Land Rover LR4 SUV-2014

PREVIEW

Though not as well known as some other top-tier luxury SUVs from Germany or Japan, the Land Rover LR4 has ranked highly in our book since its debut back in 2010. With a rich-looking interior, strong V8 power, available third-row seating and advanced off-road capability, the LR4 is a more utilitarian (and less expensive) companion to the flagship Range Rover. Now for 2014, this luxury SUV gets a number of significant revisions that bring it up to date without diminishing any of its desirable attributes.

The most noteworthy of those changes is underneath the LR4's hood. With an eye toward fuel economy, Land Rover has replaced the LR4's previous 5.0-liter V8 with a new 3.0-liter supercharged V6 engine. The V6 isn't as powerful as the V8, but it still generates a respectable 340 horsepower and is paired with a new eight-speed automatic transmission (the V8 only had a six-speed). These changes boost the Land Rover LR4's fuel economy numbers, and they're now more comparable to similarly powered, four-wheel-drive luxury SUV competitors.

Given the reality that most LR4 owners rarely leave the pavement, the four-wheel-drive system now comes standard with a less elaborate single-speed transfer case and Land Rover's useful Terrain Response system. Thankfully, an off-road-friendly two-speed transfer case with low-range gearing remains optional for those buyers interested in putting the LR4's reputation as a go-anywhere expedition vehicle to the test. Other new features include an available blind spot monitoring system, a standard rearview camera and updated audio systems. As before, buyers can stick with the standard five-seat interior or add an optional third-row seat that bumps passenger capacity to seven.

While it's hard to find serious flaws with this updated LR4, shoppers who don't plan on leaving the pavement may want to have a look at competitors like the well-rounded Acura MDX, the sporty BMW X5 or the larger Mercedes-Benz GL-Class. The Lexus GX 460, meanwhile, comes closest to the LR4's off-road capability. All of these SUVs are solid candidates, but the 2014 Land Rover LR4 stacks up nicely in most respects. It's a smart, if often overlooked choice for a luxurious and capable seven-passenger SUV.

FEATURES

The 2014 Land Rover LR4 is a midsize luxury SUV offered in a single trim level. Five-passenger seating is standard, but an optional third-row seat increases capacity to seven.

The list of standard features starts with 19-inch alloy wheels, an adaptive air suspension, foglights, rain-sensing wipers, heated exterior mirrors, a power front sunroof, rear privacy glass, rear parking sensors and keyless ignition and entry. Moving inside, you'll find dual-zone automatic climate control, leather upholstery, eight-way power front seats, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a rearview camera, a 7-inch touchscreen display, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, and an 11-speaker Meridian audio system with a CD player, a USB/iPod interface and an auxiliary audio input jack.

The optional HSE package adds distinctive 19-inch alloy wheels, xenon headlights, LED daytime running lights, front parking sensors, power-folding mirrors, a two-person third-row seat, rear-seat climate control and a navigation system with voice controls.

A stand-alone Climate Comfort option package bundles a heated windshield, heated windshield washer jets, heated front and second-row seats and a heated steering wheel.

The HSE Lux option package includes all the above plus upgraded leather upholstery and trim, a driver seat with power-adjustable side bolsters, driver memory settings, a power-adjustable steering wheel, interior ambient lighting, a center console cooler box and an upgraded 17-speaker Meridian surround-sound audio system.

Other stand-alone options include a Heavy-Duty package that includes the two-speed transfer case, a locking rear differential and a full-size spare tire. A Vision Assist package adds adaptive xenon headlights, automatic high-beam control, a 360-degree-view camera system and a blind spot warning system with rear cross-traffic alert. A Black Design package consists of blacked-out exterior trim and black 18- or 19-inch alloy wheels.

Finally, 20-inch alloy wheels, unique interior trim, the third-row seat package, the 17-speaker premium Meridian surround-sound audio system, satellite radio and a rear-seat entertainment system can all be had separately.

