Young Land Rover Love Lasts for This Mom

2009 Land Rover LR2 HSE

Test Drove 2/12/2009 – 2/19/2009
reviewed by Courtney Messenbaugh

The 2009 Land Rover LR2 had me at hello. That’s not to say it didn’t have a few minor shortcomings (who among us doesn’t?), but my fondness for this SUV easily outweighed them and we had a splendid week together. Even my husband, who is never easily smitten, lamented having to give this car back at the end of my test drive. This is a car we would buy.

The LR2 is the smallest and lowest-priced model in the Land Rover lineup, and that combination of goodness is what intrigued me. Land Rover is known for producing luxurious, sturdy, large, expensive vehicles. While I love luxury and sturdiness, it’s in neither my DNA nor my pocketbook to love large and expensive. Hence, the LR2 — which includes luxury and sturdiness in a smaller, less-expensive package — is nearly perfect.

Of course, even an “inexpensive” Land Rover isn’t necessarily cheap, but it does have a lot of bells and whistles to help justify its price tag. The LR2 HSE comes standard with an expansive dual-panel sunroof, making for a spectacular view for my 2-year-old. It also has Hill Descent Control, traction and stability control, and an all-terrain response system, all of which combine to make driving an easy-breezy experience. There’s dual-zone automatic climate control with a humidity sensor and pollen filter (nice if you have allergies, I guess), plus power headlight washers and plenty of cargo room. And that’s only a sampling of the goodies.

Perhaps what was most pleasantly surprising about the LR2 was that I averaged about 22 mpg. In a car with this kind of power, estimated to get 15/22 mpg city/highway, that’s pretty good. I even fit comfortably between my children’s car seats in the backseat, which is a rare occurrence.

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