mwestcrew
Member Since: 24 May 2005
Location: Warwickshire
Posts: 334
  
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Well over a month after it arrived at the dealer I have finally managed to go to The Lake District to collect my D4.
It's an HSE with 19inch wheels, Santorini Black with ebony seats and piano black colourway, heated steering wheel, adaptive lights, cubby box cooler, privacy glass, tow pack and as a complete surprise rear entertainment. I was certain that I hadn't ordered RSE.....I'd even told the kids that there wouldn't be screens in the new car!!
First impressions..........I love the looks of the car, IMHO the new front is drop dead gorgeous and IU know it's a  to keep clean but the new black paint colour is awesome.
The interior is as good as that in My FFRR Vogue SE, and there is just as much equipment and comfort. The seats provide comfort and support and a huge range of adjustment.....my one niggle would be that the headrests protrude forward a little too much and my head is against it all the time. The audio system sounds good and DAB reception is strong for at least 90% of the time with Planet Rock(!) Clear and crisp. Travelling south down the country from the borders to Kent I had to re-scan the DAB twice.
The NAV is much improved from my 54 plate D3, faster, many more locations, easier found and a few new functions such as memory points.
The interior mood lighting is utterly brilliant, just so different that it engages permagrin the first time you drive in the dark, the LED puddle lights in the bottom of the mirrors are amazing too. (Running out of superlatives!) 
The headlamp assist works really well, seeing taillights as well as oncoming cars and dipping quickly. I am so glad I specced the adaptive lights they contribute enormously to safe driving
On the road at first it didn't feel that different to a D3 then you realise that you are doing everything 20 mph faster that you would in a D3 and getting to the same speeds 2 - 3 seconds quicker. On the motorway when a 2.7 is lumbering along at 85 and hasn't really got much more to give the 3.0 presses on quite hard. I wouldn't say it is as good as the Mercedes 3litre V6 diesel though, which is smoother and quieter. The ride and handling are really improved. I am certain the engine will improve as it loosens up.
Things I don't much like.......the rear lights are tacky, how the company that designed the iconic rear light on the FFRR could come up with these is a mystery. I might change them for D3 ones I'm sure they will fit. I don't like the feel of the steering wheel either, it's too sqidgey and smooth. I prefer the wheel in my Defender! I have the accessory rubber mats and they are really smelly
Overall a genuinely great car, and as some reviewers including CAR magazine have already said the best all round car in the world by a country mile. 2011 D4 Landmark, Mini Cooper SD Clubman, Range Rover Vogue SE
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 19th Oct 2009 6:04 pm |
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PaulP
Member Since: 04 May 2007
Location: Barcelona
Posts: 4317
  
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Nice review 
What I just don't understand is this apparent lottery when ordering a 50K+ car? How can they put things on that cost thousands as options, but then leave bits out that have been ordered and paid for?
mwestcrew wrote:I have the accessory rubber mats and they are really smelly
Fantastic  - the funniest comment I've read for a long time  2006 Discovery 3 TDV6 SE Auto Buckingham Blue
2007 Golf GT DSG
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| 19th Oct 2009 6:14 pm |
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MartinR
Member Since: 27 Jan 2008
Location: Oxon
Posts: 708
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What they turn up with seems bizarre - my XS has the piano black inserts, which I think really make the interior look just so much classier. 400 quid option that's just on there, no mention of it in any of the bumph. Since these are all non-factory orders at this stage, I can only assume the dealers have specced up a bunch of cars months ago, and then swap them around for the nearest to your spec (you can have my black XS with Xenons if I can have your buck blue XS with premium nav, etc).
Even then, rear screens is a bit of a coup!
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| 19th Oct 2009 6:51 pm |
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