[SnowOwl]

I finally got to long drive this 2016 Range Rover. My first LR product. Logged 880 miles so far. Got to Stowe VT yesterday from LI NY. Love the active cruise & intelligent braking system. It tested impressively on highway I-95, 91 and 89 thru CT, MA and VT. It is also an outstanding highway cruiser. The heads up display proved very useful in keeping you informed of navigational directions, speed, cruise settings and the road speed limit. Off highway on local 108 up to Stowe, the "road feel" & grip on the twisty roads not is not up to a bimmer or a daimler which I had expected. Felt floaty, if there is such a word, with understeer. As the snow started to accumulate, the RR was outstanding in the unplowed roads around Stowe. It surely is the mountain goat of choice in this conditions.

Then, I had to use the reverse, drive and reverse maneuvers quite a bit on the parking lots and tight spaces around Stowe and came away very disappointed the rotary shifter's clumsiness. On the other hand, the parking aid systems prove to be very useful which came on automatically. Maybe the knob use will become natural with me sometime in the future, but I doubt if the maneuvers will be as satisfyingly crisp. Just want to vent a bit on this. But then again, I now have learned to accept the very slow boot up of the infotainment system.

What are your own thoughts on the rotary shifter? Are you used to it now? It feels fragile ... like it would easily break. What was LR thinking in the knob design to shift the tranny? or is it a classic RR design form carried from previous generations? Maybe if I understood why, it would help offset the disappointment.

 

[totya]

Re: MY2016 L405 Driving Impressions & that Rotary Shift Knob

It actually came from Jaguar, they have had it for quite a while. You will get used to it and once you don't have to look, you'll probably even like it. It isn't as fragile as it looks.

 

[SeanDinfo]

Re: MY2016 L405 Driving Impressions & that Rotary Shift Knob

it is not fragile and you do quite quickly get used to it.

There are a few aftermarket replacements from China that actually feel more solid. Some of which come from them having better grip surfaces compared to the OE one.

 

[jlee504]

Re: MY2016 L405 Driving Impressions & that Rotary Shift Knob

I would love one with a better grip surface, I'm still getting used to mine and find it to be too smooth. Where can you find a good aftermarket part is it easy to replace?

this is my first RR what happens if it doesn't pop up??

Jeff

 

[flyersfan76]

Re: MY2016 L405 Driving Impressions & that Rotary Shift Knob

I do not have this model but maybe someday.

I would assume that the rotary shift knob will become second nature. I hit the off-road height button up almost 99% of them time when I get to my neighborhood, office, or anytime when I am going to park. Most of the time I do not even notice I do it. It is second nature.

My parents have an ML and I hate the gear shifter. It feels like I am driving a fork lift. But it isn't my daily driver so I never get used to it but they have.

 

[totya]

Re: MY2016 L405 Driving Impressions & that Rotary Shift Knob

this is my first RR what happens if it doesn't pop up??

Jeff

Well, then you are in trouble, so keep that assistance card in the car.

 

[remington]

Re: MY2016 L405 Driving Impressions & that Rotary Shift Knob

It needs a grippier, machined surface. It's too slick.

 

[soulsea]

Re: MY2016 L405 Driving Impressions & that Rotary Shift Knob

My parents have an ML and I hate the gear shifter.

That's an ergonomic affront to God. Escalade column shifters aren't far behind. Traditional automatic center column shifters are the most intuitive, be they stick or knob. Button shifting like in some Lincolns is also quite pleasing to the eye. The traditional stick center column shifter is prolly the easiest to work with trying to rock a vehicle back and forth out of a sticky situation.

 

[greynolds]

Re: MY2016 L405 Driving Impressions & that Rotary Shift Knob

this is my first RR what happens if it doesn't pop up??

Then you get stranded where you are. It happened to me several times (fortunately at or near home and it worked again if I restarted the engine, there was at least one poster here though who had to have his RR towed because of this) in my brief ownership. The dealer ended up replacing some module to fix it. As I recall, it never happened again after the dealer fixed whatever the problem was.

I didn't find the knob itself to be difficult to get used to, but I felt that designing it to disappear into the console when you shut the engine off was a useless "feature" that was just a problem waiting to happen.

 

[festertester]

Re: MY2016 L405 Driving Impressions & that Rotary Shift Knob

It feels odd in the beginning yet once you get used to the knob, it's pretty swift. I actually like this unique gimmick

Though I respect your opinion, it's NOT a "bimmer" or a "Daimler" ..RRS/X5/Cayenne are better suited for what you're looking for.