Okay guys. Here's a shot at a review, my style.
First let's start with the engine, since this seems to be one of the biggest upgrades on the car. This thing has power, and power right from the start. You'll notice compared to the 4.2 SC, you have to hit the gas half as hard to get a good response. I'm trying to figure out if this has to do with throttle progression programming, but I in some way think it's just that much stronger. Like most supercharged motors, it starts to run out of steam as you get about 500 RPM from redline, but up to that point, it's a very strong pull. The sound of the engine insn't really much different from the 4.2 SC. It's very, very smooth and quiet when you're not on it. I do notice that when you hit the throttle lightly at highway speeds, you can hear the burble of the exhaust. I think I see about 2,100 RPM at around 70 MPH. The car had 12 miles on it when I drove it off the lot, but I still managed about 18.6 MPG's on the 50-mile trip home (85% highway). I would imagine that this number will improve slightly. The 4.2 actually, on this similar route, is much harder to get that kind of mileage in. The FFRRSC actually pulled better mileage than our RRSSC. The 4.2 SC I'm talking about is an '06 with 38,000 miles on the odometer. As far as the actual sound of the V-8, you will not notice much of a difference between the two engines except one thing that might bug some of you (me included)..... You can faintly hear the supercharger on the new 5.0, but it's barely noticeable. Someone would have to tell you it's a supercharged motor first so you could actually listen for it. It's a drastic difference, and if you were looking for the "whine" of the 4.2, it's almost completely gone. Now, I want you to try to conjure up an Audi or VW direct-injected engine. You hear a loud "clatter," much different than most 4-cylinders, which is the sound of the high pressure injectors. The 5.0L doesn't make that noise at all. You'd never know it was directly injected. That's awfully nice. There is also, almost no valvetrain noise. It's a really smooth motor. When you launch from a light with a heavy throttle input, you will notice how much further the front picks up, and how much further the back dives down compared to the 4.2L. When you're in the car, you really do notice this difference! Also, with a strong launch, you can actually feel the front wheels searching for grip, as if they are about to break loose over minor imperfections in the road. This is not a bad thing. It's an example of how much power is being delivered, and how much weight is being taken off of those front wheels. That's something I've never felt in the 4.2 SC. The exhaust is nothing to write home about. It really does sound close to what the 4.2 did, and is also just as quiet/noisy depending on how you look at it. If you have a Sport 4.2 SC, it's about the same noise level from the outside. Someone should tell Tata to put that exhaust valve on from the XKR. It really needs it. For that much power, it's a little quiet. Any way you cut it with this motor, you will seriously notice the increased power at all RPM's except the let-off about 500 RPM from redline. It think the 4.2 was similar in this respect. I would rate this 5.0L SC as one of the most flexible engines I have ever driven. It's quite refined. The 5L in it's power delivery is linear. It just pulls all the way to 5,500 RPM so smoothly, you really don't realize how fast you're goint. We have had no sputters, pauses, or malfunctions coming from any engine component or computer. Our 4.2, though reprogrammed multiple times, has stammered, studdered, and sometimes killed in it's lifetime. It's done that since new. So far. No problems. Awesome motor.
Let's stay in line with the driveline now. The reworked, or "new" transmission is leaps and bounds over the 2006 4.2SC transmission. The shifts are SO much quicker, but just as smooth. One thing that always bothered me with the 4.2 tranny was that really odd lag between 1st and 2nd. I sometimes wished the car would've just started in second (which I know is done in the Terrain Response's snow mode. This new transmission, you don't feel like first gear is an afterthought, or useless with normal acceleration. (I'm not talking about flooring it now. Just normal city driving.) The new 1st gear is used, and once it's done being used, it quickly changes to second. Quickly is the keyword here. It's a crisp shift that doesn't jerk the car one bit. It's just fast. Every gear works like this two. All shifts are really crisp compared to the old one. I did notice our old 2008 Full Size SC had a better transmission than the '06 Sport SC, but this eclipses even the '08. You'd really be happy with how dramatically improved it is. One thing that bothers me with the '06 Sport SC is how long the transmission holds a gear. It would seem that it has plenty of power to shift earlier and keep the revs down as well as the commotion. This 2010 transmission has completely solved that problem. With normal driving, your RPM's usually are below the 2,000 mark, using all gears. It actually feels like you're saving gas with normal cruising. It's a good feeling. I did try the Command Shift and the paddles, and they work like the old model. Nothing special there, but I felt the old one worked really well anyway. There is no gear whine at all in any gear and at any speed. It just works like a good slushbox should. All downshifts are still rev-matched crisply. Judgement... It's one of the best fully automatic transmissions I have driven. I don't see a need for more gears, as the gears are steep enough for the supercharged motor. I'd think with a 7 or 8-speed transmission, the engine would be revving too high for optimal power unless you would manually override it and keep the RPM's below 5,500 RPM. You'd notice a huge difference if you'd buy this car compared to the older models. The transmission is that nice.
