2008 Land Rover LR2

The Land Rover brand has many claims to fame, including fostering the concept of a luxury SUV. But their smallest offering, the Freelander, has had a bleak run stateside. While very capable off-road, it just didn’t meet luxury expectations. Now Land Rover breathes fresh air into the luxo mini-ute niche with the all-new 2008 LR2. The LR2 certainly looks in tune with premium tastes. But with that said, does it give up capabilities for cache?

More than anything else over the years, Land Rovers have been known as unstoppable, the kind of vehicle you drive on safari or trek through primitive rain forests and waist-deep mud, with confidence.

So the thought of compromising that legendary prowess in favor of creature comforts never entered the minds of Land Rover designers when creating the all-new 2008 LR2.

No matter that the LR2 would be the first Land Rover based on a car, sharing basic architecture with the Volvo S80. Instead, designers were determined to include both luxury and capability, and to define the compact premium utility class in their own terms.

So, characteristically, our introduction took place at the LR2’s global press launch along the Atlantic Coast and rocky inlands of exotic Morocco. 

Here, where local transportation is more likely to be of the four-legged variety, we found plenty of opportunities to test the small Rover’s four-wheeling abilities.

System engineering starts with Intelligent permanent single speed all-wheel-drive and a fully independent coil-spring suspension.  An exclusive Haldex electronically-controlled center coupling constantly varies the front to rear torque split as needed.

Hill Descent Control adds new Gradient Release Control that progressively releases brake line pressure when the driver’s foot is removed from the pedal for added confidence on steep grades.

Add to that Dynamic Stability Control, Roll Stability Control and Land Rover’s 4-mode Terrain Response System, and you’ve got the sure-footedness of a goat, but without the smelly fur.

Whether plowing through deep sand dunes, scrambling over loose rocky trails or simply navigating the daily grind of suburbia, the LR2 can adapt to the changing needs of its environment without sacrificing ability or civility.

Bumping along rutted cart paths is no challenge for a real SUV, but it was here that we came to appreciate the LR2’s tight crossover body structure; rubber mounted front and rear sub-frames and long-travel suspension.  Cushy seats alone won’t give you a comfortable ride when the road ends, and this is where Land Rover stands apart from the cute-ute pretenders. 

The interior design favors simple elegance over gee-whiz technology.  Quality soft-touch materials, precise control operation, clear sightlines and good ergonomics favor the driver.  Thin pillars and generous glass areas, including a panoramic sliding sunroof, contribute to the airy feel.

Premium equipment like a keyless starter button and one-touch up and down windows are standard, while DVD-based navigation, Bi-Xenon adaptable headlamps and Bluetooth hands-free phone systems can be ordered.

Providing motive power for the LR2 is a transverse-mounted 3.2 liter inline 6 with variable valve timing, also borrowed from the Volvo S80.  Here it produces 230 horsepower and 234 pound-feet of torque.  It mates to a new 6-speed automatic gearbox with driver-selectable sport mode and Command Shift manual override.

0-60 performance is estimated at 8.4 seconds, and while we had no chance to verify that claim on Morocco’s bumpy roads, we did find ample time to discover how well the LR2 drives.

And it’s obvious that Land Rover has done its homework again, since the LR2 delivers on-road agility and comfort equal or better than rivals from BMW and Lexus. 

Exterior styling is very much in line with the LR2’s family tree, carrying on the stepped roof, clamshell hood and strong stance of the larger LR3, but the LR2 has more taper from top to bottom and a softer-edged appearance overall.  Wheel arches are pronounced and free of cladding, more like the Range Rover.

You won’t have to bargain like a Moroccan rug merchant to get a favorable price on the LR2.  $34,700 is the base, on par with the Lexus RX350 and about three grand less than a BMW X3.

With the 2008 LR2, Land Rover finally has a proper vehicle for moving aspiring buyers into their unique brand. But don’t mistake the LR2 for entry-level.  It may not be full-figured, but it is still full-featured, and lacks none of the character, refinement and adventure-ready ruggedness that Land Rover is justly famous for.