TUG OF WAR; While better than the Discovery, Land Rover's LR3 has staffers divided.(News)

Byline: ANDREW LUU

One week after the Land Rover LR3 joined the AutoWeek long-term family, it was christened with a road trip to Indianapolis for the Formula One race. Soon after that the LR3 found itself en route to Chicago, then to Michigan's Upper Peninsula for a family adventure, followed by a four-hour drive to Traverse City, Michigan.

If that hasn't proved what we've designated as this vehicle's preferred role, a quick glance at the odometer at the end of the first quarter will. In just three months, we've piled on nearly 10,000 miles, a lot of gear and a lot of people.

During those long-distance trips there has been glowing praise for the intuitive navigation system. One tribute was that it "seems to actually learn that you don't want to be on the freeway stuck in traffic and directs you to alternative routes [when you ignore its commands a few times].''

We praised the 90-cubic-foot cargo bay (third-row seats folded flat) where we've stuffed a weekend's worth of luggage for four, a mountain bike and a lawnmower. Most also agree the LR3 is prettier than the Discovery it replaces, but from there staffers start taking sides.

On the Indy trip, an editor and his adult passengers found the seats overly firm and fatiguing to the lower back, as well as lacking legroom, particularly in the second row.

However, an even larger editor disagreed. "It's about as comfortable for long hauls as they come,'' he said after his trips to Chicago and Traverse City, a claim backed up by his teenage company.