Land Rover LR2: An Outgoing Model with a Lot to Offer

As this is the last model year for the Land Rover LR2, those looking for a great SUV from Land Rover can still take advantage of the capability and practicality of the LR2. This option for this final model year allows the best choice to be made by anyone looking for a compact luxury SUV that has the ability to offer great luxury features along with the ability to head off road with confidence. The off road abilities of all Land Rover models have been celebrated for years, but an added benefit is the amazing ability to be great vehicles on the road as well.

A majority of the competitors for the LR2 boast off road abilities, but most cannot head off road for more than some light trails. These competitors include the Mercedes-Benz GLK, Audi Q5 and Cadillac SRX which are all more spacious than the LR2, but don’t come close when it comes to heading off road. Even without the added space of the competition, the LR2 offers the full utility needed for some great off road adventures, ensuring owners will be able to truly enjoy their time in the wilderness and make it back home in safety and security.

For the final hurrah of the LR2, the 2015 model adds two new décor packages, the Black Pack and the Silver Pack which offer 19-inch wheels, HDD navigations and a variety of interior and exterior accents. The high end 825-watt Meridian audio system is available as well on the LR2 with Sirius XM included.

The Land Rover LR2 is a fantastic SUV for those who spend most of their weekends exploring the outdoors off the beaten path. It offers extensive suspension tuning in order to allow the SUV to be more than capable of handling rocks, logs, boulders and more. The steering is set to take care of the control needed in these settings as well, with the two systems working together to allow the LR2 to take care of everything needed when away from the paved roads. The LR2 offers crawling ability that is perfected by Land Rover, but is somewhat harsh when on the road, which is a condition that just might turn a few away from the LR2 when looking for an everyday ride.

The LR2 is offered with only one engine for all trim levels. This engine does a great job of handling all the power and function needs of this great SUV. The engine is actually the same one, designed by Ford, and used on other Land Rover models and shows up as a 2.0-liter turbocharged EcoBoost inline four-cylinder engine. This engine is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission and offers up 240 horsepower and 250 lb.-ft. of torque. The power plant includes the use of the Intelligent Power System Management (IPSM) which recovers kinetic energy from braking to charge the battery. With all these characteristics of this engine, the LR2 can actually make a run to sixty mph in 8.2 seconds, making it a fast-accelerating SUV. The fuel mileage is one area that the LR2 does fall short, coming in at a fairly inefficient 17 city/24 hwy mpg.

The LR2 appears to be a growling beast on the outside, but on the inside it is refined, smooth, comfortable and elegant. With a control panel that is full of all features needed in the vehicle, any driver can find themselves expertly driving the LR2. The space is slightly snug, but not to the point of discomfort and the upholstery is comfortable with the seats being supportive. There are a few plastic items but with the low price of this luxury SUV that is to be expected. Overall, the interior of the LR2 makes a great place to head out on the trails and discover remote destinations for fun and a retreat to nature.

The exterior of the LR2 is a completely different story from the interior. The outside is an angry beast of boxy shape that prowls the streets looking for the trail entrance to let loose and show off what it has to offer. With a squared up look the sides of the LR2 are nearly vertical and the hood close to horizontal, giving sharp angles and lines that only add to the feeling of a brawler on the prowl. The front of the LR2 offers a grill with unique designs that offer about the only hint of this being a luxury-style vehicle.

The Land Rover LR2 shows up with three trim levels, base, HSE and HSE LUX. The base model shows up equipped with the Terrain Response traction-management system, a panoramic moonroof, leather upholstery and an eleven-speaker audio system with a seven-inch touch screen display. The HSE model adds a rearview camera, rear park-distance control and xenon headlights for more control and safety when driving. The top line, HSE LUX model moves up to add the Meridian premium audio system and an eight-way power driver’s seat. All models show up with seven air bags, rollover mitigation control and active head restraints to name a few of the high-end safety features aboard.

The LR2 offers optional features that include the ability to add the Meridian Sound System to any model, a heated steering wheel, heated front seats and an improved navigation system all to ensure drivers can enjoy some added features that offer a lot of great driving experiences.

As the least expensive Land Rover the LR2 shows up with a base price of $37,600 which is an amazing price for one of highest level SUV’s on the market. The HSE model is still very reasonable at just over $40,000 and the HSE LUX start around $42,700 to give a reasonably enjoyable price range for the lineup of the LR2. At the fully loaded model the LR2 can come in at a price of a little more than $48,000 which is still quite a bit cheaper than much of the competition which can top out over $60,000.