With just a few cosmetic changes for the '09 model year, the Land Rover LR3 continues its position in the Land Rover lineup below the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport, ahead of the LR2. Although smaller than a similarly priced Tahoe or Expedition, the LR3 has three rows of seats and room for seven, but a whole lot more off-road capability. Ok, so the third row is considerably tighter than in the fullsize SUVs, but for carrying four passengers most of the time, the size is just about right.
We only had two complaints about the 2009 Land Rover LR3, one minor, one that ended up costing us. First, the 4.4L DOHC V-8 required premium fuel to put out 300 hp.
Second, our test vehicle came equipped with 19-inch wheels and tires. For a vehicle that is built to be off-road capable, the tire is its Achilles heel. On a trail rated for stock 4x4 vehicles, the LR3 did well to climb and descend steep sandstone while in its rock crawling mode, even though it did make some odd, ABS-like noises when using its Hill Descent Control. But, on one rocky hill climb, the 255/55R19 Goodyear tire met its end via sidewall puncture. If the tire had more sidewall, airing down would have been an option, but it was surely a compromise to look good and handle well on the asphalt, which it did. It turns out that 255/55R19 tires are hard to come by, and when you do find them, they're not cheap. Our advice: if you plan on taking your 2009 Land Rover LR3 off-road (which you should, it would be a shame not to), opt for the standard 18-inch wheels, or, better yet, have a more-aggressive set of tires mounted up to some wheels meant for bashing off-road.