I am the proud owner of 2 landrover products, a Range Rover Sport HSE 08 and more recently in the last few days I bought a second landrover product a Discovery 3 HSE 56 plate.
The sport I mainly use for pleasure and the reason for buying the discovery 3 is more for work and as it has more room for loads in the back, both cars are HSE spec.
What has surprised me is the difference between the two in terms of the Discovery having more additional items and better interior lighting in the rear.
Both are TDV 6 and the range rover seems to have slightly better performance and power to weight ratio than discovery.
I would love to hear from anyone who has experience of both vehicles - I am disappointed that the Range Rover sport HSE specification is not as good as that on the Discovery despite both being HSE UK Spec cars.
An HSE FFRR has even less equipment for much more extra cost than the RRS! There's no standard satnav on an HSE FFRR these days
2020 Pangea Green 1st Edition D240 New Defender 110 is here and loving it
2018 Melting Silver Mini Countryman PHEV - soon to be replaced
2015MY Corris Grey SDv6 HSE Dynamic, the best car I have ever owned, totally reliable only a cou0le of rattles in 3 years, now no longer in my care
Also in my garage is a 1996 TDi300 Defender 90 County HT made into a fake CSW
We have had both a D3 and a RRS since the day they were launched (sad anorak Land Rover groupies that we are). Between the TDv6 RRS and the D3, I always felt the D3 was the "better" vehicle. It simply was better thought out, had far more uses and drove almost as well as the RRS. The expression Function over Form fitted the D3 really well whilst Form over Function matched the TDv6 RRS. When we upgraded to the TDv8 RRS though, the real "point" of the RRS came shinning through. That engine, with dynamic response created a vehicle that excelled at being driven, in a way that the D3 could never do. So now, if we are going anywhere without needing to carry loads of people or gear, we jump into the RRS everytime.
As regards value for money, in late 2006 and early 2007 it was possible to do some fantastic deals on D3's if you pushed hard enough and asked enough dealers. There were no deals to be had on TDv8 RRS's back then. As a result our HSE D3 cost almost £18k less than the TDv8 RRS. So the benefits of the TDv8 RRS certainly didn't come "cheaply".
Both have been superb vehicles that have been 100% fault free.
So ... in summary = a TDV8 DISCO HSE would tick even more boxes
if it had dynamic response as well - then for sure.
And by the way, just an hour after writing that both vehicles have been 100% fault free ,,,, the D3's electronic park brake failed and she has had to be recovered to the local dealer. Needs a "new actuator" apparently.
We have a RRS HSE (4.4 l 8-cyl) and the LR3 HSE (same engine). As stated earlier, the LR3 is great for our long trips because of it's cargo carrying capability. The seven seat capability is also a bonus. The lighting, sunroofs, heating/cooling on the LR3 is much better than the RRS. The user adjustable heating/cooling for second row passengers is great. As well, there is much more room and more comfortable seating for the 2nd row passengers. The headroom is fantastic. We have the luxury package on both vehicles - better leather seats, center console cooler.
The RRS ride is stiffer and the vehicle certainly feels lighter and quicker. The shorter wheel base also allows very tight turning. Overall more fun to drive. The front seats are better than the LR3. My wife doesn't mind switching vehicles (I usually drive the RRS, of course).
If we have three or more passengers, we take the LR3. If it is just 1 or 2, the RRS. Nobody driving, stays in the garage out of sight. Don't want to be a target for hijackers.
This last winter in Canada made me really glad we have these vehicles. However, the local gas station knows me by my first name now.
I drove over the bank holiday weekend to Scotland and back in my D3 a round trip in excess of 1500 miles and without a doubt the car performed very well including driving in severe bad weather and heavy rain as well as on the motorway, the advantage of the D3 HSE is the a/c in the rear as I took my golden retriever with me.
I am surprised that our RRS does not have better lighting and A/C in the rear - perhaps L/R should consider fitting this to the RRS.
RRS TDv8 HSE Rimini
RRS TDv8 HSE Rimini
I'll get me coat 
