"Discovery 3": owner reviews, specifications, equipment, power and fuel consumption

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:41

The third model of Land Rover Discovery has earned the recognition of motorists around the world. Among the advantages, motorists note the brutal image and extraordinary appearance of the car. In addition, it can easily overcome obstacles of varying complexity, has such advantages as wheel lock, four-wheel drive and high ground clearance. But even despite its positive qualities, a foreign car also has disadvantages that can spoil the joy of owning such a solid vehicle.

History of Creation

The mid-size jeep appeared on the world car market back in 1989. At the moment, 5 generations of the model have been released, the last of which was presented by manufacturers in 2016. Most of all, motorists appreciate Discovery for its brutal, angular design. The manufacturer tries to maintain it throughout the years of production.

The third generation largely repeats the previous ones, although compared to its predecessor, more attention was paid to the interior design. This was done so that passengers and the driver could move comfortably on any route. The developers added the latest electronic devices, arranged the interior in a different way, and improved the suspension. Despite the fact that "Discovery 3" was produced for only 5 years, he managed to gain popularity in many countries of the world. It was first introduced in 2004.

After that, Land Rover marketers recorded the highest level of sales. This was due to a properly conducted advertising campaign, which favorably described the innovations made. After 2 years, the level of sales decreased due to the fact that not all innovations were appreciated by motorists. In addition, some shortcomings became visible. However, over time, "Discovery 3", according to the reviews of the owners, confirmed its high position among the Land Rover SUVs.

Appearance

From the previous generation, the third version of Discovery is distinguished by an even more massive appearance, which is favorably emphasized by a large radiator grille and optics. The wheelbase had a length of 2885 mm with overall dimensions of 1837 × 2190 × 4835 mm (height, width, length). These dimensions confirm that the Discovery 3 is a mid-size SUV.

Another advantage was that the ground clearance was in variations from the basesuspension of 180 mm, and the version with air suspension and variable ground clearance could boast a ground clearance of 180-285 mm. With such a lift, the jeep could easily overcome shallow water obstacles 7-10 cm deep. At the same time, the weight of the SUV in the minimum configuration is 2494 kg.

Salon

The interior space of the Land Rover Discovery 3, according to the owners, is very comfortable. The driver's seat offers excellent visibility, and the seat itself has a memory setting function, thanks to which you can choose a comfortable fit. The interior follows the minimalist style of British cars.

Much attention has been paid to finishes and soundproofing. As many drivers note, extraneous noise practically does not penetrate the Discovery 3 interior. Among the pluses, the owners noted sufficient illumination inside the cabin, which helped to ensure comfort during night trips.

Also, the developers have taken care of additional gadgets, which include a modern audio system with high sound quality. A small disadvantage is not very reliable electrical equipment - it fails quite often. Other shortcomings inside the cabin include:

• arbitrary shutdown of the radio;
• Terrain Response system failure;
• faulty rear door lock;
• Audio failure.

This generation presents two types of interior layout - seven-seater, equipped with two foldingseats in the trunk area, and the traditional five-seater. Judging by the seven-seat version on Discovery 3, according to the owners, the disadvantage of this option is the low functionality of the rear seats, which could only accommodate children under 10 years old.

Specifications

In our country, Discovery 3 was supplied with a gasoline and diesel engine, although even in Russia you can find a car with a non-standard power plant imported from the secondary market of other countries. It has a volume of 4.0 liters with a performance of 219 horsepower. As a transmission, a 6-band gearbox was used here.

The base diesel engine was developed by specialists from the British company Land Rover together with colleagues from Peugeot and Ford. Thanks to this, they were able to create a reliable power unit adapted to harsh road conditions. The main characteristics of the diesel plant are:

• 6 cylinders which are V-shaped;
• volume - 2720 cm³;
• torque - 440 Nm;
• power - 195 horsepower.

As a transmission, it was first supposed to install a 6-speed Steptronic automatic or a 6-speed manual transmission. The most widely used manual transmission due to its unpretentiousness. Although the machine was less "gluttonous". According to the owners, "Discovery 3" with a diesel engine of 2.7 liters is recognized as a fairly reliable car.

For loversfor a quiet ride, dealers offered a V-shaped gasoline mechanism with the following qualities:

• 8 cylinders;
• volume - 4394 cm³;
• torque - 425 Nm;
• 6-speed automatic transmission;
• power 295 horsepower.

