The 2011 Land Rover LR4 may not be sophisticated from a cabin tech standpoint, but its power train technology is most certainly worth noting.
Antuan Goodwin
Antuan Goodwin gained his automotive knowledge the old fashioned way, by turning wrenches in a driveway and picking up speeding tickets. From drivetrain tech and electrification to car audio installs and cabin tech, if it's on wheels, Antuan is knowledgeable.
It's big. It's strong. It's the 2011 Land Rover LR4 HSE LUX.
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This new Rover presents a modern reinterpretation of the classic Land Rover aesthetic.
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Under it's hood is a 375-horsepower V-8 engine.
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Power flows through a six-speed automatic transmission with a Command-shift manual mode.
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The LR4 is definitely one of the most capable off-road vehicles to pass through the CNET garage.
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A complex Terrain Management system ties together the LR4's various drive systems for maximum available traction.
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Users can view information about the selected drive mode on the Rover's information display.
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The Rover's air suspension is adjustable to three levels. The lowest is an access mode for easy entrance and egress, the normal mode sits about 4 inches higher, and the off-road mode raises the SUV for maximum ground clearance.
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Fuel economy leaves much to be desired, with an EPA estimate that sits in the low teens.
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One thing that the Rover does have plenty of is storage space.
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The rear hatch splits open for easy loading and unloading. Not visible here is the HSE trim level's fold-flat third-row seating.
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Inside, the Rover's luxurious cabin belies its rugged nature, particularly in our premium leather-trimmed LUX model.
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Steering-wheel controls are easy to reach and understand, with buttons and toggles that fall easily in hand.
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Land Rover gives users physical controls that somehow manage to feel rugged without looking cheap.
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Instrumentation is simple. Although there is a monochromatic display between the analog gauges, it displays a surprisingly low amount of info and is rather difficult to use.
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The LR4 features standard Bluetooth hands-free calling, but the system is among the most difficult we've ever used with no visual and few audible prompts.
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The Rover's color display features an interface that wastes far too much space on interface chrome and not nearly enough on the displaying of information.
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Navigation is a simple affair. There is no traffic data available.
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Once paired, users can download and access their phone books using the color touch screen, but voice command is still a bit lacking.
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Nowhere is this more prevalent than on the audio source selection screen, where we can barely see what song is currently playing.
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The receiver is iPod-compatible via a proprietary connection and cable.
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Tucked away in the center console, this small refrigerator is, literally, the coolest feature of the LUX trim level.
