Land Rover LR2 - The Runt Of The Litter Matures

The 2013 version of the slow-selling Land Rover LR2 can conquer the same trails and obstacles that the LR2 has been able to master since its launch in 2007, but the latest edition looks and sounds a bit different when doing so.

The face-lifted LR2 ditches the old Volvo 3.2-liter in-line six in favor of the engine that’s in Land Rover’s hip and stylish Evoque, which is loosely based on the LR2 and is built at the same factory. That engine is a 2.0-liter turbo four- cylinder supplied by Ford, which calls it EcoBoost; Land Rover calls it a big improvement. The raspy four-banger produces 240hp and 250 lb-ft of torque - 10hp and 16 lb-ft more than the 3.2-liter. EPA mileage figures improve by 2 mpg both in the city and on the highway. The quoted 0-to-60-mph time drops incrementally (8.2 versus 8.4 seconds) but still lags behind the 177-pound-lighter Evoque’s 7.1-second dash.

Land Rover LR2

Piloting the LR2 on a wide variety of roads gave a pleasant reminder of the little Rover’s overall adeptness. It’s no sportier than foes such as the Audi Q5 and the BMW X3, but it follows twisty corners well, exhibiting good body control and nice steering feel and weight. The SUV’s reluctant throttle response and moderate turbo lag, though, made us wish for a sport transmission mode like that in the Evoque, which uses the same six-speed automatic.

Ride quality was good, but not great, over paved surfaces and rutted, potholed dirt roads alike. More suspension noise infiltrates the cabin than one might like, but that’s part of the penalty for buying the least expensive Land Rover.

Subtle revisions to the exterior lamps and a new center stack help make the LR2 feel a lot more special than before - but still not quite as nice as its pricier brand mates.

Company executives say 90 percent of Evoque buyers are conquest customers, so the LR2 hasn’t been hurt very much by the presence of the more stylish SUV with similar specs. Traditional Land Rover buyers, they say, generally prefer the LR2’s more upright, mini-LR4 design. The Evoque costs thousands of dollars more but has been outselling the aging LR2 at a rate of almost three to one.

The LR2’s place in YPig SpecS the line-up isn’t that of volume leader but of price pacer. Now this role player fits in a lot better among its rivals-whether they’re siblings or class competitors.

Land Rover LR2’s interior