Moving on to the brakes now... I really didn't tromp on them because I know they're still bedding-in. Compared to the 4-pot Brembos of yore, these are much, much smoother to operate. No longer is there that "grabby" feeling that was both in our '06 and '08. These are nice and smooth, and it actually might take you off-guard if you are used to your old Brembos. It is now just much easier to brake more smoothly. That's a plus. I did already notice some brake dust after 120 miles, but we all know that's a sign of a good pad.
The suspension is noticeably different than our '06. I almost feel like the Dynamic Response sway bars allow just a tiny bit more roll, but it's actually a good feeling. I felt you had a better sense of what you're putting the car through than the "almost artificial" feeling of the older system. For those of you worried about the "knock" from the DR, there's none in here. I do hear it on our '06, but it really doesn't bother me much. I'm trying to figure out why some people are saying it has a stiffer ride than the older SC. I don't think so at all. Can you still feel the bumps in the road? Yes. Do you notice cracks in the pavement? Yes. It is rougher than a Full-Size? You bet. Is it a smoother ride than the older SC? Yes. I even tried putting the Terrain Response into its "Dynamic" mode, and could barely feel the shocks stiffen. For those of you who would tell me "that's the airbags stupid," no, the new SC has continuously adjusting absorbers. They do their job quite well. It's a smoother, quieter ride compared to the '06 SC. Over the bumps with a "longer wave," it's similar to the old model where it kind of "floats" over those. It's a good comprimise of sporty vs. comfortable. You'll still know you're in a Sport SC, that's for sure, but it's not bad at all. As I mentioned earlier, the braking and accelerating dive is still there. The steering ratio seems to be pretty much the same, but I think the effort is up a bit. If you remember your older SCs, it was so twitchy to every little input on the wheel. With this new steering, it's a little harder to accidently make those tiny inputs. Don't let that mean that you can drive it like a big ol' luxury barge. The steering is still very, very quick which can get you in a little trouble on snowy roads. Judgement, better steering than the old, but still twitchy for snow driving. It's great for a sporty, pavement feel which I understand is one of the underlying concepts of the car, and very nice for a nearly 6,000 lb. machine. It still keeps the "sport" in Sport. There wasn't any change in the steering effort when I put it into it's "Dynamic" TR setting.
