Manufacturer | On the road

Land Rover Discovery

By Bill McCarthy

THIRTY years of producing a model is something of a landmark, so it should come as no surprise that Land Rover’s special edition Discovery is called, you’ve guessed it, the Landmark.

The vehicle has notched up 300 awards since its 1989 introduction and goes from strength to strength.

It’s reputation and capability is legendary, whether posing at the school gates, towing the horsebox to the gymkhana or navigating fast flowing rivers and mud tracks in the the Amazon.

And it looks like a landmark, a huge premium vehicle with a commanding road presence.

It does look good, based on the SE model but with the addition of Dynamic Exterior Pack which includes unique Landmark badging, bumper design, and black mesh grille and vents plus black nameplate lettering on the bonnet and tailgate.

There are also two fixed, front and rear panoramic roofs, with sliding cover, front fog lights privacy glass and 20-inch gloss black alloy wheels and an upgraded sound system.

Key features include a seven-seat setup, where the rearmost pair fold into the boot floor, clever storage options and its even pet friendly with with special provision to make your canine pal comfortable.

At the touch of a button the rear suspension can be lowered to allow the dog to jump on board via the powered interior tailgate and settle into a prepared comfortable area.

A visual road presence, but still first among equals in terms of off-road capability as all-wheel drive technology advances at a pace. It also costs a wedge to buy, with this model a cool £57,350 price tag, although with a PCP deal it can be available for around £499 per month.

It has proven over the years that it can almost go anywhere and technology includes All Terrain Progress Control, which enables drivers to set and maintain a steady speed in tricky conditions. It is available alongside Terrain Response 2, offering a number of driving modes and class-leading wading depth of 900mm. Add to this a towing capacity of 3.5 tonnes and you have a top notch off roader.

JLR is on the road to electrification, but in the meantime, that has taken a back seat for this model with a choice of two two-litre diesel engine set-ups. available in 240bhp SD4 and 306bhp SD6 power units.

‘The inside is packed with premium kit, high quality soft touch finish, leather seats‘

The 240bhp ingenium unit in this case offers plenty of pulling power and better economy than the higher spec engine, but loses out with performance. Having said that, it pulls the two tonne-plus beast to 60mph in an impressive 8.3 seconds via a slick eight speed gearbox, with a top speed of 121mph.

On the road, the car is a pleasant place to be with the refined engine, barely audible and extensive soundproofing cutting out exterior noise from road and wind. It is expecially relaxed when cruising on the motorway.

The inside is packed with premium kit, high quality soft touch finish, leather seats, heated this and electrically operated that, plus acres of room.

This version offers a choice of Ebony or Acorn grained leather with satin brushed centre console and unique aluminium mesh finisher, plus the 380W Meridian Sound System. This is operated via the state-of-the-art 10 inch Touchscreen (InControl Touch Pro) which incorporates navigation, TV, Bluetooth connectivity, DAB radio and connnectivity via Wi-Fi Hotspot, various apps and smart phone connectivity.

Large glass areas allow plenty of light into the cabin as does the double panoramic roof while head and leg room is plentfiful for all, as you would expect in a vehicle this size.

Boot space with the rearmost seats stowed away is impressive and neat touches are the powered interior and exterior tailgate for ease of loading.Stowage space ranges from 258 litres to a maximum of 2,406.

In vehicle name and model terms, the Discovery name is now in vintage territory, but in desirablity terms, remains as fresh as ever, if you can afford it.

Factfile

Land Rover Discovery SD4 Landmark 240ps

Price: £57,495

Mechanical: 240bhp, 1,998cc, 4cyl diesel engine driving four wheels wheels via 8-speed automatic gearbox

Max speed: 121mph

0-62mph: 8.3. seconds

Combined mpg: 30-33

Insurance group: 18

CO2 emissions: 197g/km

Warranty: 3yrs/100,000 miles

Nissan Juke

By Bill McCarthy

With its high waistline, lights set into the bonnet, distinctive wedge shape and high ground clearance, the Juke was a prime example of new phenomenon of compact crossover/SUV.

Ten years later, and after a £100,000 investment at its Sunderland plant, the new Juke, launched at the back end of last year, represents a quantum leap forward in terms of technology and connectivity, if not a massive change in the daring, ground breaking original stying.

The latest model comes with upgraded design, all new chassis, new three cylinder petrol engine, mated, in this case, to a seven speed dual-clutch transmission.

It also features NissanConnect, an eight–inch touch screen monitor with in-car WiFi hotspot and voice recognition. And available for the first time in the Juke is Nissan’s ProPILOT technology, which offers electronically assisted steering, acceleration and braking.

A bit like the Honda Civic, Nissan took a bold step with the Juke. It took the off-the-wall design, ran with it and it appears to be paying off, selling 1.5 million models worldwide.

The new car retains design features including the signature circular headlamps, but now features has a deeper, almost V-shaped grille which integrates with new slim headlight clusters.

It certainly looks the part, sporty with this model offering two tone paintwork of black with red roof and mirrors and shark fin antenna. All grades have good equipment levels, with this range topper offers D-shaped multi-function steering wheel, ambient lighting, heated front and rear windscreen, climate control and voice recognition as well as smartphone connectivity.

What it lacks in outright pace is mitigated by excellent handling with a combination of new chassis and agile suspension

In addition there are smart 19-inch alloy wheels, privacy glass and rear spoiler.

It looks like a boy racer’s dream, but in reality, in terms of red-hot performance, it’s a bit of a sheep in wolf’s clothing.

The powertrain is a 115bhp turbo-charged, three-pot petrol engine, which although responsive, hitting 60 in around 10.5 seconds, is more designed for economy. Official figures of 44mpg and CO2 emissions of 116g/km means it’s pretty economical to run, tax and insure.

The seven speed auto transmission with paddle shifters is slick enough, but the stop/start did cause a few problems, being hesitant and then leaping forward if the throttle was pressed too hard.

Having said that, if you want. Sportier drive “D-Mode” allows drivers to switch between Standard, Eco and Sport – to adjust the response of the car depending on the road or the driver’s mood.

What it lacks in outright pace is mitigated by excellent handling with a combination of new chassis and agile suspension, plus excellent grip from the large tyres delivering a satisfying driving experience.

The interior now has an executive feel rarely seen in a car this size, with better rear head and legroom and an increase in boot space of 20 per cent which also features interchangeable shelves and adjustable luggage board.

Soft touch materials abound to easy and general trim as does the leather finish seating in this model

A clever move is the front seats on selected grades incorporating Bose Personal Plus audio system, which delivers a high-quality 360 degree sound experience.

This, along with other major functions can be controlled via the infotainment screen. This controls sound, navigation and connectivity via the Nissan Connect Services.

The safety features include Intelligent Emergency Braking with Pedestrian and Cyclist Recognition, Intelligent Speed Assist, Traffic Sign Recognition, Intelligent Lane Intervention, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, and Blind Spot Intervention.

Blind Spot Intervention is a premiere on a Nissan model. It warns drivers when there is a vehicle hidden from view alongside them, and guides the JUKE back into the lane to prevent a collision.

All trim levels are highly-specced with this range topping Tekna having all the bells and whistles, while all are packed with safety kit. For owners wanting to add their own distinctive twist and stamp their individual style, the N-Design grade joins the familiar Visia, Acenta, N-Connecta and Tekna models in the new JUKE line up and offers the ultimate personalisation package.

For the personalised interior, customers will be able to choose between three combinations to finish the seats, dashboard, door panel and armrest.