Land Rover Discovery3 Commercial : DISCO HEAVER

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After a 4x4 commercial vehicle? Land Rovers Discovery3 Commercial is as good as it gets but this kind of capability doesnt come cheap. Steve Walker reports

Theres not much to touch a Land Rover product when it comes to tackling the kind of arduous off-road driving conditions some commercial operators routinely face in this country. Thats why so many farmers, forest Rangers and estate managers, not to mention the armed forces, wouldnt countenance going to work in anything less that a Defender. Unfortunately, the utilitarian 1940s design of Land Rovers back to basics mud-plugger means it isnt the most comfortable companion on the road. If you want genuine all-terrain performance from a commercial vehicle, the Discovery 3 Commercial is a milder-mannered option thats no compromise when the going gets tough.

The price tag will instantly put many businesses right off the idea with list values for this van conversion of the Land Rover Discovery 3 peppering the £30,000 mark. It certainly isnt cheap when you consider the going rate for a well-specified pick-up truck or for commercial versions of other 4x4 passenger cars but youve got to remember the kind of capability youre getting with the Discovery3 Commercial. Its one of the most expensive light commercial vehicles you can buy full stop but choosing the cheaper alternative only looks the shrewd move until you get stuck in a swamp and have the long walk back to civilisation over which to think about what you should have done. The Discovery3 Commercial looks much the same as an entry-level Discovery3 passenger car from the outside but behind the trademark angular exterior lines and that imposing front end, a series of modifications have been made to render it suitable for commercial usage.

The rear seats have been completely removed and the space behind the driver and front passenger is levelled off to form a flat load floor. The total available load space comes to 2.1m3 which isnt a huge amount of room given the Discoverys substantial dimensions but is still significantly more than youll get in established car-derived vans like Vauxhalls Astravan. If you need more carrying capacity, the Discovery is well capable of pulling it.

With a 3.5 tonne maximum towing weight, there arent many trailers it cant handle.

"Most owners will never get close to the Discoverys limits"

The load area is accessed through the lifting tailgate or via the side-hinged rear doors which arent ideally shaped for loading larger items but offer useful kerbside entry-points nevertheless. A two piece bulkhead separates the Discovery Commercials occupants from its cargo to improve safety and security is boosted by the rear privacy glass which prevents prying eyes from sizing up whatever it is youre carrying in the back. Power comes from Land Rovers 2.7-litre TDV6 diesel engine which has both the power to haul you out of difficult off-road situations and the composure to enhance the Discos impressive refinement on the road.

The engine develops 190bhp at 4,000rpm and a strong 440Nm of torque at 1,900rpm. When accelerating up to speed, the Discovery Commercials 2.6 tonne kerb weight makes itself felt but it will still seem quick to commercial operators used to pick-up trucks or virtually any other 4x4 van you care to mention. The 0-60mph sprint takes just over 11 seconds but the Discovery is at its most beguiling when youve got it up to cruising speed.

Here performance is hushed with very little by way of engine or wind noise finding its way into the cab. You can breeze through long journeys in this van with the air suspension laying on a cosseting ride that remains remarkably composed even when you turn off the main thoroughfares and take to the country lanes. You can always feel where the extra money goes in the Discovery in comparison to cruder 4x4 commercial vehicles. Whether businesses want to spend it may depend on whether or not its the person who signs the cheques who will be doing the driving.

The issue of running costs will be almost as sticky as that of price for operators trying justify the purchase of a Discovery Commercial. The combined fuel economy of 30mpg isnt stellar and neither is the 244g/km CO2 emissions figure. Specify the optional automatic gearbox, another outstanding piece of engineering on Land Rovers part, and those values decrease further to 28mpg and 270g/km. The Discovery Commercial comes into its own off-road in the kinds of conditions that will leave rival products floundering and thats largely thanks to Land Rovers patented Terrain Response system.

This is virtually akin to having an expert sitting alongside you, helping to get the best out of the vehicle, on or off road. The driver chooses one of five terrain setttings via a rotary knob mounted on the centre console. Theres a general driving programme plus one for slippery conditions (dubbed grass/gravel/snow) and three specialist off road modes (mud/ruts, sand, rock crawl). The system will then automatically select the optimum setup for the electronic controls and the traction aids.

This encompasses ride height, torque response, hill descent control, electronic traction control and transmission settings. Most owners will never get close to the Discoverys limits but knowing you have this kind of cabability in reserve is invaluable when you rely on your off-road vehicle to get the job done. Two trim levels are offered and in line with the Discoverys general sophistication and upmarket feel, even the standard one is very generous. 17" alloy wheels are fitted along with the electronic parking brake, dynamic stability control, four channel all-terrain ABS, Brake Assist and Active Roll Mitigation. The plusher XS models gain, 18" alloys, roof rails, a stereo upgrade, air-conditioning, the invaluable heated front screen, parking sensors and power folding mirrors. Is the Land Rover Discovery3 Commercial the best 4x4 commercial vehicle currently available? Youd have to say that it is and by quite some margin. The cost will undoubtedly put it well beyond the means of many businesses, particularly when Land Rovers own Defender, still the default choice for those who need a really tough off-road working vehicle, is significantly cheaper and the glut of 4x4 pick-ups are more affordable again. If youre hoping to persuade your fleet manager to part with the cash for a Discovery3 commercial, it may pay to remind him that the vehicles is virtually as good as a Defender off-road and massively superior on it.

The striking Discovery will also serve as a much better promotional tool sign-written with your company logo. In the end though, one suspects that most Disco 3 Commercial sales will go to owner operators who dont mind paying for the best because theyre the ones who are going to be driving it.

Facts At A Glance
CAR: Land Rover Discovery3 Commercial Range
CO2 EMISSIONS: 244-270g/km
PERFORMANCE: Max Speed 112mph / 0-60mph 11.2s
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [manual] (urban) 24.5mpg / (extra urban) 34.9mpg / (combined) 30.7mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Driver's airbag, ABS, EBA. LOAD VOLUME: 2.1m3