Let's head on inside to the interior because, boy, is that a MASSIVE upgrade. Getting into the car is simple. Even if it's locked, just pull the door handle. You can set this to either unlock just the driver's door, or unlock the whole car. Ours was set to the one-door setting, but we changed it. It was very easy to change. When you get out, just hit the black button on the door handle and walk away. Simple. This system has worked flawlessly so far. No glitches at all. Okay, back inside now. You are going to notice how much better every single part of the interior is built. I do recommend that extended leather package because it just caps off that quality. The leather is so soft, yet you can see it's durable. The Alcantara inserts look great and makes the seat cooler in the sun, and warmer when it's cold. It seems very durable as well. Every single part is now built about twice as well as the older model. You won't hear the plastics crackling when you touch them. They are much better quality now. I told you I was going to be detailed, so here I go... The warning chime sounds much, much better than the older models. You will also notice how much better the blinker relay sounds as well. If you know what a Nissan or Infiniti sounds like, that's almost it. Instead of a tinny click click click, it's a more solid, almost tone-like click. That was a nice improvement. All of the buttons and switches have a better feel as well. The Navigation screen is a higher resolution than the old one. You'll notice that the nav does have the flashing position indicator instead of solid, but it's not annoying, at least to me. I only saw it because someone brought it up here. The screen looks to be the same size, but again, the new interface just looks better. The basic funchions are still buttons on the dash... A/V, Nav, and I forgot the other two. Those options are also color coded on the nav screen. The stereo sound the same as the last version, but if you get the HD radio, that's really nice. It really brings out the talk radio too. Talk sounds better than FM, and FM sounds like a CD. You hear it fade in and out when it acquires and loses its digital signal. If you live in or near a big city, this is a nice option. The guages are SO easy to read now. The bright white needles and lettering are clear in the day, and nicely lit electroluminescently at night. That alone is a massive upgrade on the dash. I agree with a lot of you that the little center screen between the guages needs more functions, but it still is really nice. You'll notice that changing the cars settings is much easier than before by just using the little toggles on your wheel. Instant fuel economy is now shown as well as your average. They are numbers, not bars. When you set your cruise control, that also pops up on that little center screen. Speaking of cruise, that will take a little getting used to as the buttons are in different spots. The letters and numbers are small for those features, so don't expect them to pop out at you. You have to be aware that they're there. You also can show the date on the center screen. The fuel and coolant guages just stay as is while the car is on. Judgement... The center screen is nice, but there could be more "stuff" on it. It also seems to be just black and white. There is no sport sweep when you start the car. You will notice the difference in the seats! There is now softer padding, and it seems that they are reshapen as well. It's not a drastic change, but enough where you'll notice more comfort compared to the old model. The side bolsters are now comfortably soft. The one annoyance I still have with the Rover Sport seat is that stupid headrest. It feels like it's pushing my head into my chest. Someone needs to come out with an aftermarket headrest that doesn't come out at such an angle. There ya go, someone. Make some cash off of that! The feel of the driver's seat is still that of a cockpit, so don't be expecting legroom galore. It's snug, but in a good way. OH! The steering wheel feels so much better in your hands. I'm thinking it's thicker with nice, soft, smooth leather. It's not slippery, but it's smooth. I found this to be a huge upgrade over the old one. You'll love it. The menu keys on the wheel are really easy to understand. It's actually not that complex. One does the center screen and radio, and the other is the nav screen. I didn't try the heated wheel. It's quieter on the interior now than the old one. Should you happen to get the roof rack, you will hear that whistling up top when your sun shade is open. If you close it, it blocks out that sound. No biggie. Unlike others on this forum, I heard no squeaks, ratlles, nor excessive. I have not had a chance to see the accent lighting on the inside, so I can't tell you about that. All the seat memories work perfectly and everything comes up in English units when you start the car, so that has been fixed. The nav system has not locked up at all either. The rear seats are still heated and all heaters work great. The climate control works perfectly and is not noticeable. The only problem I have with the interior besides the headrests are the temperature displays on the climate control knobs. The LCD numbers are not very legible in the light, but it's not a big deal at all. The rear hatch, not the window, has a power closing grabber now. You can gently shut the rear hatch, and it gets sucked closed. That's a nice new feature. Also, the power-folding mirrors fold whenever you lock the car. I'm not sure how to shut this off. The rear dipping mirrors can be shut off on the center display easily. Judgement on the interior... It's the biggest upgrade on the car besides the engine and transmission.
You will also notice that the headlights and fog lights are brighter at night. It must be the new reflectors compared to the older style. I have not tried the auto-dimming high beams. I figure I'm smart enough to shut them off myself. I just turned them off in the center display. The little LED rings around the headlights CAN be seen during the full daylight hours. If you buy a new Rover, get used to turning on your parking lights every time you are in the car. They look really neat. They're not even close to being as bright as an Audi's, but they still are noticeable. You really can notice them at dawn, dusk, or cloudier days. They are not bright enough to be a DRL, but are a really nice-looking accent. The rear turn signals are now amber LEDs, but the fronts are still an incandecent bulb. Again, no biggie.
Well, that's kind of my wrap-up of the truck. Down the road, after I go on vacation, I'm going to be making some YouTube videos showing you visually the differences in the two generations. No music, no fancy graphics. Just me showing you how the two cars work, and comparing them. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask. I'd be more than happy to answer them! Thanks for reading this and hopefully you found it somewhat helpful.
