I managed to pick up one of the last Disco 4s last year - September 2016 registration with only 34k on the clock, only one previous owner and looking almost brand new - delighted with it. It's definitely more practical than the new Defender with more room in the back and the 3-way split of the rear seats. I bought this over a Disco 5 whis was about the same price second-hand. I did go to Powerful UK and swap the rear fog and reversing lights for LED which are much brighter and also the front fog lights for sealed LED units (and a few other things). As I am keeping it for a long time, I did have the underside professionally Lanoguarded.
I would keep the Discovery 4, put a new engine if you have to. It's their best model in years, I much prefer it over the 5. The new Defender is cool, but nowhere near as practical and i'd wait a while for the bugs to be ironed out. Love the Discovery 4's, a timeless design with endless practicality.
We had our Disco 4 stolen and as with you were wondering what to replace it with. Our budget couldn't stretch to a new car and so we shortlisted the Disco 4 and the Disco 5. I have to say that the 4 does look far more purposeful but we decided that the 5 was a nicer place to be when out on the road and had the benefits of the newer tech. So with some trepidation we went for the 5. Four months on I'm very glad we did. There's actually more space in the 5 than the 4, albeit only just, it's even more comfortable than the 4, which was great itself and the tech is much nicer to have. Our car also has the matrix LED headlights and they are simply fantastic compared to the 4. All in all, we feel it is a genuine and good progression from the 4. The 4 still looks better though!
Land rover nailed the body and cabin of the D4 which is quite likely the most versatile they have ever created. The defender 110 is smaller than the D4 so perhaps we have to wait and see the 130 which may be a more equal comparison.
When the Discovery 5 came out, we all thought WTF are they up to? Now we know why they went off-piste, because JLR had this new Defender in development which is essentially the next generation Discovery with different branding. I have exactly the same dilemma as a Discovery 4 owner. Apparently my 2012 is so polluting that I need to replace it with something. I Actually think the Discovery 4 has the best dimensions and shape of any SUV on the road. Tall slab slides (as opposed to the bulberous low blobs of everything else), that converts essentially into a good sized van. But it is getting long in the tooth and I need to replace it with something. Agree with the negatives, inferior load space, silly design cues such as the square slabs, alpine lights and daft rear spare wheel/tail gate. But I think I will buy the new Defender. I test drove one and it definitely drives better, I like the superior infotainment and sound system. I like the work they have put into the interior design, the surround camera systems and rear view mirror thing. I also rather like its personality, the discovery was rather bland. So will get the green Defender with roof rack, ladder, wheel arches and front A frame. It just makes it a unique car. It will be fun to own and have adventures in. I expect to keep it for at least five years, and so will become a family pet.
@@carkeyandclutch5362 Uh yeah! Great idea. Drove a z4 last summer. Would be very interested! The one I drove had a faulty roof but was still great fun.
Thank you, enjoyed the review. I’ve just had the pleasure of taking the new Defender on an off-road course and would have to say that it was excellent. But as a Disco 4 ( and old Defender owner) I found it felt a bit dark inside compared with the D4 and I missed the lofty command driving position. Off road it was very competent and drama free. However the D4 and old Defender would have been able to keep up with some effort and good technique (and wet feet in the old Defender). So new new Defender is the easiest of the bunch to drive. I too was apprehensive about the 2 litre engine but it performed well, albeit without quite the torque and lovely sound of the V6. Like many D4 owners, we tried the D5 on and off road and whilst it drove well (V6), we really disliked the styling, but more importantly the low rear seat - a real disappointment IMHO. So we were probably expecting the new Defender to be the spiritual successor to the D4 and it’s not. The fact that most of the test cars were showing a fault message (software issue) was a little disappointing too. Quite a dilemma for those of us with ageing D4s.
You've answered my question. I've owned 2 D3 and a D4 but have a Defender on order. I've had this quandary for a while so Defender will be cancelled and search for a D4 will start again. 👍
I kind of always looked at the Disco 4 as a modern rendition of the Defender so the new Defender really is basically the closest thing to a true successor to the Disco 4. I really don't understand what they did with the Disco 5. They already had the RR Sport, Discovery Sport, Velar and Evoque. Why did they need *yet another* soft roader for the soccer mums, and especially at the cost of a model like Discovery which truly was a magnificent off road vehicle that still managed to pull it all off in style and relative luxury.