INTERIOR

The 2014 Land Rover LR4 offers a classy yet functional cabin with high-quality materials, including soft leather and genuine walnut wood trim. Large windows and a front sunroof with rear skylights combine to give the interior a spacious feel.

Those large expanses of glass also provide the driver with excellent outward visibility. Passengers get to enjoy the view as well, thanks to raised stadium-style rear seats. There's generous legroom up front and a decent supply in back, plus headroom galore thanks to the tall roof. Five-passenger models also offer plenty of room for cargo, with 42 cubic feet available behind the second-row seats and a generous 90 cubic feet with those seatbacks folded down. When the optional third-row seat is in use, however, you'll have just 10 cubic feet behind it to load up groceries.

The LR4's touchscreen and optional navigation system work adequately, but compared with the newer electronic interfaces found in various competitors, the setup is a little dated, with slower response times and less streamlined menu structures.

UNDER THE HOOD

Power for the 2014 Land Rover LR4 comes from a new 3.0-liter supercharged V6 engine that produces 340 hp and 332 pound-feet of torque. This engine is paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Also standard is an auto stop-start function that shuts down the engine when you're stopped in traffic to save fuel. The EPA estimates fuel economy at 16 mpg combined (14 city/19 highway) -- not great numbers, but a definite improvement over last year's V8-powered LR4. Properly equipped, the LR4 can tow a healthy 7,700 pounds.

Full-time four-wheel drive is standard, but this year's revamped system features a simpler single-speed transfer case that's more efficient in everyday driving. If you plan to drive off-road, the traditional two-speed transfer case, which offers low-range gearing and a locking rear differential, is still available as part of the Heavy Duty option package.

With either setup, you get Land Rover's innovative Terrain Response system, which has a center-console-mounted knob that allows the driver to select from four standard settings (general, grass/gravel/snow, sand, and mud/ruts). Models equipped with the two-speed transfer case also get a fifth "rock crawl" setting. Each of these modes alters engine, transmission and suspension calibrations to allow the LR4 to tackle a wide variety of terrain. The LR4's electronically controlled air suspension also helps in this regard, with settings ranging from a lowered height that enables easy entry and exit to a fully raised position that maximizes ground clearance on particularly gnarly stretches of trail.

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Land Rover LR4 SUV-2013

PREVIEW

It's a formidable challenge to design and build a vehicle robust enough for serious off-road use, yet still luxurious enough to mix it up with the Mercedes-Benzes and Lexuses of the world. But the 2013 Land Rover LR4 maintains this British company's standing as one of the foremost specialists in this narrow market segment. The LR4 is even more impressive when you realize it's just the middle child in Land Rover's lineup -- it's possible to spend more, a lot more, for Rover's flagship Range Rover, not to mention a number of rivals that don't have anything near the LR4's off-road capability.

The 2013 LR4 manages its impressive on- and off-road performance by blending muscle and magic. There's power in abundance from the 5.0-liter V8 and traction galore from an extensively developed four-wheel-drive system. Then high-tech electronic features like Land Rover's Terrain Response System and Hill Descent Control manage it all so effectively that the LR4's owner needs to do little more than twirl a console knob to conquer ridiculously difficult conditions.

That's all before you get to the impeccably turned-out cabin, which can accommodate five or seven in the kind of comfort that's usually the province of luxury cars, not SUVs. But do you really, really need all that off-road prowess? If not, there are genuine trade-offs: The big engine and rugged underpinnings ravage efficiency and curtail responsiveness on pavement. And as much as this brand is steeped in off-road lore, it's similarly hip-deep in a longstanding reputation for subpar reliability.

The fact is, if you aren't smitten just by the history behind the Land Rover badge and you truly don't have that much use for the LR4's admittedly indisputable off-road proficiency, there are plenty of utility vehicles packed with the same kind of luxury treatment -- they just lean more toward the "crossover" portion of the luxury-SUV spectrum. There's no going wrong with the 2013 BMW X5 or Mercedes-Benz GL-Class. The 2013 Lexus GX 460 will peg the reliability meter and still is pretty tough underneath.

