I vote to put this thread to bed. And while we’re at it, Longevity and How Often Should I Change My Oil.

 

You're just offended at classism because it's highly offensive to the American middle class. Americans get ticked off by any assertion that classes even exist and especially that there is a barrier between them other than income and money which amounts to a purely objective sum like income or net worth. That is because Americans love the delusion that their culture is a meritocracy. They deeply resent any suggestion that if they have anything it might not be because they deserve it. "You didn't build that." That was so offensive, as is all marxism (which doesn't solve anything but serves as a provocation in classist societies). Americans resent the idea that there are any victims of their success or that their success has anything to do with other people's failure. Americans also hate it to be pointed out that there are some things they can never obtain even if they demonstrate the worthiest merit.

 

Lol. As an American I can assure you some of that is wrong. Americans are very proud of the middle class. We feel it's something the modern country was built around and we do better than most countries. (Not saying we do, just saying that the general feeling) and because we don't have a caste/class system that's exactly why we almost completely associate middle-class with middle income and certainly not luxury. Things like "you didn't build that" were offensive to some Americans but it was a slogan put out there by other Americans.

 

hey, my wife also drives an XC60 recharge! I bought my 2020 Defender for me. I have had it off road in Colorado, TX, Utah, and California. I have 72k miles on the clock, because I drive it everywhere. It is my favorite vehicle that I’ve owned and if I have any worry, it’s that I have 72k miles on it and I don’t plan to part with it. There’s nothing I’d rather have.

 

Sir this is an online Land Rover forum.

 

I’ll say it again. For the love of God, stop this nonsense.

 

Owners of late-model Land Rover's can't get away from the class dynamics they bought into. It's part of the purchase. It would be ignorant to believe that for many buyers it isn't part of the appeal. I suspect Land Rover is well aware of their customer's demographics and what appeals to them. Right on the front pages of Land Rover USA's website, I see phrases like "Peerless refinement and luxury," and "sophisticated elegance." It goes on with phrases like "captivating character and luxury," and "Desirable luxury." How else are we to interpret phrases like, "The ultimate combination of power, capability and design," and, "Windsor leather, Dinamica® suedecloth and Robustec seats, 14-way heated and cooled electric memory front seats with 4-way manual headrests." If this is certainly not what appeals to middle class Americans, then are Land Rovers offensive or unappealing to them? Or has Land Rover totally misunderstood its customer's demographics?

 

Who cares what “class” likes what let’s stick to talking about the trucks.

 

I get the same impression: anything from JLR was always a luxury purchase, but ND seems to be drifting more toward a spot below the G-Wagon/LX buyers. As a luxury, I have no doubt it is great off road, because the tech on the ND is incredible. But there's no way to discuss it as a budget purchase & if you ding up the ND, I think that could get costly. G Wagons don't go off road - you can of course, but it's expensive. I consider G Wagons and LX "academic" off roaders - it's a discussion, not a trip. For most of us with budgets, it's hard to justify the purchase (and the likely repair bills) that owning a G would entail if you take it off the beaten path or even just hit potholes. How's that air suspension & almost no room in the wheel arch doing after you hit a big pothole at 30 mph? I have a Wrangler now on long-term loan (probably $50k MSRP), and have tested out a Bronco (Badlands with KO2s) - probably $62k MSRP. Both of those could meet most of the needs of many potential ND buyers, if price is an issue. Bronco/Wrangler are not even close in terms of room & comfort of ND, but they are quality choices for folks that need something that is both on and off road ready. I give credit to Bronco for putting a trim out there that can fit the KO2s. Wrangler - of course - does so as well. But not ND. You would think that a leader in off-road SUVs would make a trim ready for one of the most popular tire choices made for those same drivers, but ND on 19"rims is taking itself home from the party. JLR wants the "street cred" of being a durable off road SUV, but if you see one parked next to a Bronco/Wrangler with their suspension and tire set ups, there's a clear difference in what's ready for the unexpected pothole. IMO this is an image decision, as JLR could surely fit a ND with KO2s if it wanted to. But that type of style is not - apparently - what JLR is after with ND.

 

"IMO this is an image decision, as JLR could surely fit a ND with KO2s if it wanted to. But that type of style is not - apparently - what JLR is after with ND."
Nothing really to do with what JLR wants...It is what the majority of their customers want....Or in this case, don't want. There is no one throwing darts and a board, guessing content. Research is done, customer clinics are analyzed and purchase trends are studied. From that data, content is proposed and implemented.
At the end of the day, regardless of the brand or model, the ultimate goal of the manufacturer is to sell exactly one more than they can build. Period.