One comment on the rear side windows. They are small, much smaller than an old Defender. But they are small for a reason! The new defender passes roll over tests WITHOUT squashing it's occupants into strawberry jam......... (old defenders i std factory form, even a zero mph roll sees the roof simply squash down to the top of the body cappings or further. google for photo's (not for the fainthearted!)) Smae with the smaller alpine lights, same with the slightly reduced interior space, compared to external dimensions, like all mmodern cars, that additional safety and integrety comes at a (small) price! Also, one of the design problems with the new defender was, strangely a direct result of cost savings on the old one. The old defender, when it went to coils in 1983/1984 from the series vehicles, it gained rangerover axles,w hich were wider, and so it gained those oh-so-recognisable wheelarch extensions that so define how a defender look, because there was no money to actually widen the body to suit the axles (which also mean't the old car was super cramped by modern standards right up to the end). So, the "new" defender had to carry across some family resemblance, and those wheel arch spats were a dominate theme, so the new car got them, in a more integrated way. And whilst they do help to keep the main panels away from scratchy off-road situations, they also make the body internal width a bit narrower for the external width. That is what you see here vs the muchmore flat sided Disco, a car with the same external width, but with a little bit less internal width. That does of course help with side impact protection (something the old defender had, well, none of, really) but it makes the Defender slightly less capacious. The longer wheelbase of the 130 model is going to help sort that problem, but that is a fairly big car, and the 110 isn't exactly small iteself! Good review though, thanks! :-)
LR4 v8 Brit living on California, defender just isn’t compelling enough for me to surrender my wait for an electric LR4 replacement, all IC engine cars are going to plummet in re-sale value with high running cost, at 80k USD and a little patience I can keep LR4 running and buy a future proof replacement for next few decades 😆
@@carkeyandclutch5362 Don't give-up hope, the US market is packed with a lot of very good LR4 V8 deals, only things I've changed (since new, 2010 110k miles) are the water pump, coolant flange pipe and parking brake module. IMHO the LR4's suffer from perception/reliability issues associated with LR3's and are undervalued here in the US, especially in CA ! BTW I've heard the later V6 turbo LR4's are a bit gutless, V8 is the way to go....
I watched your video again, and it got me thinking. There is space in the boot underneath the floor that you can store stuff but only in the five seaters. They are making a 130 to meet the need for people looking to carry a fridge, sofa, and flat-screen tv. Just kidding, but they are making a 130. We have two dogs that ride in the middle row with seat belt harness, but we also have only one child. This frees up space in the back. We, too, stuff luggage in the floorboard where the dogs sit. I may have flexibility because I am American. We also are considering tow boxes if we need to take more. I am a take less type of person, though.
True about the 130 apparently but that would then be pushing 5.5m in length to make a decent difference which definitely won’t fit in the average UK suburban driveway. You are also correct about the space under the floor but it’s limited. Maybe one small flat screen TV ;).
With some cars (BMW 5 touring) it used to be that having the tailgate down would ‘lock’ the underfloor space. I didn’t test that but don’t think it did. I notice in the Defender commercial vehicle brochure they say it is lockable so maybe an aftermarket.
Nice video. As a Disco 5 owner I agree with you - the new Defender is a very good car with a lot going for it and great design but the boot's not big enough, and the tailgate doesn't keep the rain off and will foul on the jockey wheel of a trailer when it's open. And it doesn't have a 6 cylinder diesel so the towing ability is compromised. We did the 3 hour test drive and my wife said it had a 'van engine'! By the way I agree with you about the Disco 5, the middle row seats are too low. But apart from that, the lack of a proper split tailgate (although to be fair the 'replacement' inner tailgate does work well) and it looks a bit funny from most angles it's a brilliantly capable and comfortable vehicle. Function more important than form! A bit reluctantly I think the replacement for my Disco 5 will be another Disco.
SHIO They have already replaced the 4 cylinder diesel with a 6, very annoying so soon after introducing the vehicle. They should have waited until the 6 was ready or at least given the option of the 6 for later delivery. But no, just screw the early buyers.
D H yes I saw and I agree, if I had just bought a 4 cylinder Defender I’d be gutted. A lot of cancelled or revised orders I expect. And agree why release with one engine only to replace it a few months later?
SHIO Yes - very annoyed. My dealer told me the 6 would not be out for a while and there would be a noticeable price difference, implying the 4 cylinder would continue as the base engine, which it now isn't. Going to see them next week to have a chat, and get more faults fixed.