But if you appreciate the Land Rover name for what it represents and the LR4's execution for what it can do both as a luxury car and an off-road tool, the 2013 Land Rover LR4 has no equal.

FEATURES

The 2013 Land Rover LR4 is offered in a single trim level. Standard features include 19-inch alloy wheels, foglights, heated exterior mirrors, rear parking sensors, rain-sensing wipers, leather upholstery, eight-way power front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, keyless ignition/entry, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, a power tilt-and-slide front sunroof, a fixed rear sunroof, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, Bluetooth phone and streaming audio and an 11-speaker stereo with touchscreen control, an in-dash CD changer, two USB ports, an iPod interface and an auxiliary audio jack.

Any grade of 2013 Land Rover LR4 can be fitted with the Black Design package, comprising 19- or 20-inch black alloy wheels and gloss-black exterior trim and satin-black color for the extended roof rails.

The optional HSE package adds different 19-inch wheels, LED daytime running lights, power-folding mirrors, front parking sensors, third-row seats (for two additional passengers), rear-seat climate control, a rearview camera, a music server and a hard-drive-based navigation system with voice control and real-time traffic.

The HSE Lux package tacks on the Climate Comfort package (front and rear heated seats, a heated windshield, heated washer jets and a heated steering wheel), adaptive bi-xenon headlights, premium leather upholstery, power steering wheel adjustments, interior ambient lighting, additional seat adjustments, a center console cooler box, driver seat memory settings and a 16-speaker Harman Kardon audio system. Optional only for the Lux package is the Extended Leather package, which swaddles more of the dashboard and doors ? as well as the armrest, grab handles and instrument-cluster surround ? with soft, double-stitched leather.

Some of the features offered in the above packages are offered as stand-alone options. Other optional features include 20-inch wheels, a locking rear differential, a rear-seat entertainment system with six-DVD changer, satellite and HD radio and a 360-degree parking camera system.

INTERIOR

One of the most overwhelming initial impressions of piloting the 2013 Land Rover LR4 comes from the high and upright seating. This, combined with lots of glass, provides some of the most unencumbered sight lines you'll find in any type of vehicle. Rear-seat passengers don't get cheated either: Stadium-type seating and the tall roof mean superb comfort and the same expansive feel front-seaters enjoy.

Even the base LR4 surrounds you with high-quality, dense materials nearly everywhere you touch, while the metal and wood accents nicely bring together touches of old-world and new-tech. Given the sheer bulk of the LR4, the primary gauge cluster and the LCD screen in the center of the dash seem undersized, about the only drawback to this SUV's interior architecture.

The cabin also is filled with plenty of high-tech features, including a five-camera, 360-degree park-assist system that also can zero in on the rear to assist with towing hookups. Most buying the LR4 more as a family vehicle than a jungle tool will find convenience in fold-flat functionality for the second row of seats and the optional third row, too. The seats are heavy and sometimes reluctant, though, but in the end there's a maximum of 90 cubic feet of cargo capacity that will handle some extra-large loads.

UNDER THE HOOD

Powering the 2013 LR4 is a 5.0-liter V8 that makes 375 horsepower and 375 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed automatic is the only transmission offered and it distributes power to the LR4's full-time four-wheel drive.

The Terrain Response system's workings are governed by a knob mounted in the center console with which the driver can toggle among five settings (general, grass/gravel/snow, sand, mud and ruts, and rock crawl) that optimize engine, transmission and suspension calibrations for the conditions at hand. The LR4's suspension also uses electronically controlled air springs to help adapt to different driving conditions. Properly equipped, the LR4 can tow 7,700 pounds.

In Autoexpress testing, an LR4 accelerated from zero to 60 mph in a quick 7.5 seconds. Fuel economy, however, is pretty poor, with EPA fuel economy ratings of just 12 mpg city/17 mpg highway and 14 mpg combined.

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