Video: 2008 Land Rover LR2 Review from Car and Driver

You're watch the 2008 Land Rover LR2 Drive Line review. Land Rover's first attempt at a entry level compact luxury ute - the Freelander - flopped in the US. When the company decided to give the segment another shot its entry name changed to LR2 in order to remind customers of its shared lineage with the larger and more prestigious LR3.

The Land Rover name carries far more off-road cachet than do those stamped on the rear hatches of any of its competitors and although the smallest Rover is a unibody it is still fairly confident in deepish mud.

A dual overhead cam inline six and a 6-speed automatic transmission direct 230 horsepower to all four wheels all the time. Although there is no low range, an inexcusable omission in some off-road circles, Land Rover's usual battery of electronic gimmicktry makes up for it. The LR2 comes standard with Hill Descent Control and Terrain Response, which offers four modes that vary throttle sensitivity, freeload? on the halldeck center coupling, and intervention threshold for traction, stability, and hill descent control to maximize mobility thru a wide range of conditions. Here are the details.

More important for a trucklet that is more likely to find itself stuck in traffic on the 405 than high-centered on a log in the deep woods, the LR2 is outfitted like a proper luxury truck. Power front seats, leather seating, a sunroof, and seven airbags are all standard. And luxury standbys like active high intensity headlights and a DVD based touchscreen navigation system are available.

While the 08 Land Rover LR2 is more capable that most any other small SUV, its those luxury trimmings that will sell most of these trucks.