For 2010, Land Rover introduces the LR4. Though based on the outgoing LR3, the new model boasts many changes, both visual and mechanical. According to company execs, the LR3’s design was polarizing, particularly in the United States. LR4 moves away from LR3’s “industrial severity” and toward a simpler look using a more vertical theme in the smoother front bumper, and more exterior surfaces are body color rather than contrasting matte black. An available LED lighting package adds a distinctive touch front and rear.

Inside, the company says the LR4 has a “more premium, more relevant” cabin. Notably, there is a new dash and console, redesigned seats, and upgraded materials. Much effort was spent on reducing complexity and thinning out the herd of buttons that populated LR3’s dash. Ambient interior lighting is new, as is the navigation system and an interface for connecting and controlling portable media devices including USB drives and MP3 players.

There are also significant mechanical changes. Under the hood, a new 5.0-liter direct-injected V8 rated at 375 horsepower replaces the old 300-horsepower 4.4-liter V8. A new front suspension shared with the more-expensive Range Rover Sport helps improve LR4’s on-road manners, and revisions to Land Rover’s Terrain Response system increase its off-road abilities.

What’s Cool…

Classy Cabin
Some people equate luxury with flash. Judging by LR4's interior, Land Rover’s design team chose the understated, classy luxury route over the often chosen opulence. To my eyes, they succeeded. High-quality materials and attention to detail create an upscale ambiance, and the tasteful decor is well suited to the class in which this truck plays.

More Information Check out CG's premium-midsize SUV reviews and articles 2009 Land Rover LR3 2010 Land Rover LR4 2010: What's New for Land Rover All New Land Rovers Premium Midsize SUV Buying Guide

Good Drive
On the road, LR4’s 5.0-liter V8 engine is strong and well-matched to the smooth 6-speed automatic transmission. Ride quality is very good, and LR4 handles about as well as can be expected of a nearly 6,000-pound truck. Refinement levels are very high and the cabin is impressively quiet with only hints of audible road and wind noise.

No Road? No Problem!
Land Rover introduced the LR4 to the press in Manchester, Vermont. Vermont has an unusual type of roadway called a Class 4 highway; it is completely unmaintained, and in many places is little more than a muddy path through the woods. Instructors from Land Rover’s Vermont-based off-road driving school helped the assembled motoring press navigate a challenging section of Class 4 road. With the help of spotting from the instructors and the updated Terrain Response system, I was able to pilot an LR4 with little drama over a section of this rock-strewn back road.

…What’s Not

Only One Powertrain
The 2010 LR4 comes equipped with only one powertrain: The new 5.0-liter V8 engine and 6-speed automatic transmission. It's a fine engine, but many competitors offer a choice of powertrains; thrifty diesel-engine options are also becoming more common in this class.

Very Thirsty
Consumer Guide hasn’t been able to measure LR4’s fuel economy yet, but the EPA rates it at 12 mpg city and 17 mpg highway, essentially the same as the less-powerful LR3. We hope LR4 returns better fuel economy than the 12.8-15.5 mpg we averaged in the LR3. You don’t expect an SUV this big to be a fuel sipper, but the EPA numbers are relatively low for the class.

CG Says:

In a class trending toward car-based luxury-crossover SUVs, the tall, off-road-oriented Land Rover LR4 may seem a bit out of place. In practice though, LR4 is used exactly the way other premium SUVs are, and in that capacity delivers good passenger and cargo room along with unexpected levels of refinement and comfort. Used off-road, LR4 easily ventures many places that would leave the competition waiting for a tow truck. Ultimately, LR4 may be challenged in the marketplace more by perceptions than reality, along with its thirst for premium-grade gas.