The negative points were that the power plant consumes too much fuel, so the Discovery 3, equipped with a gasoline engine, did not find recognition among Russian motorists due to the large number of negative reviews.

Fuel consumption

In the generation launched in 2004, the developers pursued the goal of reducing fuel consumption, which distinguishes all full-size and mid-size SUVs. However, they did not succeed, because "Discovery 3", according to drivers, is also very "gluttonous". Especially to improve performance, the types of motors were replaced. The diesel engine became the most popular, as it could be combined with any gearbox with 6 gears. In mixed mode, this unit worked most economically, although it consumed at least 11.5 liters of fuel.

Gasoline never gained popularity in the Russian car market. The disadvantage of this mechanism was that it was paired with a robotic gearbox, characterized by high fuel consumption. Only on the highway, fuel consumption was 13.2 liters, and on city streets this figure could increase by 20-30%.

Many drivers who choose this SUV have admitted to having bought itspecifically for trips over difficult terrain and used it only for hunting and fishing trips. It has also become popular among residents in mountainous areas who have to overcome dangerous roads every day.

Packages

Manufacturers decided to release the 3rd generation of Discovery in three versions - S, SE and HSE. The simplest configuration was the S variant, and the richest was the HSE. Even the basic version included cast 17-inch wheels, reliable airbags (front and sides), various electronic systems to help drive the car, air conditioning and an audio player. In these trim levels, everything was thought out for the convenience of people. Thanks to this, in the fourth generation of Land Rover Discovery, all options remain the same.

Chassis

The car, released in the third generation, did not completely repeat the traditions of its predecessors. It used an integrated frame and a load-bearing body. A multi-link suspension was installed both front and rear. This has helped to significantly increase the level of comfort, especially when driving on public roads, which are not always smooth.

Along with the usual spring suspension, which was installed on the basic configuration, the top versions received a modern air suspension. With its help, it was possible to adjust the distance to the ground clearance. SUVs that entered the Russian car market were all-wheel drive and had a central center differential lock. Muchfacilitated driving the presence of modern systems - HDC, EBD, ABS, ETC. The wheels were equipped with disc brakes, which were ventilated at the front.

Motorists familiar with previous versions of Discovery were afraid that a large number of the latest devices would not affect the car's patency. However, their fears were unfounded - even the innovative electronic transmission control system, the so-called Terrain ResponseTM, proved to be excellent.

About the 2008 Discovery 3 models, the reviews of the owners are mostly positive, but until this year there were occasional problems with ball joints, silent blocks on the front suspension or steering tips. However, manufacturers made sure that in subsequent years these mechanisms were replaced with more reliable options.

Benefits

This modification has a large number of advantages for which many motorists appreciate the Land Rover Discovery 3. Feedback from owners of 2.7-liter diesel and 4.0-liter gasoline engines suggests that the car has the following advantages:

• reliable power plant;
• durable frame construction;
• quality finishing materials;
• suspension that endures bumps in the road;
• modern audio system.

In addition, many motorists appreciated the variety of equipment and rich functionality of foreign cars.

Flaws

Unfortunately, the painstaking work of design engineers does nothelped to avoid common mistakes that often appear in other SUVs. The biggest flaws are:

• increased fuel consumption;
• high price for parts and repairs;
• rapid appearance of corrosion;
• breakage of door locks;
• Airbag malfunction.

Other faults that appear very rarely include oil leakage through the front oil seal and a crankshaft bearing that does not fit properly. Because of this, the device rotates.

Owner Reviews

Car owners who buy a foreign car mainly in the secondary market are generally satisfied with the vehicle. The car has proven itself well if you buy it from the owner, who carried out scheduled repairs on time.

According to the owners, Land Rover Discovery 3 (diesel) is moderately dynamic, maneuverable and has a high level of comfort. Many are ready to turn a blind eye to some shortcomings and forgive these shortcomings for a brutal and stylish design. In recent years, even the fairer sex has begun to choose this SUV, as it allows you to feel protected by a reliable car.

Conclusion

Among all-wheel drive SUVs, one of the best is the Range Rover Discovery 3. Owner reviews confirm that it is very practical, spacious, has a unique, recognizable design. However, when choosing a machine, it is best to purchase versions released after 2006. It was at this time that the manufacturertried to eliminate all previous shortcomings.