2011 Land Rover LR2 - Styling Review

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With only minor touch-ups to its grille and interior for 2011, the Land Rover LR2 soldiers on as the brand's entry-level vehicle--albeit, one that looks every bit the true off-roader.

It's determinedly angular from all corners, and that makes the LR2 a standout in the sea of less capable crossovers like the Volvo XC60 that shares some of its running gear. Those big squared headlamps, front fender vents, and lots of crisp lines evoke Land Rovers from the past and present in an instant. The urban-sized body carries the folded, pressed theme better than some other luxury utes--the Mercedes-Benz GLK isn't quite as visually successful with the same idea--and the LR2 looks practical and rakish at the same time. The new grille has a pair of bars and some interesting texturing; base models wear black bumpers, while HSE versions have body-color guars and a rear spoiler.

The LR2's cabin is a dead ringer for those in older Range Rovers--but it's less convincing, missing most of the lavish wood trim and elegant chrome touches of the new interiors of the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport. A small strip of wood on the dash livens it up a bit. The dash sits lower than it might in an off-road vehicle, but the vertical motif that's worked its way into every Land Rover over the past decade gives this interior some lift, in the upright door pulls and the ribs that define the driver and passenger areas. New instruments are fitted for 2011.