially resolved with latest software up date but has thrown up a few other minor things.

    The car has been reliable and very comfortable to drive, it tows lovely and is more economical than the D4
    Stop start was very good from day one for about 8 months now works when it wants but again this is not a major issue.
    Seats are comfortable and I have had no complaints from those travelling in rows 2 or 3
    I have not hit my head once on the tailgate but the daughter did once as it was closing, she walked under it Big Cry
    Overall the car is lovely and a nice place to be for short or long journeys, solo or towing, I do think the trim all round is not as hard wearing a the D4 and seems to mark easier.

    Namib Orange 1st Edition with black roof and wheels.
    Privacy, tow bar, drive pack, surround camera, heated front & rear seats, auto dim door mirrors, side steps, remote Pro, RSE, arm rest fridge dash cam front and rear.
  • Gareth
    Member Since: 27 Apr 2016
    Location: Bramhall
    Posts: 69
    United Kingdom 

    Is anyone missing the split tailgate of the D3/4.

    It seemed such a big issue early on, but largely not mentioned now.
  • Russell
    Member Since: 26 Jun 2016
    Location: Lydd
    Posts: 1104
    United Kingdom 
    2017 Discovery Td6 First Edition Namib Orange

    Gareth
    There are swings and roundabouts,

    I find it a lot easier to reach the back of the boot with the full size tailgate for loading/unloading lots of heavy items, however in tight spaces it was nice to be able to open just the top section, if you did not have much to load in the back.

    I do like the hands free option of opening and closing the boot especially when it is filthy, I also like the fact if it is chucking it down you can stand under the full size boot lid and keep dry, I also like the silly little flap in occasions when you are loading lots of small stuff in the boot, such as when you go for the monthly shop, you can leave the flap raised and pack stuff such as bottles against it to stop them falling over.

    I think all round I prefer it

    Namib Orange 1st Edition with black roof and wheels.
    Privacy, tow bar, drive pack, surround camera, heated front & rear seats, auto dim door mirrors, side steps, remote Pro, RSE, arm rest fridge dash cam front and rear.
  • Guy
    Member Since: 10 Aug 2016
    Location: Sitting Down, Facing Front
    Posts: 27
    United Kingdom 
    2018 Discovery Td6 HSE Carpathian Grey

    Lack of split tailgate was one of my worries but - two weeks in - and I fully agree with Russell. It's a non-issue. I thought the gesture opening was a gimmick but, now I'm used to it, it's damned useful.
  • Chalkys HSE
    Member Since: 04 Jun 2017
    Location: Yorkshire
    Posts: 339
    United Kingdom 
    2017 Discovery Td6 HSE Corris Grey

    I was dubious that the lack of a split tailgate would be too far removed from the D3 I had, I have to say that putting stuff in the tailgate doesn’t require an extra shove and taking it out doesn’t need you to bump up against it, move to the right where it’s a bit shorter or stand on one leg and balance leaning in to grab stuff from the back, like the wonky tailgate, it was a deal breaker when it first emerged for me but the more I tried to find reason to not buy one the more I wanted one ?

    Now I’ve got one I absolutely love it, way better than imagined it would be, but nothing’s gone wrong yet
    Confused

    2017 MY D5 HSE 3.0 Td6 Corris Grey, Side steps, roof rails,
  • Craigp
    Member Since: 09 Nov 2016
    Location: Hull
    Posts: 690
    England 

    I've not been on the D4 site since i upgraded Cool are people still kicking off about the single tailgate, the corners and the small brake lights oh and the small back seat?
  • Chalkys HSE
    Member Since: 04 Jun 2017
    Location: Yorkshire
    Posts: 339
    United Kingdom 
    2017 Discovery Td6 HSE Corris Grey

    Not sure, I never went on the D4 site, kept my D3 which was very reliable through the D4 era, I couldn’t see the point in buying an almost identical vehicle, I know it was different and more refined but from my point of view it was essentially the same thing.

    Replacing a Discovery isn’t an easy task, I spent 2 years in a California Beach bought new in 2015, which was almost as good as a Disco but was essentially a Van. And when you had driven 3 hours in it you knew you had driven a van, it was painstaking. I got rid of that and briefly hung my nose over the D5, like you said in your post, I’d seen the distain regards the wonky number plate, rear seats not big enough, rear boot opening, I opted for a Touareg R line. Which was a lovely car, on 21” alloys and low profile tyres. It was fine on smooth surfaces but really harsh on anything other than that, that’s gone after just 6 Months, so my D5 is on 21” alloys, 5022 diamond turned black and silver ones, not the dynamic ones. I’ve read that these are really harsh on 21” alloys, for me it’s sublime, magic carpet ride all over again.

    If I’d have come straight out of a D3 to this it would be unregonisable, maybe a D4 was a bit more refined and the step up wouldn’t be that progressive, but the D5 isn’t like any Discovery I’ve ever been in before. Instantly recognisable inside as a Range Rover, the layout of the centre console, fixtures and fittings are all high end. The unfortunate thing is that JLR didn’t design a new chassis for the D5, the fortunate thing is that they utilised the FFRR and RRS chassis. And the way it wafts along is all the better for that.

    It just costs a bit more than it used to, Big Cry


    Last edited by Chalkys HSE on 18th Mar 2018 4:47 pm. Edited 1 time in total

    2017 MY D5 HSE 3.0 Td6 Corris Grey, Side steps, roof rails,
  • Gareth
    Member Since: 27 Apr 2016
    Location: Bramhall
    Posts: 69
    United Kingdom 

    There’s a few nay sayers still. They seem to have convinced themselves that it’s a complete disaster for LR, and it’s not selling, so there’s going to be huge stockpiles of them sitting in fields, unsold.

    Nobody seems to be mentioning the lack
    of split TG, that’s why I asked.

    I’m still running my D4, but the 5 is there in the back of my mind.
  • Chrismcnaz
    Member Since: 03 Oct 2017
    Location: Over Yonder.
    Posts: 193
    United Kingdom 
    2017 Discovery Td6 HSE Lux Loire Blue

    Chalkys HSE wrote:
    Not sure, I never went on the D4 site, kept my D3 which was very reliable through the D4 era, I couldn’t see the point in buying an almost identical vehicle, I know it was different and more refined but from my point of view it was essentially the same


    Totally agree Chalky, I looked at upgrading my D3 to a D4 but they just weren’t different enough to justify it so ended up buying a D5 instead.
  • Road Runner 2017
    Member Since: 14 Jan 2017
    Location: Scotland
    Posts: 2010
    Scotland 
    2018 Discovery Si6 HSE Lux Santorini Black

    I wonder how many of the armchair pundits have actually taken a test drive of the D5, or is it just Chinese whispers and scaremongering that they are listening too down the local boozer, leading too all the doom and gloom and negativity?

    Until you have driven it I don't think that anyone is qualified too pass comments on it, especially negative ones. Up until I test drove it a year ago I too assumed incorrectly that it would be not be much different compared too the D4.

    Well I was wrong as too how much a difference it was.

    That said up here where there are alot of 4X4s amongst the farming community especially, I can honestly say that I could easily count on one hand the number of D5's that I have seen in the past year. (I am passing the same few every day).

    The take up has been slow, and with all the Diesel drivers being shafted now with the road tax increase, I assume customers are not too keen too buy at the moment, as they don't want too upgrade too a thirsty petrol unit, as were used too the more economical diesel engine in the D4.

    I also think the price increase is putting new buyers off as well, but that's the price you have too pay for all the new gizmos and toys. With all the digital tech in the car it comes at a premium. Rolling Eyes
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