2012 Land Rover LR2

The 2011 Land Rover LR2 is powered by an aging 3.2-liter in-line six-cylinder engine that dates back to the days when Ford owned Land Rover and Volvo. We fully expect Land Rover to drop this engine from the LR2 lineup in favor of the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that powers the new Range Rover Evoque, since the Evoque and the LR2 are built at the same plant. As we went to press, Land Rover refused to confirm our suspicions, but it did tell us that a substantial upgrade would be coming in late 2011. If the 2.0-liter engine does find its way under the hood of the LR2, expect much improved fuel economy and perhaps slightly better performance thanks to the flatter torque curve from the turbo powerplant. Powertrain questions aside, the LR2 doesn't disappoint in terms of off-road performance. It features Land Rover's signature Terrain Response system, which allows the driver to switch settings to a variety of preconfigured scenarios, ranging from sand to mud to snow, so that any off-roading situation can be tackled with assurance. The LR2 has a variety of standard features -- panoramic sunroof, leather seating, park distance control, and rain-sensing wipers -- that are usually only available as options in its competitors. If you take that into account, the LR2's relatively high price is fairly competitive.