Yes, the 2011 Land Rover LR4 is a big box. In a world of Priuses, Mini Coopers and Smart cars it looks a bit like an Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 1990 movie “Kindergarten Cop” — ridiculously oversized. Add to that fuel economy that is 12 mpg city and 17 mpg highway and you really feel like a bit of an oddball on the road.
But it’s fairly common knowledge among automobile dealers that those who opt for luxury sport utility vehicles such as Land Rovers are, let’s just say, financially comfortable enough that gasoline price fluctuations aren’t of concern to them.
They make their car purchasing decisions based on options, features and quality. With that in mind, it’s easy to see how the Land Rover LR4 will be an easy choice.
| 2011 Land Rover LR4 |
| » Engine: 5-liter aluminum alloy V-8 |
| » Transmission: Six-speed automatic with Command Shift |
| » Fuel econony: 12 mpg city/17 mpg highway |
| » MSRP: Starting at $48,500 |
Yes, there are plenty of luxury SUVs on the market that are car-based crossovers. One drive in the LR4 shows you that’s not the case here. The LR4 is ready to take on rocks, streams, muddy roads, ice, slush or any other ugly conditions nature wants to throw at it, but handles them like a smooth sedan.
The test car I drove only felt huge when I turned around to check clearance. Yes, this is a big, three-ton SUV. But it’s easy to handle and super powerful thanks to the 5-liter V-8 engine it shares with Jaguar. The Jaguar version was introduced in the new XF sport sedan.
The bottom line is that you don’t feel like you’re driving a large truck. The LR4 has 25 percent more power and 19 percent more torque than the previous 4.4-liter engine.
You’ll likely hear that some reviewers felt the ride had a bit of body roll. Candidly, I didn’t find that. With 190.1 inches of length, 87.5 inches of width (including the side mirrors), and a curb weight of 5,833 pounds, the LR4 is a big one. But I didn’t feel roll, shudders or top-heaviness. That’s thanks to the automaker’s attention to engineering, specifically new suspension components, revised steering, larger brakes, improved traction control and enhancements to the Terrain Response system that just weren’t available in the LR3.
The real luxury comes inside the cabin that’s full of leather, wood, heated, multi-position seats and light-emitting diode ambient lighting.
A special shout out to the high-tech audio, navigation and climate control system that’s intuitive, so you don’t have to pull the driver’s manual out every two minutes.
Plus it’s inclined toward the driver so the controls are easy to access and read. If that’s not enough, there’s a plethora of controls — for everything from cruise control to audio — on the steering wheel.
Anyone looking for luxury, power and performance need look no further than the Land Rover LR4.
