I'm under the impression that it comes as part of the dynamic response system i.e. you need the more expensive on/off road pack to get it.

Strangely, it's not selectable as an option on the RRS2 where in the D4 and FFRR you can select it as a separate option (although not on the FFRR TDV6 version, only on the TDV8 and S/C). On the FFRR it's a £460 option but on the D4 it's £750. Go figure.

I get the feeling that LR are wanting to go away from the active diff and replace it purely with TC. It sort of feels a bit like when they got rid of the locking centre diff for a couple of years on the D2.

If you want the locking rear diff then I think you need to talk to your dealer and get them to confirm in writing that you will be getting the locking rear diff. 2012 SDV6 - it's missing a couple of cylinders
2008 TDV8 - it was a labour of love and is much missed

The Active Diff makes a big diff on road if you are using the right foot on tight twisty stuff or say off an island when its damp, I have it on the FF as well but not on our 3.0 and you can tell. 2014 5.0SC AB

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RRSTDV8 wrote:

If you want the locking rear diff then I think you need to talk to your dealer and get them to confirm in writing that you will be getting the locking rear diff.

Interesting topic, similar to what I had to contemplate. Quick background explanation:

Moving to the sticks after years of city life. Moving to a house on top of a hill with access via a single lane dirt track. Every neighbour has a 4x4 of some kind, which told us all we needed a 4x4 vehicle, so we have to ditch the family van (S-max) and treating ourselves to a tall, premium 4x4.

7 seats is a must as we are a family of 5 and we ferry people around (grandparents etc.) all the time so the kids need to occasionally use the small seats in the back. This meant that choice came down to GL, Q7, X5 and RRS. Cayenne and some of the smaller 4x4s ruled out for this reason.

Q7 ruled out as its getting replaced next year and do look long in the tooth. The GL was ruled out because astonishingly no M-B dealerships could get us a model to test drive. They hid behind the excuse that they don't sell too many so not many demonstrators around - bonkers.

So choice came down to RRS vs X5. We borrowed each for a weekend to see what it was like to live with - suggest you ask your local dealers for similar treatment to get a feel for both cars.

Conclusion: RRS hands down. Some chap talked about sense of occasion. The best way to describe it is that once you have driven a BMW of any class, they are all very similar inside so no wow factor there. RRS interior far superior and grand and you feel a million dollars in the seat.

One other note - SDV6 model tested very refined and quiet, X5 was surprisingly noisy, from the engine and on the motorway. Maybe thats the sporty feature of BMW's but it put me off.

Best of luck with your choice.

Quote:

7 seats is a must as we are a family of 5 and we ferry people around (grandparents etc.) all the time so the kids need to occasionally use the small seats in the back. This meant that choice came down to GL, Q7, X5 and RRS. Cayenne and some of the smaller 4x4s ruled out for this reason.

If I was travelling (partly) on a dirt track every day I'd also be considering a Toyota Land Cruiser less likely for bits to fall off.

[/quote]
Funny, but I thought the Discovery4 would have been in the mix. A proper 7 seater unlike the RRS2 and X5 and a proper 4x4 unlike the GL and Q7.

Funny that...[/quote]

As a matter of fact, the Disco was my first inclination for a LR product. The 7 seat arrangement is the best there is in this class, but I figured as it was not something we needed all the time, the RRS2 seats would suffice. I guess, and this is purely a personal thing and I am not putting down Discos, the RRS was fresher and easier on the eye of this beholder. But the Disco's capabilities can't be faulted and for a lot of folks it is the only choice.

And when it comes to 4x4 capability, you are right, the germans can't hold a candle to LR.

Disco is a great sorted car , bullet proof and well developed.

Toyota has its own issues we had one had a fair few mechanicals and if you look around the forums there can be some major issues even with those, saying that look to the middle east and they still use them for dune bashing etc. 2014 5.0SC AB

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mikef wrote:

Quote:

One thing that annoys me about the LR days is that the demo vehicles have locking rear diffs when almost no one ever specs these. So the vehicles that people play with are more capable than what they think they're buying. Sure, in some cases the rear diff won't make a difference but in marginal conditions it could be the difference between breezing through and struggling/failing. My view is that the locking rear diff should be a standard fit - I guess for many it will be now that the Dynamic and AB get the active rear diff system as standard. About time too

Yes you're right. The RRS that I drove was the Dynamic model and it was equipped with a locking rear diff which was certainly operating in the worst of the conditions we encountered. I have ordered a standard HSE model with the optional Off Road pack and I assumed that the locking rear diff was part of this pack. Is this not correct? The car I drove was also fitted with 20" wheels and Michelin Latitude tyres which I was told was one of the standard fit types

Tboner wrote:

Toyota has its own issues we had one had a fair few mechanicals and if you look around the forums there can be some major issues even with those, saying that look to the middle east and they still use them for dune bashing etc.

In the middle east, where money (and breaking things) is no object

malcolmw wrote:

I can confirm that the Off Road Pack which I have on my HSE does NOT have the rear diff lock. You can see this on the 4x4 info screen. I didn't know this and assumed that LR would put all the best off-road options into an "off-road pack". The Dynamic pack is really publicised as improving the on-road handling.

I also agree that the LR Experience vehicles have the Dynamic pack fitted. Who knows how much difference it makes?