Video: 2008 Land Rover LR2 HSE

Last year, Land Rover introduced its new entry-level LR2 and we got to test it out pretty thoroughly. Cars.com senior editor Joe Wiesenfelder delivered a review of the SUV and overall his impressions were quite positive. For 2008, Land Rover delivers an HSE trim level which just came through the fleet and earned our video treatment.

Suburban Dad: 2008 Land Rover LR2

Talk about your perfect test drive: I was handed the keys to Land Rover’s slightly-larger-than-midsize SUV just a day before the region was hit with a mild (3-5 inches) snowstorm. The LR2 took the test and handily passed it.

As much as my wife and kids hated the last car I wrote about (the Audi Q7), they enjoyed the LR2. My wife thought the size was right, and was impressed both with the navigation system, which offered us three choices for our route, and with the amenities in the front seat (the heated seats being the best find on a cold and wintry night).

“I like it quite a bit,” she said. “I like the look of it; I liked the way it rode. I could see us in it.”

For regular readers, you’ll note that that is high praise from my wife, especially without any negatives thrown in. She has a pretty discriminating eye and ear for cars, and there haven’t been a lot that I’ve brought home that have won her over.

Friday Fleet Notes: 9.27.07

As I prepare to drive home in a Corvette Z06 — pity me, really — I get a chance to reflect on how varied our revolving fleet of vehicles truly is. This week, Kelsey Mays and I take a look at the all-new Land Rover LR2 and the Chrysler Town & Country. They’re two distinctly different vehicles, and both needed a reworking. Now, where is that Z06 key fob… 

2008 Land Rover LR2

Land Rover fans will love the brand’s latest baby. It has the flavor of its larger siblings — the window switches sit right up on the window sill, the center controls employ lots of scalloped dials, and there’s enough off-road equipment to get you to the Yucatan. Those looking for a regular SUV might take issue with some of the smaller details: Our LR2 SE had an uncovered tray in place of a real center console (the pricier HSE adds one) and it’s too easy to confuse the temperature dial for the stereo volume. As senior editor Joe Wiesenfelder noted in his review, folding the rear seats down requires first flipping the cushions forward. That’s old-school.

Cars.com Reviews the 2008 Land Rover LR2

Senior editor Joe Wiesenfelder turns in his review of Land Rover’s Freelander replacement, the LR2, and comes away somewhat impressed. He wisely compares the LR2 to the BMW X3 and Acura RDX, its main competitors, and we always like to see how something measures up to the competition. Plus, we learn there are some incentives on the LR2.

2008 Land Rover LR2 Expert Review
More Land Rover News

Ch-Ch-Changes: 2008 Land Rover LR2 HSE

Land Rover is adding an extra trim level to the LR2 lineup. The entry-level Land Rover was introduced in April as a 2008 model and was a great improvement over the Freelander it replaced. The LR2 hasn’t set the world on fire in the sales department yet; the much more expensive Range Rover and Range Rover Sport outsold the newcomer in July.

To add variety — and hopefully augment sales — Land Rover has come up with the Land Rover HSE trim level. This is a step up from the base SE and features body-colored molding instead of the gray plastic of the SE, 19-inch wheels, a rear spoiler and titanium-colored door handles. The appearance package adds a sportier look, but the HSE won’t go any faster than the SE since it boasts the same 230-hp engine.

The LR2 HSE will arrive at dealerships in November. 

Related
The Urban DINK: 2008 Land Rover LR2 (KickingTires)

The Urban DINK: 2008 Land Rover LR2

When I first concocted this ongoing feature for the blog, it was with the Land Rover LR2 in mind. OK, maybe that wasn’t the exact vehicle I was thinking of, but it fits all the criteria for Urban DINKs: luxury marquee, high-end look, relative affordability (it starts under $35,000 well-equipped) and a good size for city life.

Does it live up to the Urban DINK’s high standards and critical eye? Surprisingly, yes. To be honest, I only got the LR2 for 24 hours. Joe Wiesenfelder is getting the keys for a full week of testing for an upcoming review, but I couldn’t let it slip out of the garage without giving it as thorough a drive as possible.

2006 L.A. Auto Show: Land Rover LR2 Price Announced

We already saw the LR2 when it debuted in Europe earlier this year, but the exciting thing here in L.A. was not only seeing it in person, but hearing there was a price tag attached. When we say price — singular — we mean price. The LR2 will come standard with almost every goodie – leather seats, a two-part panoramic sunroof and a six-disc Alpine stereo — for $34,700. The only add-ons are a technology package with navigation for $3,400, a cold-weather package with heated seats for $400, and a lighting package with bi-xenon headlights for $1,050.

The price is perfectly aimed at the Acura RDX, which starts at $32,995, and the BMW X3, which starts at $38,000.