Test drive: Rover more luxury than SUV
This week, we’re driving the 2007 Land Rover HSE LR3, a British-inspired SUV that offers high-end consumers that special “Land Rover” statement wrapped in safety enthused performance.
Introduced in 2005 to replace the aging Discovery model, the 2007 LR3 HSE receives no major design tweaks of note, although the timeless “Rover look” is still a major country club statement.
Mechanically, there are changes worth noting. Under the hood sits a new Jaguar inspired V8 that produces 300-horsepower from a 4.4-liter aluminum alloy design hooked to an electronic 6-speed automatic transmission and two-speed AWD transfer case. It moves the Rover well, but considering there’s 5,426-pounds of mass attached, it sometimes doesn’t feel like 300 horses. As for thirst, it devours premium fuel as EPA numbers of 14 city and 19 highway aren’t anything to cheer about.
There are positives, however, and many of them. Built in Solihull, United Kingdom, Rover’s LR3 (which is owned by Ford Motor Company) offers a body-on-frame construction and a tough, off-road-ready fully independent suspension. We like the setup, especially when it comes to navigating in bad weather or taking an off-road excursion. And, because you sit real high in a Rover, the driver and passengers have great views of everything in front or on the sides.
Many great driving aids allow the HSE to feel like a luxury car more so than an SUV. Included are standard features like traction control, four wheel drive, cornering brake control, hill descent assist, electronic brake force distribution, four wheel vented ABS brake system and a host of other security features. In the event of a mishap, front side airbags and curtain side airbags for all seating rows are standard, as are the expected front and passenger safety air bag systems.
LR3’s quiet and velvety ride lulls drivers into a sense of “non off road ability,” until, that is, the weather turns nasty. Consumers then quickly find out that the Land Rover is a serious battler of mean roads. Thus, if you are in this exclusive market and decide to test-drive an LR3, ask your dealer for an off-road demonstration and you’ll see first hand what we mean.
Land Rovers have an AWD system that features a low-range they call a “Terrain Response” system. The system activates from a console switch that allows the driver to choose both suspension and powertrain settings to accommodate driving style, weather condition or off-road need. Notable is a standard locking center differential and optional locking rear differential.
LR3 also features an antiskid control with rollover sensors, air-spring suspension with four different ride heights and automatic load leveling. A navigation system and bi-xenon headlights are standard on the HSE and available on the V8 “SE” model. Six cylinder models are also available.
Inside, prepare for Rover’s secure feeling of luxury. LR3’s British heritage demands that opulence not be grandiose in any manner, yet still deliver the lavishness one desires in a Rover. The leather upholstery is supple, and accommodation for seven is standard on all V8 models. The seats are very comfortable, while kids and dogs will love the third row. (That’s the Brit way of saying the third row is tight). Overall, the cabin is really nice and everything expected in a vehicle of this nature is in place.
The only options on our LR3 HSE were a Luxury Package, featuring adaptive front lighting, heated front and rear seats, and a center console cooler box for $1,750 (too much); and Sirius Satellite Radio for another $400. This brought the final tally to $56,100.
Important numbers include a 113.6-inch wheelbase, 22.8-gallon fuel tank, 7,700-lb. towing capacity and up to 90 cu. ft. of cargo space depending on seat arrangement.
Similar to the top of the line, and $90,000-plus Range Rover, which we recently tested during a major snowstorm in Pennsylvania (coming soon), we rate the LS3 an 8.8 on a scale of one to 10.
Likes: Flawless in bad weather, secure feeling, quality build, fun to drive.
Dislikes: Loves gas stations, design needs some updating.