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Land Rover LR2

From occasional off-road trips to the daily office commute, LR2 accomplishes its tasks effortlessly and with style
Aninda Sardar

Think Land Rover and the word off-road comes to mind almost automatically. While the new LR2 shares this heritage with the early models that carved the legend of Land Rover, it is also at perfect ease among concrete structures. And this is an important advantage, since LR2's likely home is going to be the urban jungle rather than the wild Amazonian terrain.

Although Land Rover calls it LR2, the vehicle is really the next generation of the Freelander that it has replaced. Indeed it is still known as the Freelander 2 in the European market, where the old Freelander was the best selling 4X4 since its launch in 1997. LR2's Freelander origins are evident from the exterior styling. Apart from some cosmetic changes, the basic shape of the vehicle remains the same. In LR2 the spare wheel is stowed out of sight under the floorboard of a rather generous boot. The additional brake lamp that used to be mounted above the spare wheel on the rear door has now been discarded for a central high mounted brake lamp.

The transversely laid out engine of the new LR2 is a highly refined unit that displaces 3.2 litres from its six in-line cylinders. LR2 produces oodles of power and torque at low engine speeds and one barely feels the speed at which one is travelling. On more than one occasion we thought we were at a sedate 60-70kmph only to discover a much higher reading on the speedometer. A maximum power of 233bhp developed at 6,300rpm and a maximum torque of 317Nm at 3,200rpm means that miles are munched effortlessly. The only minor let down is the transmission. The shifting of the cogs could be felt as minute jerks inside the cabin, which was more pronounced during downshifting. This was nothing more than a minor irritant in an otherwise excellent vehicle, and we quickly got used to it.

LR2 really excels in steering and handling. In addition to plenty of feedback from the steering wheel, a very precise steering ensures that the vehicle goes exactly where you want it to. The handling inspires confidence and we soon found ourselves attacking sharp bends with increasing poise. The suspension too is marvellous. The shock absorbers of LR2 are stiff enough to prevent excessive body roll despite a relatively high centre of gravity, a typical 4X4 characteristic. Yet at no point does the ride become uncomfortable with the car absorbing the harshest bumps and aberrations on the road with aplomb.

Unlike most SUVs, where the four-wheel drive mode has to be selected by the driver, LR2 uses an intelligent permanent four-wheel drive system. A tiny knob, situated beside the gear selector stick, allows you to select from a range of four terrains. LR2's terrain response system lets you go from general driving mode for on-tarmac and mild off-road usage to a gravel or snow mode, a sand mode and even a mud and ruts mode by simply turning the knob. Meanwhile, a hill descent assist and a ground clearance of 210mm will help you descend the steepest slopes in Oman or go off road without hesitation. Despite its 1,770kg kerb weight LR2's 316mm ventilated disc in front and 302mm ventilated discs at the rear have enough bite to bring it to a stop without causing any rise in the heart rate should an emergency stop be required. Add to this assist systems like anti-lock braking system (ABS), emergency brake assist (EBA), electronic brake force distribution (EBD), electronic traction control (ETC), corner brake control (CBC) and dynamic stability control (DSC), and we always managed to stop well in time ahead of any hazard on the road. The suspension does a fantastic job of keeping the car from diving under heavy braking.

The seats are comfortable and there is enough head and leg room to ensure that passengers remain in relative comfort even in long journeys. Luggage space is more than adequate at 755 litres.

In the unlikely event that you need more space to stow your stuff, the rear seats fold flat giving you up to 1,670 litres of storage space. The driving position is high and gives a commanding view of the road ahead, while the relation between the steering wheel, gear selector stick and pedals ensure top notch driver comfort and convenience.

The top-of-the-line version we tested came with a dual sunroof, six CD changer, nine-way Alpine speaker system, full colour touchscreen satellite navigation system, six way adjustable driver seat with lumbar support, four way adjustable passenger seat and steering wheel mounted audio system control buttons as standard fitments.

Safety features on the LR2 HSE we drove included front and rear proximity sensors (progressively louder beeping warned us each time we were too close to an obstruction when reversing or while manoeuvring in a tight space), a monocoque shell constructed of ultra high strength steel, driver and front passenger air bags, front seat side air bags, full length curtain air bags and inflatable driver's knee bolster. Meanwhile, perimetric and volumetric alarm systems, remote control central locking on all doors, fuel cap and rear door minimise the threat of car theft.

The new LR2 also comes equipped with bi-Xenon head lamps and front fog lamps and head lamps powerwash. The test vehicle featured rain sensors and auto lights as well. A great help when parking in crowded places like CBD are the foldable exterior mirrors. Press the lock button on the remote control and a single flash of the hazards and the folding away of the mirrors tell you that the vehicle is locked.

Whether you will eventually buy this vehicle will depend on what you expect from the car you drive. If you're looking for a compact family car that will take you from home to work or the supermarket and also lets you take the occasional trip down a wadi or up the jebels that dot the sultanate, then you have found the ideal vehicle in LR2. What's more, it will help you accomplish all this in a style that the competition will be hard pressed to match.