Land Rover updates the LR2 for 2013 with a new engine and other changes.
Land Rover’s mid-range mainstay undergoes a major, nose-to-tail update for 2013 and the British maker is offering a first look.
Complementing the more exclusive Range Rover Evoque, the LR2 moves a bit up-market with a more refined interior and added comfort and convenience features, according to Land Rover.
Starting at $37,250, with the high-line 2013 LR2 HSE LUX going for $42,350, the traditional, body-on-frame SUV introduces a new powertrain to the British marque’s line-up.
Like its competitors, Land Rover is under pressure to adapt to rising fuel prices and is adding a new 240-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter I-4 to replace the old 3.2-liter inline-six. Despite the downsizing, the new engine comes through with increased power and torque – as well as improved fuel-efficiency.
The LR2 is known as the Freelander 2 in much of the rest of the world.
Known as the Freelander 2 in most of the rest of the world, the 2013 Land Rover LR2 will also come standard with the Intelligent Power System Management that minimizes parasitic losses by only running the alternator when the vehicle is decelerating, recovering kinetic energy to recharge the battery.
The design of the 2013 Land Rover LR2 will be familiar, with only modest exterior tweaks meant to deliver what the maker describes as a “sportier and more purposeful look.” These include new LED head and fog lamps and bright grille and fog bezels.
The interior layout is also familiar, though the LR2 now delivers a more premium appearance with updated material choices, a new dashboard layout and new center console, and a new, 7-inch color touchscreen that comes standard on all versions of the sport-ute. A second, 5-inch screen displaying primary vehicle-related information, such as temperature and fuel levels, gear positions and Terrain Response® mode, now sits between the dials across the LR2 model range.
As with the previous LR2 generation, a central part of the new ute is the Terrain Response system, which manages the operation of the vehicle’s engine, gearbox, center coupling and chassis systems to match the demands of the terrain – improving both drivability and comfort.
A new, 17-speaker, 825-watt Meridian surround sound system will be one of the new model’s options, along with a more natural, “Say What You See,” voice command system.
The model will launch later this year. Precise fuel economy numbers won’t be released until closer to that introduction.