Sorry, you didn’t do your research on the Defender. Such as the square panels by the C-Pillars are for mounting accessories such as a storage box and a ladder to access a roof rack. If your review was solely for football moms and heading to shops, then it’s okay. But not for someone looking at the choices that would be used for over landing, off-road adventures, or foreign travels.
Sorry you didn’t listen to the very simple and very clear opening section where I said who the video was aimed at. I didn’t mention overland adventurers or off-road travellers.
Had D4s and have a Defender ; no contest - D4 hands down. Defender is horribly plastic, D240 engine is noisy and gutless, lack of boot space, far too many stupid design cues. Mine has been back to LR once to have glitches fixed and is going in again for some of the same problems plus some new ones. I find the engine/gearbox unpredictable - inconsistent throttle response and gear changes; frequently try to pull away from a junction and nothing happens for a split second, then it lurches forwards. If I can find a low mileage D4 the Defender can go. Take a look at the videos on RUclips from Powerfulukltd to see just how complex and plasticky this thing is. After all the hype the Defender is a massive let down.
I watch powerfulukltd all the time. You realize the plastic is to meet pedestrian standards. The frame is aluminum, and the doors are steel. How is the car all plastic? I also own one too and except to have bugs. I bought a first-generation Volvo V90, dealt with bugs the first year. When you purchase model year one, you are a beta tester. The thing about plastic is I whack a tree; I just replace it. If I have sheet metal, I have to take into a body shop. People are realizing that cars are made out of unicorns and rainbows. Look at Tesla, they were just found using wood and tape you can buy at home depot to hold a major cooling part.
I managed to pick up one of the last Disco 4s last year - September 2016 registration with only 34k on the clock, only one previous owner and looking almost brand new - delighted with it. It's definitely more practical than the new Defender with more room in the back and the 3-way split of the rear seats. I bought this over a Disco 5 whis was about the same price second-hand. I did go to Powerful UK and swap the rear fog and reversing lights for LED which are much brighter and also the front fog lights for sealed LED units (and a few other things).
As I am keeping it for a long time, I did have the underside professionally Lanoguarded.
I think you just saved me $80K USD, thank you for this excellent straight forward review. The rear space trade-off for the mid-row is crazy.
I would keep the Discovery 4, put a new engine if you have to. It's their best model in years, I much prefer it over the 5. The new Defender is cool, but nowhere near as practical and i'd wait a while for the bugs to be ironed out. Love the Discovery 4's, a timeless design with endless practicality.
We had our Disco 4 stolen and as with you were wondering what to replace it with. Our budget couldn't stretch to a new car and so we shortlisted the Disco 4 and the Disco 5. I have to say that the 4 does look far more purposeful but we decided that the 5 was a nicer place to be when out on the road and had the benefits of the newer tech. So with some trepidation we went for the 5. Four months on I'm very glad we did. There's actually more space in the 5 than the 4, albeit only just, it's even more comfortable than the 4, which was great itself and the tech is much nicer to have. Our car also has the matrix LED headlights and they are simply fantastic compared to the 4. All in all, we feel it is a genuine and good progression from the 4. The 4 still looks better though!
Land rover nailed the body and cabin of the D4 which is quite likely the most versatile they have ever created. The defender 110 is smaller than the D4 so perhaps we have to wait and see the 130 which may be a more equal comparison.
When the Discovery 5 came out, we all thought WTF are they up to? Now we know why they went off-piste, because JLR had this new Defender in development which is essentially the next generation Discovery with different branding. I have exactly the same dilemma as a Discovery 4 owner. Apparently my 2012 is so polluting that I need to replace it with something. I Actually think the Discovery 4 has the best dimensions and shape of any SUV on the road. Tall slab slides (as opposed to the bulberous low blobs of everything else), that converts essentially into a good sized van. But it is getting long in the tooth and I need to replace it with something.
Agree with the negatives, inferior load space, silly design cues such as the square slabs, alpine lights and daft rear spare wheel/tail gate. But I think I will buy the new Defender. I test drove one and it definitely drives better, I like the superior infotainment and sound system. I like the work they have put into the interior design, the surround camera systems and rear view mirror thing. I also rather like its personality, the discovery was rather bland. So will get the green Defender with roof rack, ladder, wheel arches and front A frame. It just makes it a unique car. It will be fun to own and have adventures in. I expect to keep it for at least five years, and so will become a family pet.
