The 2009 Land Rover LR2 compact SUV exhibits styling elements of its larger siblings, but beneath the distinctive Land Rover bodywork is a vehicle with an all wheel drive system that's sophisticated in its own right.
The LR2's Terrain Response system fine-tunes its all wheel drive and suspension to 4 distinct settings: general, gravel, snow, and sand. These go-anywhere settings are easily selected on the fly via a center console knob.
Although the LR2 has no low range, Land Rover's hill decent control works with terrain response to dab the brakes while using the anti-lock system to hold a low speed and keep the wheels turning even on slippery slopes.
Power for the LR2 comes from a 3.2-liter straight-6 that puts out 230 horsepower and 234 pound feet of torque. A 6-speed automatic transmission sends power to full-time all wheel drive.
Fuel economy for the LR2 ranges from 15 miles per gallon city, up to 22 miles per gallon highway.
Base MSRP for the 2009 Land Rover LR2 is $35,375. The price of a fully loaded LR2 will come in at just under $45,000. All Land Rovers are backed by a 4-year, 50,000-mile power train warranty.
With fresh Land Rover styling and an all wheel drive system to back it up, the 2009 Land Rover LR2 bridges the gap between Land Rovers of the past and premium SUVs of the future.