2005 Land Rover LR3

Changes to the original Jag engine included enhanced dust- and waterproofing, and (Floridians, take note!) revised breathing to enable the vehicle to wade in up to 61 centimetres of water.

The engine is mated to a six-speed, automatic transmission with CommandShift (what Land Rover calls their manumatic function) and a two-speed transfer case with electronically lockable centre differential. As with all Land Rover vehicles, the LR3 has permanent four-wheel drive with power being normally split 50/50 between the front and rear axles.

Steering on the LR3 was more like a premium-German sedan rather than a Rubicon-rock-jumper, with a solid, on-centre feel and reasonably quick steering. Bruce Rosen, vice-president of Marketing for Land Rover Canada, was riding shotgun with us for the morning and mentioned that Ford's ride and handling guru, Richard Parry Jones, had signed-off on the LR3, and it shows in spades in just a few miles.

I certainly felt all 2629 kilograms of the LR3's weight on some of the twisty rural Quebec two lane roads. The LR3 doesn't have the same sort of dexterity as some of the new car-based SUVs, such as Cadillac's SRX or Infiniti's FX45, but those vehicles would be shaking in their radials if presented with what Land Rover had planned for us in the afternoon.

The old Discovery was the standby for the driving school, designed to tackle almost any off-road terrain. Despite the aesthetic and on-road gentrification of the new LR3, it will now be required to handle not only the course's various terrain, but also nervous first-time off-roaders.

Partnering with 18-year Land Rover Experience veteran trainer Don Floyd (better known to me now as "God") and with the new LR3's technological "helpers", my confidence grew quickly. In an afternoon spent tilting the LR3 sideways at over thirty degree angles, climbing rock stairs, ploughing through bogs, and sliding down mud slides - unlike its driver - the LR3 never complained or felt challenged.

Land Rover fans are already familiar with Hill Descent Control (HDC) that lets you crawl your way down the steepest grade without having to use your brakes or ruin a good pair of shorts. New in the LR3 is the ability to adjust your descent speed via the steering wheel located cruise controls.

Terrain Response is a dial on the console that lets the driver select five modes ranging from "Mud and Ruts" to "Sand and Dunes" and then optimizes the various electro-mechanical bits built into the LR3. Based on how most SUV drivers use their vehicles, I looked for the "Malls and Schools" setting, however, to no avail.

Before attempting to get my LR3 up a near vertical wall with boulders the size of grizzly bears, God, er, Mr. Floyd had me engage the "Rock Crawl" setting. This adjusted the traction control, electronic throttle, HDC, ride height, ABS, and centre and rear differentials for maximum performance. It also had me looking like Sir Edmund Hillary, minus the frostbite.

The LR3's cabin environment was developed to cope with a wide range of operating conditions, potentially from the deserts of Dubai to the frozen tundra of Sweden. Automatic temperature control air conditioning is standard with separate controls for the left and right front seats. An optional rear heating and air conditioning unit is available for vehicles with third row seating.