Growing up in the ‘60s and ‘70s, I owned more cars than you could ever imagine. Mind you, they were Corgi diecast replicas from the UK, but they were mine. Among the favorites were various forms of Land Rover vehicles, which, to a kid growing up in the States, were as rare and exotic a beast ever to be seen on North American roads.

Jump forward a few years and Land Rover is now offering a model for virtually all levels of the marketplace. Obviously, with a recent sale to Tata Motors of India, the company is still in play, so we wanted to check the current status and see how the Land Rover LR2 fits in to all of this. Does this small lux-ute carry forth the DNA of the Defender, Land Rover LR3, and Range Rover? LLN takes a look.

What Is It?

Based on the platform shared by the Volvo S40 and European Ford Focus, the LR2 is Land Rover Lite for those who don’t need to exploit the full capabilities of the larger Land Rover vehicles.

It is a handsome, somewhat “brutish” five-seater that appears to be designed to handle the urban jungle with aplomb, while holding just a little back in reserve for times where getting out of a scrape can come in just a little handy.

All the while, though, we can’t get out of our heads the fact that this LR2 looks like a descendant of a gussied-up Ford Escape

What’s It Up Against?

With competitors like the Acura RDX, Buick Enclave, BMW X3, Infiniti EX35, and Toyota Highlander, the LR2 better come to the table packing. But remember, we are not talking capabilities that will get us through the Dakar Rally. More than likely the packages need to be stout enough to carry it over gravel roads for a weekend fishing trip or wildlife excursion to the local shopping mall.

Any Big Breakthroughs?

All new in the LR2 is a 3.2-liter inline six-cylinder engine, which shares architecture with its corporate cousins over at Volvo. Coupled to an all-wheel drive system that favors a bias towards the front end, it is also equipped with Land Rover’s Terrain Response System, (TRS) which in essence makes it act more like a proper all-wheel-drive vehicle rather than one that is more front loaded.

The TRS is easier to operate than that on the systems on its larger stablemates in the brand. The user turns a knob, which changes the engine and transmission characteristics from a general driving situation to one that includes settings for Grass, Gravel and Snow, as well as Mud and Ruts, and finally sand.

How Does It Look?

Like a proper British gentleman, albeit one that is only about eight-years-old, and wearing Wellington boots. And while the LR2 won’t scare away any Hummers, it’s tougher looking than most midsize crossovers.

And Inside?

The inside of the LR2 looks as though it is trying to be several things to several different buyers. On one hand, it goes for the glammed-out, lux-look that you would expect a supermodel to jump out of as she arrives at a photo shoot. On the other it appears as one could take a hose to the “ultra heavy duty rubber floor mats after returning from Safari to clean out the mud and muck. But please don’t! You’ll damage all the electronics going on in the interior.

The use of high quality materials inside do give off a luxury vibe, and with reality winning the bet that the LR2 will see a minimal amount of off-roading, that’s probably a good thing.

Our LR2 was equipped with Land Rover’s Technology Package, which dresses up the interior into a feature packed conveyance. Featuring a DVD navigation system, satellite radio with Dolby Pro Logic Sound, rear seat audio controls and telephone integration with Bluetooth, its controls are placed logically, and the center stack, while busy with buttons, is a fairly nice arrangement of controls that you’ll need. We wish that the telephone touchpad style buttons would be jettisoned entirely in favor of more traditional “preset” buttons for the radio.

Back to the controls for a second: While in a situation where the horn was needed, we got no response from hitting the center of the steering wheel. Upon closer inspection, we realized the horn was controlled by two thin brushed aluminum strips on either side of the airbag. Finally, pushing the strips, the horn engaged, avoiding a car that was slowly drifting backwards towards the front of the LR2.

The leather-wrapped front seats offer great bolstering and infinitely adjustable armrests. With storage bins throughout, there is a place for everything. The rear seat features what Land Rover calls “stadium seating” where the rear seat is actually mounted higher than the front seats are. The LR2’s rear bench seat features a middle seat belt, but with the center console in place, offers less-than-optimal legroom for any drive longer than a five-minute jaunt. Let’s call this one a tight five-seater.

Cargo space is listed at 26.7 cubic feet with the rear seats up, and nearly 60 cu.ft. in the folded position.

But Does It Go?

The new 3.2 inline six-cylinder is a transverse mounted sibling to the engine from Volvo’s S80. At 230-horsepower and 234 lb-ft of torque, it’s no 98-pound weakling, nor is it enough to bill as the second coming. Coupled to a six-speed Aisin automatic transmission with sport shift mode, it offered just adequate acceleration, which is probably due to the weight, which is just north of two tons (4255-lbs).

This Land Rover LR2 is an AWD vehicle with a fully independent suspension and a heavy front-wheel-drive bias that can quickly be changed automatically if needed, throwing heavy emphasis to the rear wheels as required. The LR2’s Terrain Response system provides excitement found on its bigger brothers by adapting to difficult conditions such as snow and gravel, mud and ruts, as well as sand. As seen on a proving track at Land Rover Palm Beach, we experienced the ability to climb a steep rock and gravel hill and then gently return to pavement using the LR2’s hill descent system which basically creeps the vehicle gently back down. Concrete moguls displayed the ability of the transmission to transfer power to opposing wheels even while one is in the air. Overall ground clearance of 8.3 inches bests many of its competitors, and few of them can boast a 19.7-inch wade line. So, yes, the LR2, while still the baby of the group, has managed to keep the world-famous Land Rover pedigree intact.

EPA fuel ratings slot in at 16 mpg city / and 23 mpg highway, for a combined mileage estimate of 18 mpg.

Why You Would Buy It

If you have a scratch to itch regarding conquering the urban jungle, this is your car!

Why You Wouldn’t?

It’s not righteous enough for Paris to Dakar. Some folks will tell you it’s not a “real” Land Rover — and in many way’s it isn’t quite. That’s why they have three other models from which you can choose.

Price as tested?

Including Lighting and Technology Packages as well as transportation, the LR2 checks out at $40,700.00.

Words and photos by Mark Elias.

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