Driven: 2009 Land Rover LR2 - TheCarConnection.com
Given Detroit's winter weather has only recently broken, I hoped it would make one last-ditch pass and dump some snow to try out our freshly minted 2009 Land Rover LR2 HSE. Unfortunately, it failed--so it seems like we'll just have to trust Land Rover's claim that the LR2 can ford 20-inches of water, a claim I'm not likely to attempt without waders, a nearby winch, and permission from Land Rover's PR department. The claim, however, points to something Land Rover wants to promote with this crossover. Every other Land Rover model has a proper transfer case. In practice, this matter not because the LR2 is truly the first Land Rover to be designed primarily for on-road driving. The 2009 Land Rover LR2 HSE rides well and darts around corners without any sickening body roll. The 230-hp in-line six-cylinder engine and six-speed automatic transmission feel strong, but the LR2 isn't particularly quick. Cruising is more its speed, and at a cruise, things are much more subdued, but blindfolded you'll never mistake the LR2 for Lexus RX. The LR2's city mileage of 16 mpg isn't terribly Lexus-like either. The view from the driver's chair is proper Land Rover: well above traffic and with low window sills. The interior provides good room and comfort front and back, but there are areas that didn't seem to get enough attention and look too inexpensive for the Land Rover brand. Source: www.thecarconnection.com