Excellent video! one of the best I've seen in a long time! Keep creating, please :)
Thank you. Thinking about a video on my Z4M...
@@carkeyandclutch5362 Uh yeah! Great idea. Drove a z4 last summer. Would be very interested!
The one I drove had a faulty roof but was still great fun.
Thank you, enjoyed the review. I’ve just had the pleasure of taking the new Defender on an off-road course and would have to say that it was excellent. But as a Disco 4 ( and old Defender owner) I found it felt a bit dark inside compared with the D4 and I missed the lofty command driving position. Off road it was very competent and drama free. However the D4 and old Defender would have been able to keep up with some effort and good technique (and wet feet in the old Defender). So new new Defender is the easiest of the bunch to drive. I too was apprehensive about the 2 litre engine but it performed well, albeit without quite the torque and lovely sound of the V6. Like many D4 owners, we tried the D5 on and off road and whilst it drove well (V6), we really disliked the styling, but more importantly the low rear seat - a real disappointment IMHO. So we were probably expecting the new Defender to be the spiritual successor to the D4 and it’s not. The fact that most of the test cars were showing a fault message (software issue) was a little disappointing too. Quite a dilemma for those of us with ageing D4s.
You've answered my question. I've owned 2 D3 and a D4 but have a Defender on order. I've had this quandary for a while so Defender will be cancelled and search for a D4 will start again. 👍
I kind of always looked at the Disco 4 as a modern rendition of the Defender so the new Defender really is basically the closest thing to a true successor to the Disco 4. I really don't understand what they did with the Disco 5. They already had the RR Sport, Discovery Sport, Velar and Evoque. Why did they need *yet another* soft roader for the soccer mums, and especially at the cost of a model like Discovery which truly was a magnificent off road vehicle that still managed to pull it all off in style and relative luxury.
One comment on the rear side windows. They are small, much smaller than an old Defender. But they are small for a reason! The new defender passes roll over tests WITHOUT squashing it's occupants into strawberry jam......... (old defenders i std factory form, even a zero mph roll sees the roof simply squash down to the top of the body cappings or further. google for photo's (not for the fainthearted!)) Smae with the smaller alpine lights, same with the slightly reduced interior space, compared to external dimensions, like all mmodern cars, that additional safety and integrety comes at a (small) price!
Also, one of the design problems with the new defender was, strangely a direct result of cost savings on the old one. The old defender, when it went to coils in 1983/1984 from the series vehicles, it gained rangerover axles,w hich were wider, and so it gained those oh-so-recognisable wheelarch extensions that so define how a defender look, because there was no money to actually widen the body to suit the axles (which also mean't the old car was super cramped by modern standards right up to the end). So, the "new" defender had to carry across some family resemblance, and those wheel arch spats were a dominate theme, so the new car got them, in a more integrated way. And whilst they do help to keep the main panels away from scratchy off-road situations, they also make the body internal width a bit narrower for the external width. That is what you see here vs the muchmore flat sided Disco, a car with the same external width, but with a little bit less internal width. That does of course help with side impact protection (something the old defender had, well, none of, really) but it makes the Defender slightly less capacious. The longer wheelbase of the 130 model is going to help sort that problem, but that is a fairly big car, and the 110 isn't exactly small iteself!
Good review though, thanks! :-)
Useful review, thanks.
Good honest frank review. I assume the back seat ballet will get easier with time and practice.
Cheers
Brilliant review
Seems like a Defender 130 is the proper comparison to the Discovery V. The Defender 130 is still shorter than Discovery V
nice video!
nice comparison
Keep the disco, chuck a few quid at it with a bit of tlc, and a few upgrades, and it will serve. For many more years
This was a really good review. I've recently gone from Disco 4 to 5. It would be really interesting for the same type comparison with these two cars.
I have a test drive lined up...
2016 Discovery 4 looks like the best car you can get in my opinion
All these new models more the way it looks than practicality
If you're an overlander surly you have a fidge and draws built-in
LR4 v8 Brit living on California, defender just isn’t compelling enough for me to surrender my wait for an electric LR4 replacement, all IC engine cars are going to plummet in re-sale value with high running cost, at 80k USD and a little patience I can keep LR4 running and buy a future proof replacement for next few decades 😆
I lived in the States for a few years and deeply regret not buying an LR4 V8 whilst there.
