Driving a Land Rover off-road is one of the most exciting and pleasurable motoring experiences you can have. Exploring hidden gems, tackling tricking terrain and testing both you and the vehicle, it provides an element to your driving experience that regular road driving doesn’t.
Occasionally though, the terrain proves a little tough and you need your vehicle to do a little more of the work to ensure you can traverse what lies ahead.
Land Rover has a solution though. The Land Rover Terrain Response System gives drivers added stability and optimised handling as it automatically adjusts the settings of the Land Rover to the surface it is driving on. This allows for the same off-road driving thrill with an added degree of control.
In this edition of our blog, we look at what the system is and how it enables Land Rover drivers to enjoy the off-road experience with a little more composure and confidence.
What is Land Rover Terrain Response?
Land Rover has always been a brand quick to show off innovation, whether it be cosmetically or mechanically. The Land Rover Terrain Response system is one such addition that gives your vehicle the edge over other off-road vehicles.
Land Rover Terrain Response is a technological innovation that gets your vehicle performing at its best no matter the surface it is being driven on. With a variety of sensors, it can determine how soft, hard, wet, dry, bumpy, or smooth a surface is. With this knowledge being rapidly collected by the sensors, it relays information throughout the vehicle to adjust brakes, suspension height, transmission and more. The Land Rover Response system gives the driver ultimate control and optimum performance.
What are the main features of Land Rover Terrain Response?
The Land Rover Terrain Response system is a useful addition to a Land Rover that tackles variable surfaces and conditions. By optimising the vehicle to its best possible settings for each surface, the vehicle performs better, gives you a smoother ride and allows you to remove all the hard work of manual adjustments behind.
Key features of Land Rover Terrain Response include:
- Enhanced traction control on slippery surfaces
- Increased suspension height when encountering rough terrain
- Heightened throttle response on finer or looser surfaces
- Controlled descent on steep hills
How do you use Land Rover Terrain Response?
Land Rover has made it easy for you to get the best out of your drive by keeping things simple. Control of the system comes via the easy-to-use touchscreen or twist dial. Simply tap the screen or twist the dial to select the type of terrain you’ll be driving on, and your Land Rover does the rest. Should this seem like too much hard work, there is also an automated option where the vehicle will detect the surface itself and adjust as necessary.
Should you be heading back to regular driving, you can simply set the system to “on-road” and you’ll enjoy your drive with the Land Rover in its regular settings. However, before you marvel at its simplicity, it would be worth knowing whether the Land Rover you own or plan to buy has Terrain Response 1 or Terrain Response 2.
What is the difference between Land Rover Terrain Response 1 and Terrain Response 2?
Both terrain response systems offer Land Rover drivers a smoother driving experience and on the whole, work much the same. The main difference is that Terrain Response 1 is manually activated by selecting the surface type you drive on, and the more recent iteration, Terrain Response 2, works automatically. In a Land Rover with Terrain Response 1, you will be able to choose from five surface settings.
- Sand
- Mud and ruts
- Rock crawl
- Grass/gravel/snow
- General driving
In the more updated Terrain Response 2, you have the addition of “auto” which is where the Land Rover selects the surface setting itself and adjusts itself accordingly as it encounters any surface type. For many, Terrain Response 2, provides the optimal off-road driving set-up as the need to spend time adjusting your vehicle is completely removed as everything is done by the sensors on board.
Which Land Rovers include the terrain response system?
Terrain response was introduced to Land Rovers in 2005 when it was added to the Discovery. Since then, it has found itself added to every new Land Rover. In 2013, the updated Terrain Response 2 was launched and has now found itself included in many Land Rover models including the Discovery Sport, Range Rover Sport, and Range Rover Evoque.
If you enjoy driving your Land Rover off-road, you want it to be at its best. The in-built systems like Terrain Response and Terrain Response 2 certainly help but a full Land Rover service will always be worthwhile. This way you can ensure your vehicle is further optimised for all the off-road action you want to enjoy. Why not choose Roberts Country Vehicles? We are the leading Land Rover specialist in the Southeast with over 40 years of experience in the trade. Our dedicated team are highly trained Jaguar Land Rover technicians who only use OEM or approved genuine parts to make sure your Land Rover is in its best possible condition. Utilising the latest manufacturers’ diagnostics and saving you up to 40% on main dealer prices, RCV are the perfect choice for premium service and low prices. Contact us today to see how we can save you money and have your Land Rover better than ever.