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lespes
Member Since: 17 Sep 2009
Location: Sitting Down
Posts: 2232
  
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Well D4 in for a service and was kindly lent a Corris grey D5 HSE with the 2.0 diesel engine for the day.
As I entered the car for first time banged my head on the top door entrance 
Straight away the seating felt good, comfy and supportive, but being fairly tall found my head nearly touching the headlining so some adjustment was needed. Once sorted looked around cabin area and reminded me of the first sport layout, where it is wrapped more round you like as cockpit. the control panels and dials all looked simple and straightforward. ( but more on that later)
Once started and on the move the feel to me was very like driving a Freelander 2, even to the point of my knee rubbing on central console in same place. Not that that is a bad thing (except Knee rub) but more how I felt "sat in" the car rather than on top looking down, which was enhanced by having to lower the seat to its lowest position to fit my big head in. Even the engine noise and feel reminded me of the the FR2, but it certainly pulled a lot better and quicker with very seamless gear changes.
Certainly driving it along some back country roads, it felt lighter, more nimble /agile, with less roll than a D4 and certainly did not feel as big a car to drive, once again more Fr2 like. Steering overall was as light as a feather. However the D5 felt less "planted" a bit more fidgety than a D4 and felt the ride was a little harder with less absorption of bumps and potholes.
Cabin noise I felt was noticeable quieter on top, less wind noise and I suppose better insulated glass, but it felt road / tyre noise was greater than a D4, though it might of been more noticeable due to the less noise intrusion from top of car. The D5 was also quieter with the windows open, in fact the horrible buffeting noise you get in the D4 with either all or just the rear windows open is not present in the D5.
Steering wheel is thinner than D4, very similar to FFRR, but I liked this and it felt very comfortable, as well as having a lighter operation.
Back to controls and dials: The layout may look clean and simple with a much larger stat nav screen, but certainly did not find it that user friendly, though I am sure more familiarity and time would ease those first impressions. The screen itself though looking much bigger is only wider with the same height as D4 one, so viewing maps / directions the view is still the same but extra info at sides which as thats not where your heading does not add anything IMOH. The stat nav I tried to use to avoid some new road works , but had to give up, as could enter postcode ok, but couldn't tell it to give me directions to that point. I am sure others will find it more intuitive than me, suppose its what you are used to and did manage to sort it out later. Wasn't a great fan of the chrome binnacle around dials, being tall did somewhat limit view of them and the water temp gauge was not that clear to read, but once again probably adjust to that. Also being tall I would prefer the speedo readout at the bottom of the centre dial console, beneath the stat nav directions as on the D4, but setting the seat at lowest improved this view, though felt like a little chad peering over the wall.
The area speed limit notification was a useful addition and seemed to work very well.
Cubby boxes and storage felt very good, central console storage huge.
After hitting my head second time on door entrance, I adapted my entrance by grabbing hold of the front A pillar which first time felt the trim was going to come off in my hand, it certainly moves about a lot. After a bit more playing around found it was set to access mode on parking up, so when taking that off found hitting my head was more easily avoided.
Took a quick spin up an old gravel surfaced road in off road mode and sat there at 40-45 mph very happy, the suspension only lowering a little over 50mph, so for me that will be a useful addition.
I also nipped to the shops and was caught out a bit when turning out of a couple of car parks as the D4 would do it it in one go but had to take a another shunt in D5, certainly not as bad as the old D2 or defender even but a marked reduction in turning circle.
Also tried the flip out platform, which for sitting on is not as comfortable but it can be stored out the way allowing easier access to the depths of the boot which is still a pretty big place to reach the back of.
I tend to find that after driving something new, you can never get the real feel for it until you get back into your old car, things that are not so good in your car tend to stand out a lot more.Driving back in the D4 gave me a better feel for the overall experience and the one thing that i felt was that the steering wheel was way more comfortable in the D5, but definatley liked the feel and silkiness of my D4 3.0 engine over the 2.0 litre in the D5, which perhaps isn't a fair comparison as such, as the 2 litre certainly performed well and much better than I expected. I would also miss having a sunroof too. Certainly my D4 did not feel 13 years older in design.
So in conclusion I found the D5 to be a nice place to be in, though the problem I have is that you seem to get less for a lot more money, whereas all Discovery models previous have enjoyed meaningful upgrades in comfort , room and engines with an increase in its pricing. Personally I think styling aside the D3 to D4 was / is a bigger upgrade than the D4 to D5. D4 Landmark MY16 Santorini Black THE LAST
D4 HSE MY12 Marmais Teal: Gone. Missed a lot!
Freelander 2 SD HSE MY11 Silver:Thankfully gone.
D4 HSE MY11 Silver: Gone missed !
Range Rover Sport MY06 HSE Buck Blue: Gone missed!
Discovery D2 TD5 Facelift MY Red Gone Missed!
Discovery D2 TD5 Cobalt Blue: Gone Missed!
Discovery D1 Auto Oxford Blue Not missed at all!
