Interior

The LR3 lives a dual life; it’s rugged and refined, luxurious and pared down. Sometimes this duality was nice, at other times it was a pain in the butt.

The LR3’s sophisticated walnut trim and delicious leather seats said this Rover was for the more discerning types, yet the rugged-looking center console said, “Get some mud on me, please!” The LR3’s Terrain Response system, Hill Descent Control, adjustable ground clearance, traction control, and Electronic Air Suspension scream to be taken off-road, but the LR3’s lovely detailing implores me to wipe my feet.

The eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat and tilt/telescoping steering wheel invited me to get comfortable and led me to believe the LR3 would strive to accommodate me. Wrong. I struggled to fold down the available third row because of its tight springs and the long reach to the lever.

The automatic suspension kept the SUV lowered for daily driving and loading, but it wasn’t low enough for smaller kids to get in unassisted. There was plenty of room in the second row for three kids in booster seats, but the recessed seat belt receptors kept the younger kids from buckling up on their own. Stadium seating in the third row is enhanced by deep footwells and a moonroof, but it’s tricky to get back there without feeling like you’re mucking up the second row. The Latch connectors were incredibly easy to access and use, and, well, there’s no counter to that one. Nice job, Land Rover!

With its first-row sunroof and two additional moonroofs in the second and third rows, the LR3 would be perfect to take on a nighttime safari. Yes, that’s a total of three glass panels for viewing the sky.  These panels also prevent the third-row passengers from feeling cramped.

The Land Rover is pretty good in the cargo/cupholder category. There are dual glove boxes, one of which has a center partition for your CD cases. The center console houses a refrigerated bin that’ll keep drinks cold as long as the LR3’s engine is running. The third row is like a pouched marsupial, with huge storage bins and cupholders, but the second row is a whole other animal. Cupholders exist, but only in the back of the center console, which is hard for kids in car seats to reach. Any other storage in the second row is virtually extinct.

Also extinct is any sort of sense involving the design of the LR3’s controls on the center stack. It’s overwhelming and not intuitive. Fortunately, your kids can control the stereo from their seats in either the second or third rows. You can keep enjoying the silence as your kids rock out with their available headphones.

Another thing I found frustrating was the LR3’s heated windshield. There are tiny wires running through the windshield to heat it up when needed, but they’re a distraction because it’s hard to train the eye to see past them.

Storage Compartments (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Galore
Cargo/Trunk Space (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Galore

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