@@carkeyandclutch5362 Don't give-up hope, the US market is packed with a lot of very good LR4 V8 deals, only things I've changed (since new, 2010 110k miles) are the water pump, coolant flange pipe and parking brake module. IMHO the LR4's suffer from perception/reliability issues associated with LR3's and are undervalued here in the US, especially in CA ! BTW I've heard the later V6 turbo LR4's are a bit gutless, V8 is the way to go....
I watched your video again, and it got me thinking. There is space in the boot underneath the floor that you can store stuff but only in the five seaters. They are making a 130 to meet the need for people looking to carry a fridge, sofa, and flat-screen tv. Just kidding, but they are making a 130. We have two dogs that ride in the middle row with seat belt harness, but we also have only one child. This frees up space in the back. We, too, stuff luggage in the floorboard where the dogs sit. I may have flexibility because I am American. We also are considering tow boxes if we need to take more. I am a take less type of person, though.
True about the 130 apparently but that would then be pushing 5.5m in length to make a decent difference which definitely won’t fit in the average UK suburban driveway. You are also correct about the space under the floor but it’s limited. Maybe one small flat screen TV ;).
Carkey and Clutch Pity they didn't put a lock on under-floor cover plate
With some cars (BMW 5 touring) it used to be that having the tailgate down would ‘lock’ the underfloor space. I didn’t test that but don’t think it did. I notice in the Defender commercial vehicle brochure they say it is lockable so maybe an aftermarket.
Nice video. As a Disco 5 owner I agree with you - the new Defender is a very good car with a lot going for it and great design but the boot's not big enough, and the tailgate doesn't keep the rain off and will foul on the jockey wheel of a trailer when it's open. And it doesn't have a 6 cylinder diesel so the towing ability is compromised. We did the 3 hour test drive and my wife said it had a 'van engine'! By the way I agree with you about the Disco 5, the middle row seats are too low. But apart from that, the lack of a proper split tailgate (although to be fair the 'replacement' inner tailgate does work well) and it looks a bit funny from most angles it's a brilliantly capable and comfortable vehicle. Function more important than form! A bit reluctantly I think the replacement for my Disco 5 will be another Disco.
SHIO They have already replaced the 4 cylinder diesel with a 6, very annoying so soon after introducing the vehicle. They should have waited until the 6 was ready or at least given the option of the 6 for later delivery. But no, just screw the early buyers.
D H yes I saw and I agree, if I had just bought a 4 cylinder Defender I’d be gutted. A lot of cancelled or revised orders I expect. And agree why release with one engine only to replace it a few months later?
SHIO Yes - very annoyed. My dealer told me the 6 would not be out for a while and there would be a noticeable price difference, implying the 4 cylinder would continue as the base engine, which it now isn't. Going to see them next week to have a chat, and get more faults fixed.
Sorry, you didn’t do your research on the Defender. Such as the square panels by the C-Pillars are for mounting accessories such as a storage box and a ladder to access a roof rack. If your review was solely for football moms and heading to shops, then it’s okay. But not for someone looking at the choices that would be used for over landing, off-road adventures, or foreign travels.
Sorry you didn’t listen to the very simple and very clear opening section where I said who the video was aimed at. I didn’t mention overland adventurers or off-road travellers.
discovery 4 > discovery 5 > defender
Defender for show, Discovery for dough.
Had D4s and have a Defender ; no contest - D4 hands down. Defender is horribly plastic, D240 engine is noisy and gutless, lack of boot space, far too many stupid design cues. Mine has been back to LR once to have glitches fixed and is going in again for some of the same problems plus some new ones. I find the engine/gearbox unpredictable - inconsistent throttle response and gear changes; frequently try to pull away from a junction and nothing happens for a split second, then it lurches forwards. If I can find a low mileage D4 the Defender can go. Take a look at the videos on RUclips from Powerfulukltd to see just how complex and plasticky this thing is. After all the hype the Defender is a massive let down.
I watch powerfulukltd all the time. You realize the plastic is to meet pedestrian standards. The frame is aluminum, and the doors are steel. How is the car all plastic? I also own one too and except to have bugs. I bought a first-generation Volvo V90, dealt with bugs the first year. When you purchase model year one, you are a beta tester. The thing about plastic is I whack a tree; I just replace it. If I have sheet metal, I have to take into a body shop. People are realizing that cars are made out of unicorns and rainbows. Look at Tesla, they were just found using wood and tape you can buy at home depot to hold a major cooling part.