Discovery D1 Avalon Blue First LR! missed!
Now demoted to a VW
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 18th May 2017 5:21 pm |
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jimbg
Member Since: 19 Apr 2013
Location: UK
Posts: 478
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The HSE has 2 sunroofs!!
I would agree about the 2 litre engine, it is so much nicer with the 3 litre.
There is so much that can be configured that you need the car for a while to set it up as you want.
May I ask how tall are you?
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| 18th May 2017 5:38 pm |
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J77
Member Since: 03 Mar 2008
Location: Fife
Posts: 6261
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It took me a while to find a way of getting in without banging my head.
There's a couple of things I'm not impressed with, I've found that when the sun shines it catches the gear selector trim and blinds the driver, something that wasn't a problem in the D4.
Also on my one the 3rd row doesn't stay flat, one seat sticks up about an inch, the lack of a locking mechanism doesn't help.
As for 2nd row seat belts, I've never had an LR with seat belts that has rattled so much, so have to keep them clipped in or it just drives me insane.
The turning circle was a bit of an annoyance to start with but I'm getting used to it now. But the steering wheel and feel of the steering in general I preferred on the D4, not so much a criticism of the D5 just I prefer a bit more weighty feel. 23.5MY Defender 90 X-Dynamic SE D250 MHEV Pangea Green
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| 18th May 2017 6:32 pm |
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Bello35
Member Since: 14 Mar 2017
Location: Bretagne.
Posts: 161
 
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Another honest and impartial feedback from J77... 
J77, i have three raw questions for you...you don't need to answer though  :
Do you think the D5 is worth the money?
Are you somewhat disappointed with the whole package?
Do you miss your D4?
Cheers!
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| 18th May 2017 7:08 pm |
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J77
Member Since: 03 Mar 2008
Location: Fife
Posts: 6261
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Answers
No
Not disappointed with the whole package as such but there's areas that are disappointing on a £54k car.
Being honest, yes. 23.5MY Defender 90 X-Dynamic SE D250 MHEV Pangea Green
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| 18th May 2017 7:35 pm |
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Bello35
Member Since: 14 Mar 2017
Location: Bretagne.
Posts: 161
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I believe you! Thanks. 
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| 18th May 2017 7:37 pm |
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lespes
Member Since: 17 Sep 2009
Location: Sitting Down
Posts: 2232
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Quote:The HSE has 2 sunroofs!!
This one had two panoramic roofs covered by a sun blind, which operated electrically, but they did not open. D4 Landmark MY16 Santorini Black THE LAST
D4 HSE MY12 Marmais Teal: Gone. Missed a lot!
Freelander 2 SD HSE MY11 Silver:Thankfully gone.
D4 HSE MY11 Silver: Gone missed !
Range Rover Sport MY06 HSE Buck Blue: Gone missed!
Discovery D2 TD5 Facelift MY Red Gone Missed!
Discovery D2 TD5 Cobalt Blue: Gone Missed!
Discovery D1 Auto Oxford Blue Not missed at all!
Discovery D1 Avalon Blue First LR! missed!
Now demoted to a VW
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| 18th May 2017 8:24 pm |
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RRSTDV8
Member Since: 07 Apr 2014
Location: Here
Posts: 13077
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J77 wrote:
As for 2nd row seat belts, I've never had an LR with seat belts that has rattled so much, so have to keep them clipped in or it just drives me insane.
Funny, but my old RRS rattles the rear seat belts unless they are restrained by the little holders on the C-pillar. I assumed the D3/4 has the same issue but maybe the shape of the pillar stops it. Or have LR deleted the restraints? Visiting from rrsport.co.uk
2012 RRS SDV6
2008 RRS TDV8
"When you fire that first shot, no matter how right you feel, you have no idea who's going to die! You don't know who's children are going to scream and burn. How many hearts will be broken. How many lives shattered. How much blood will spill, until everybody does what they were always going to have to do from the very beginning: SIT DOWN AND TALK!"
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| 20th May 2017 1:10 am |
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d-9
Member Since: 06 Feb 2017
Location: Herefordshire
Posts: 132
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Curious, my RRS does not, I've never used those restraints.
Good write up on the d5. I've not driven one yet but am quite interested to see how things have moved on and see if I can get past the styling. 2008 TDV8 Sport HSE
1973 SIII Lightweight
Etc
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| 20th May 2017 6:02 am |
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Russell
Member Since: 24 Aug 2007
Location: Kent
Posts: 10564
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Just slide the buckle part up the bet 6' and the rattle is gone and never to return or mine hasn't in 2k miles MY17 D5 1st Edition Namib Orange
MY15 D4 HSE Kaikoura Stone
MY12 D4 HSE Nara Bronze Sold and gone
MY11 D4 HSE Stornaway Grey Sold and gone
D3 S spec Silver Sold and gone
Tow bar, full length roof bars, side steps, tow bar storage unit, surround camers.
D4 camera club
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| 20th May 2017 8:46 am |
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