Land Rover Unveils LR2 Compact CUV

Land Rover reveals the LR2 compact cross/utility vehicle, the fourth new model from the Ford Motor Co. subsidiary in the past four years.

New from the ground up, the LR2 sets new standards in its segment, the luxury truck maker says.

Land Rover Managing Director Phil Popham says the LR2 combines the attributes of a premium sedan and a robust SUV, and boasts “go-anywhere ability, toughness, stadium seating, cabin versatility and spaciousness.”

The LR2 is powered by a new 3.2L inline 6-cyl., mated to a new 6-speed automatic transmission. The new mill is rated at 230 hp, providing a 0-60 mph (97 km/h) time of 8.4 seconds.

The inline-6 is mounted transversely, allowing for improved interior packaging and safety performance, the truck maker says.

The LR2 also boasts a spacious interior, with “generous head, shoulder and legroom, in both the front and rear,” Land Rover says, adding that the cargo area is best in class with 59 cu.-ft. (1.7 cu.-m) with the rear seats folded and 26.5 cu.-ft. (0.8 cu.-m) with the rear seats up.

LR2 is fourth new model from Land Rover in past four years.

The LR2 borrows “stadium seating” from parent company Ford, which elevates rear passengers in order to provide a clearer view of the road. It also reportedly borrows pieces elsewhere in the Ford family, including the Volvo S80’s front suspension and XC90’s all-wheel-drive system.

Styling remains true to Land Rover heritage, with a few minor adaptations to suit the requirements of small CUV buyers, says Land Rover design director Geoff Upex.

Also in line with Land Rover tradition, the LR2 is competent off-road, courtesy of its monocoque structure, independent suspension setup and an array of stability control systems, including Roll Stability Control.

AWD is standard, and the LR2 also features the Terrain Response system borrowed from the ’07 Range Rover, which allows the driver to choose different suspension and drivetrain settings for optimum performance on a variety of surfaces.

Other LR2 features include: keyless starter button, bi-xenon headlamps, adaptive front lighting, rain-sensing windshield wipers and rear park distance control.

The LR2 is being produced at Jaguar Car’s Halewood plant in Liverpool, U.K.