Land Rover Upgrades LR2 with HSE Model

From the start, Land Rover's littlest sport utility vehicle, the LR2 impressed

Body-colored bumpers and cladding give the LR2 HSE a sportier look. (Photo: Land Rover)

us. The LR2 was co-developed alongside other Ford products from the EU-CD platform, which has been used in many vehicles, the majority of which are strictly for on-road driving. They range from the Ford Mondeo and S-Max family cars to the Volvo S80, and other forthcoming cars. Nevertheless, the LR2 has a look that's distinctively Land Rover-ish, and has driving dynamics that make us smile. It might not be as quick as an Acura RDX, as stylish as Infiniti's new EX crossover or as enjoyable to drive as BMW's X3, but it's an excellent blend of the aforementioned categories and can actually go off-road.

One thing that's managed to confuse us about the LR2 is its trim level range. Comparing the LR2 product lineup to the other Land Rovers available, you'll notice that the smallest model was only offered in SE trim level, compared to the HSE that's available in the LR3, Range Rover Sport and Range Rover. Now this has been rectified with the introduction of the all new LR2 HSE, which will be available in North America for next year.

Bigger 19-inch wheels are standard on the HSE, but no sports suspension. Shame. (Photo: Land Rover)

The difference that adding the letter "H" has is 99-percent aesthetical. Instead of the matte black plastic around the leading edge of the bumpers and the moldings on the doors, they're now done in body color. The door handles are also different, finished in a metallic titanium color rather than the usual black. If the HSE looks a bit sportier, it might have something to do with its wheels and tires. In place of the standard 18-inch wheels, the HSE has ten-spoke 19-inch units that will most likely give a handling edge. Oh, and there's a rear spoiler atop the roof, in case you've missed it amongst all these other minor details. This reminds us of the “Sport” models that were available for Freelander buyers in its final year of production, which in addition to a sportier look, offered performance suspension upgrades. Unfortunately, the HSE doesn't have any technical or mechanical upgrades.

Sure to appeal for those that don't think a Land Rover must look as good on the street as it does in the mud. (Photo: Land Rover)

Inside, there are two notable changes, specifically an “8x6-way” power-operated driver's seat as standard equipment, as well as a storage cover with a sliding cover.

Other than that, the HSE model carries on with the Volvo-designed 3.2-liter inline-six engine that makes 230 horsepower and 217 lb-ft of torque, and gives the car the ability to accelerate to 60 mph in 8.4 seconds. Also standard is a six-speed CommandShift automatic transmission, plus the usual assortment of off-roading goods including Hill Descent Control with Gradient Release Control, plus Land Rover's trademarked Terrain Response system.

Pricing has yet to be announced, but don't expect the HSE model to set buyers back more than $1,500 to $2,000 over the SE.

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