2013 Land Rover LR2
In theory, the Land Rover
Evoque occupies much the same market niche as the Land Rover LR2, yet
the crossover coupe outsold its more practical brother by a margin of
nearly three-to-one last year. This is in large part a credit to the
loveliness of the Evoque, as it won an All Star from us in 2012. But the
unlikely sales disparity also speaks to the shortcomings of the Land
Rover LR2.
To be frank, the LR2 feels like a cheap
knock off of a Land Rover. The interior features mostly hard plastic
panels that don't always meet precisely, not to mention some of the
least convincing wood trim I've seen in a while. The analog clock in the
center stack wiggles if you touch it. I appreciate some of the
convenience features, particularly the heated windshield and steering
wheel (it's cold here), plus the navigation system, but the extra cost
brings the LR2's price up to $44,200, at which point there are many
nicer alternatives. In fact, there are crossovers from mainstream brands
-- the Hyundai Santa Fe Sport leaps to mind -- that offer nicer cabins
for less money.
All this is a pity, because the LR2 has a
lot of potential. Much as I enjoy the Evoque's funky design, I could see
many buyers preferring the LR2's more practical cabin and vastly better
visibility. Indeed, as I crawled through a parking structure in
downtown Ann Arbor, I thanked my lucky stars for the LR2's excellent
seating position and abundance of glass. The turbo four-cylinder, new to
the LR2, feels plenty gutsy and makes the little Landie that much more
pleasant to drive through the urban slog.
We're still not talking about any kind of
enthusiast vehicle, but the Land Rover LR2 more than meets the
requirements of the typical crossover owner. The fact that the LR2 looks
very much like a traditional Land Rover (on the outside, at least)
should also have broad appeal. If Land Rover properly dressed the LR2's
dashboard, I think it would find plenty of new customers without at all
hurting the sales of the sensational Evoque.
David Zenlea, Assistant Editor
As a crossover, the Land Rover LR2 is a decent vehicle. As a Land Rover, it's lacking. I drove it with my husband to the Michigan golf show over the weekend -- a 30-mile drive, mostly freeway -- and the LR2 delivered a rather unexceptional journey. That's not necessarily a bad thing. Visibility is good, the ride is OK, and the engine is sufficiently lively to keep up with 80-mph traffic. We got to the show and ran into someone we know, and she asked me what car I was driving. My husband (who had clearly not paid any attention to what kind of a vehicle we were in, as usual), said something like, "Oh, she's just driving a cheap car this weekend." "What? That's a Land Rover," I said to him. "Well, you could have fooled me," he replied. Amy Skogstrom, Managing Editor
As a crossover, the Land Rover LR2 is a decent vehicle. As a Land Rover, it's lacking. I drove it with my husband to the Michigan golf show over the weekend -- a 30-mile drive, mostly freeway -- and the LR2 delivered a rather unexceptional journey. That's not necessarily a bad thing. Visibility is good, the ride is OK, and the engine is sufficiently lively to keep up with 80-mph traffic. We got to the show and ran into someone we know, and she asked me what car I was driving. My husband (who had clearly not paid any attention to what kind of a vehicle we were in, as usual), said something like, "Oh, she's just driving a cheap car this weekend." "What? That's a Land Rover," I said to him. "Well, you could have fooled me," he replied. Amy Skogstrom, Managing Editor
