2011 Land Rover LR2 HSE 3.2L 230 HP In-Line 6 from North America

Summary:

Solid and reliable SUV to own

Faults:

Nothing has gone wrong with this vehicle. During the test drive, I noticed the vehicle seemed sluggish when pressing the gas pedal. I figured that was my trade-off for going from a manual transmission to an automatic transmission. The sluggish problem is no longer an issue. After using a few tanks of top tier gasoline (93 octane), there was a very noticeable difference in the response when pressing the gas pedal and a definite increase of power. In addition to the noticeable increase of power, there is an almost 70 mile increase of mileage per fill-up.

WORD OF CAUTION: DO NOT USE LOW OCTANE GASOLINE.

The owners manual specifically mentions to use premium (91 or higher octane) gasoline. Read online reviews from other Land Rover owners that have used regular low octane gasoline for extended periods of time. They have had nothing but problems, from poor gas mileage and constantly replacing spark plugs, to transmission troubles and even engine failure.

General Comments:

Thought I would be a Subaru owner for life. But I love my Land Rover. There is no road noise in the cabin, bumps in the road are barely noticeable, and the car holds great on the road in both snow and rain. I've passed semi trucks in heavy rainstorms driving at 70 mph and there was no pulling whatsoever. The model I have has rain-sensing windshield wipers which makes it absolutely great to not have to take a hand off the wheel to turn on the wipers or adjust the speed at which they operate.

It's a shame they don't make the LR2 model any longer, but I would still buy the Discovery Sport model that Land Rover made to replace the LR2.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 22nd May, 2019

2008 Land Rover LR2 from North America

Summary:

Pathetic

Faults:

This car broke down on an average of once a month. This was supposed to be a safe, reliable car for my 18 year old daughter. It was anything but.

Replaced the transmission TWO months after buying the car.. dealer cost? $10,000. Coils, fuel pump, ignition... the list goes on and on... I paid more for repairs in the short time we owned the car than I paid for the car. It was the most disappointing purchase I've ever made. I began to worry nightly when my daughter left for work. If not for AAA, she would have been stranded in all sorts of places, without warning. The car would just quit... literally. One night, on the highway, it just shut off... yeah, completely. Horrible car.

General Comments:

Beautiful to look at, inside and out. Reliability and cost to fix... terrible and astronomical.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 8th September, 2015

2010 Land Rover LR2 3.2 I6 from North America

Summary:

Delightful transportation, regardless of the weather

Faults:

Nothing has gone wrong, but at less than 10,000 miles, I would expect it to be that way.

General Comments:

The car has very good visibility (which was one of the main reasons I bought it). Bad weather performance is very good for a "cute ute." We had some interesting weather this winter including an 18" snowfall, and the LR2 did better than I was expecting. At one point other cars on the road were crawling along 10-15, while the LR2 felt solid and secure at 50MPH. The torque vectoring center differential really works.

It has a very pleasant and comfortable interior with excellent seats, an outstanding audio system, and it's proven quite practical for hauling gear.

Steering is terrific, nicely weighted and providing good feedback. Brakes are surprisingly strong for a tall heavy vehicle (best in class, I believe), but have poor "pedal feel" (a huge contrast with the steering). But they work well. The 6 speed automatic and accelerator response are tuned for sloppy conditions, even when "tarmac" is selected in terrain control. They've both been "dulled" to keep you from getting stuck. It's not bad, but with the steering being so good, it's quite a contrast. There's an available sport mode, but it keeps revs up all the time and is just too much for normal driving. I'd like an in-between mode.

The engine power is adequate, but just barely (for me, at least). Mileage is no better than expected for a medium sized SUV with full time all wheel drive, averaging about 16.5 MPG in suburban driving (I'm usually in a bit of a hurry, pulling pretty hard from stoplights, leaving other traffic well behind). You may drive differently and get a little better mileage. The trip computer makes it easy to keep track.

The car cost well under $40k after dealer discounts and represents a terrific value. The leather appointed cabin, dual sunroofs, quiet ride, great steering, great visibility, great brakes, and great stereo make for a delightful, serene, driving experience. If the transmission and accelerator performance were a little tighter, it would be sportier.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 16th April, 2011