Image via Complex Original
2012 Land Rover LR2
Power: 230 hp, 234 lb-ft.
Engine: 3.2 liter i6
Fuel Consumption: 15 city/22 highway
Land Rover has been SUV official since 1948. The British auto manufacturer also makes Jaguar and Range Rover but the LR series (LR2, LR4) remains the foundation of the brand.
If you've been through Beverly Hills in the past 5 years, you've seen the preponderance of Range Rovers and Jags. These two whips are adored by the financially elite for their power and luxury. The LR is more of a working man's ride. A reliable SUV through and through. Thanks in part to its diminutive price tag ($36,550), it's the SUV of choice for private-school teachers everywhere.
But times they are a changing and the LR2 follows suit. Previous models have had the ergonomic look of a Subaru, but the latest LR2 has the sexy stylings of its big brother, the Range Rover.
Here are four reasons the LR2 is attracting drivers who don't wear Birkenstocks to work.
It's Sizeable Without Being Obnoxious
It's Sizeable Without Being Obnoxious
Some SUVs are too big. At approximately 15 feet long, seven feet wide and six feet tall, the LR2 is large but not enormous. It can be parked without taking up more than one space and if you're driving behind one, you can still see the other cars in front of you.
On the inside, the LR2 has 40" of headroom and plenty of legroom (42" front. 36" back). In other words, it can seat the starting five of the Miami Heat with plenty of storage room (27 cubic feet) to spare.
It Won't Break the Bank
It Won't Break the Bank
The base price is $36,550. The HSE goes for $39,000 and the tricked out HSE LUX is $41,500.
On the HSE the upgrades include Adaptive Xenon headlamps with automatic leveling, satellite/HD radio, Bluetooth connectivity, an electro-chromic rear view mirror with Homelink, and electronic memory for the seats and mirrors.
For a few rupees more you can drive large in the LUX. The extra $2,500 gets you everything in the HSE plus Windsor leather seats (pictured), premium carpet mats and Dolby surround sound bumping out of a 14-speaker sound system.
The BMW X5 starts at $47,500 and all of the Mercedes SUVs, except the GLK, are more pricey. The LR2 is better looking than all of those SUVs which translates into even more bang for the buck.
It's truly All-terrain
It's Truly All-terrain
Land Rover has a reputation for being a rock-solid off-road vehicle. Trekking the green hills of Africa; no problem. Traversing war zones; been there. Done that.
Sometimes when manufacturers make a car more stylish they mistakenly put too much emphasis on form and that downgrades the function. This is not the case with the LR2. It looks better than ever and it still delivers a smooth ride.
Standard safety features run the gamut from anti-lock brakes to electronic traction control and the 6-speed automatic transmission ensures comfortable cruising on any surface; on- or off-road.
It Goes Fast
It Goes Fast
I recently drove the LR2 up I-95 from NYC to Cape Cod. I wasn't in a hurry, just driving casually, enjoying the satellite radio and the fall foliage. Yet, I got knocked for driving 80mph in a 50mph zone.
The LR2 was handling the road with ease on a highway whose theme song should be "Potholes in my Lawn." In my defense, I had no idea I was going fast. I blame the 3.2-liter i6 engine which can go from 0 - 60mph in 8.4 seconds.
I expected the Land Rover to be comfortable, spacious and rock solid off-road... and it was. I did not anticipate this versatile SUV would burn up the track. Yet another reason the LR2 deserves serious consideration if you're in the market for an upscale SUV.