wow...this is kind of an old post so I don't mean to resurface it...but I do have experience with the Toureg and Discovery 2 among others until my current 08 4runner.
Disco 2 was the first SUV i drove. Mind you, I'm not a big off-road enthusiast or anything of the sort. In fact, I was looking at a Cadillac Escalade since it had just been changed into that boxier type which, for once, distinguished itself from the standard Chevy Tahoe and GMC Denali. I believe it's the model before the current rounded-looking one. I just wanted something big and with AWD/4WD....hey gas was only $1.09 or something back then in California...
Never thought I'd even look into owning a Land Rover (partially because of my dislike of anything Ford...since they became the parent company of LR just before the purchase) but I needed something with 4 wheel drive, and YES, the LR Driving School and all their LR backed off-road expeditions seemed extremely alluring...as is all the technology (or what I thought was a glutton of technology) stuffed into their SUV. I always thought of the Disco as being a bit of a Soccer-Mom SUV where I'm from, but I was thoroughly impressed with the experience of looking at one. I thought...snow and dirt shouldn't be a problem in this thing.
It was a black SE model, 4.0 V8. Nice khaki leather on the inside, decent sound system.
Never had a problem the whole time I had it (mechanically). then again, got rid of it at 45,000 miles. Did have my fair share of fun in it though...drove it up to its doors in the ocean (im sure the rust on the bottom is a real pain in the ass for the next owner) and got it deep in soft sand out in the desert...mud...all kinds of fun. never deflated my tires or anything (street michelins) and the thing gets itself in and out of trouble fine. It didn't exactly pick up and go when you gassed it...but the torque was there to get you up and down things, etc. She was thirsty though, and on the freeway, would have to downshift at any slight touch of the pedal when you're above 65...it just had no high end power to just kick it up a few miles per hour.
one big complaint was the interior set up. I know many of you are nostalgic for that high seat and all that, but getting into the rear seat of the car was a plain, pain in the ass. I got so many complaints about the tires rubbing someone's dress or pants or whatever since the wheel well was so close to the entry point to the rear. and the backseat, even with the nice leather, was prone to making anyone's ass numb on a ride more than one hour. It was like sitting on a metal bench with a sheet of leather over it. just way too uncomfortable for such a pricey car.
New Land Rover smell is killer though...i DO miss that.
The Toureg is a recent addition to the family...my sister drives one. V6, all wheel drive. Comfortable seats, nice little gimmicks on the inside and decent sound system.
got to play with it a few times and I gotta say, although at first glance it looks nice, the quality of the materials used on the interior is pretty cheap. All the nobs have a crappy plastic-y feel and there's just no refinement to it.
the Engine DOES sound lovely though. it's got a real throaty sound, uncommon in V6 utes, and the power is plentiful. only thing is, there's been an ECU glitch with touregs that I don't know if they've figured out yet, but it gets power surges at odd times, and complete lack of power/no response from throttle when going up hill from a stop. Which, I can't imagine is the safest thing when off-roading. the ground clearance looks like crap though...i think it's another one of those cars meant for AWD for bad road conditions, not for taking into the dirt or brush or anything.
and yes, THEY DO NAIL YOU FOR $3000 FOR BRAKES AT THE 20,000 MILE CHECK UP. RIDICULOUS!!!!!
after the Disco 2, I drove a smaller car, until I sold that and picked up a Honda Element. Sure, it was a downgrade from the LR...haha like, degrading downgrade, but it was SO reliable, SO good on gas, and SO roomy on the inside (once you put the seats up, its practically a truck bed on the inside) and the 4WD worked...REALLY well for ice and snow. It became the road trip car of choice among friends...so comfortable and the air conditioning was killer. Sound system wasn't bad and it was easy to clean. two of my best friends at over six foot (6'4 and 6'6) and they had plenty of leg and head room in the back. the engine was punch off the line (freeway passing with a full car and luggage is a different story...hence i upgraded to a v8 4Runner)
120K, no problems, sold the car for what i've really wanted, a white v8 4WD 4Runner....minus the interior room and passenger leg room, it has been amazing to me in the short 2 or 3 months i've owned it. can't wait to get it dirty
