Final thoughts: Land Rover LR3

So, why do some cars with below-average reliability scores, or middling CR test results, wind up having high owner satisfaction?  Senior Automotive Engineer Gabe Shenhar weighs in on our recently departed Land Rover LR3, giving insight into this dichotomy:

We just sold our LR3, which was tested for the November 2005 issue. CR owned it for a little over a year and we put over 11,000 miles on it. It’s not a Top Pick. It didn’t score near the top of its category. It’s not even recommended by CR due to its subpar first-year reliability. But it has something not found in many vehicles: character.

For me, in addition to the mystique attached to the Land Rover name, the styling, the aroma of the perforated leather, and the interior ambience all combine to create a sense of occasion. It also sparks the imagination. Every time I drove the LR3, it made me feel like I was on some exotic vacation, perhaps crossing the Sahara or traversing the dusty Australian outback.

Sure, some of the controls are cryptic and poorly located, folding the seats can be fussy, the ride gets a bit unsettled on bumpy camber changes, and fuel economy--at only 13 mpg overall--is horrendous. Even snow traction wasn't all that great, especially when braking. But the way the LR3 climbed our rock hill, off-road course with such nonchalant ability, comfort and grace was terrific. We frequently used our LR3 to show the media and other visitors just how well the rock hill could be climbed, a task where it excelled over any number of more practical SUVs. As a family hauler, my two boys loved the third-row jump seats and the three skylights that made the cabin so open and airy. Their two bikes even fit inside the boxy body standing up.

Before we sold it, the LR3 went to the local dealership to have the rear wiper and park assist sensors fixed; a fuel-tank recall completed; a new fuel-sending unit installed to correct gauge inaccuracy; and a persistent rattle corrected (the third-row jump seats were loose).

Keep in mind that any problems we have with our tested models have nothing to do with the predicted reliability ratings that come from our subscriber survey. Our hands-on experience and the published reliability ratings have never been related. That said, we found it interesting that the problems with our LR3 seemed to mirror the high levels of fuel-system and electrical problems that CR readers have reported in our annual car reliability survey. So while some of my colleagues won’t miss the LR3, it’s important to acknowledge that there can be intangible qualities about certain vehicles that result in the whole being greater than the sum of its parts.

--Gabe Shenhar