The BMW X5 , Discovery 3 ,Volvo XC90 and VW Tourag have all met their match.In autoexpress this week all 5 are tested back to back and the new Ml is the best of the lot ,Disco 2nd well done Mercedes at last a proper 4x4.
As an owner of a new mercedes E class estate the last vehicle I would touch is anything Mercedes until they Prove and I mean prove not say that they have sorted out their quality control problems. The fact that myI think the magazines unfairly test all the 4x4's against each other.I have driven the new ML and also driven the Disco 3 .They are so different , the Disco is a proper 4x4 so to compare it with the likes of BMW,Volvo so on is not a comparison , they are really soft offroaders where as the Disco isnt , the only competetion it has is the Toyota's which arent in the same league.Driving the Disco you do know its a 4x4 , but the others are like big estate cars and they drive like them much better on the tarmac.The old ML was very capable off road , the first thing car salesman do now is look underneath the car to see any signs of damage.I went on Landrovers test track and there were parts that the disco couldnt do but a Frontera could , most cars will do anything it all depends on the driver mostly.
I have a Frontera too, not come across anything that it can do that the disco can't but you are spot on with the comparison point. The X5 ML et al are beefed up estates not off road capable cars. Give BMW their due they have always said this. The Toyota is nice enough, but put the disco in the rough stuff and it is awesome even on road tyres.I think the magazines unfairly test all the 4x4's against each other.I have driven the new ML and also driven the Disco 3 .They are so different , the Disco is a proper 4x4 so to compare it with the likes of BMW,Volvo so on is not a comparison , they are really soft offroaders where as the Disco isnt , the only competetion it has is the Toyota's which arent in the same league.Driving the Disco you do know its a 4x4 , but the others are like big estate cars and they drive like them much better on the tarmac.The old ML was very capable off road , the first thing car salesman do now is look underneath the car to see any signs of damage.I went on Landrovers test track and there were parts that the disco couldnt do but a Frontera could , most cars will do anything it all depends on the driver mostly.