So we got a Land Rover LR2
So a few weeks ago, the staff manning the front desks at the Immigration department made my father run around different counters over two days as he tried to get a residence visa for my college-going brother, since the clerks were on a power-trip and kept asking for random bits of unneeded paperwork, which in the end were discarded without being checked. Incidentally, a few days ago, while dropping my mother off at the airport, I argued with red-shirted staff as they weren’t letting me pull my mother’s heavy suitcase up till the first x-ray scanner (much before the actual check-in counters, and flying by Emirates no less), and they weren’t ready to help her pull it either, trying to kick me out of the building instead. Then a non-uniformed “official” with a walkie-talkie even threatened to call the cops on me if I didn’t come back out again after I convinced them to let me go. Right after that, a different set of red-shirted losers kept trying to kick me out when I was trying to buy a Pepsi. Anyway, I was recently contacted by Land Rover and they said an LR2 was ready for me today. What does a Land Rover have to do with my ranting? Absolutely nothing, except that it is nice to be respected around here sometimes.
Technically, I am still on a summer vacation from testing cars, but I’ll still take any cars that are thrown at me without asking. The LR2 is almost a year old now, and has been covered heavily by the local media already. Of course, my views might be different from those of “professionals.”
The interior looks great, feeling like a mini Range Rover, with premium materials along most touchable surfaces. Only the cloth headliner felt cheap.
Looking up, you’ll notice the dual glass moonroof areas, and the forward one even opens. The glass areas have transparent pull-over covers, which lets the sun in and makes the a/c work harder.
I haven’t looked through the clutter of buttons yet, but the touchscreen holds a navigation system, and the dial near the shifter has settings for some “terrain-response” system.
The back seat is just about adequate, possibly having less legroom than a Toyota RAV-4, but definitely similar to the space in the larger Range Rover Sport.
The rear-seat passengers get some sort of individual controls for the stereo. Check out the row of exposed cup-holders, and there are still two more hidden in the rear-seat central armrest.
Rear cargo area is adequate for its size, and nothing to get surprised over.
After all that, I tried to start the car and sat there like an immigration-counter guy, wondering how to do it. The key-fob has no metal key, so it took me a minute to find the start button. I hammered it and the engine still didn’t start as I fumbled about for a few additional minutes, sweating in the heat. Finally, I found a hole hidden in the dash and stuffed the key-fob in. It still didn’t work, so I took the key-fob out, stuffed it back in upside-down and again pounded on the start button. It worked!
After all that sweating, I just drove back home. Full testing will have to be done another time, as I have this attractive body-kitted SUV for three days.
Comments
Ace
Next time u wanna enter the check-in areas, just pretend to be passenger and carry your passport..you can easily come out after as there is no staff/checking while exiting. Most companies here hire sons of the soil only to keep up with labour laws, as their productivity is well known to people who work with them. I don’t generalize as there are exceptions to everything, I’ve come across some fine ambassadors for this flag. In my 28 yrs in dubai, I can remember all 5 of them.
As for the LR2 its a damn fine vehicle, I dont understand why it doesnt get a bigger following here, my friends at AlTayer gets to drive all the fancies and he brought an LR2 to one of our offroad, dried rocky lake tyoe trips and it handled pretty well..
cb
yeah the passport always got me in.
Mashfique Hussain Chowdhury
Ok, so I’ll take my own passport now even if I’m not flying.
😐
spyke
I’m sad to say but Emirates Airlines is a victim of its own growth! Personnel at the top have no idea whats happening low down especially at the checkin areas. These people are supposed to represent the airline!!as this is where the first impressions are usually built up. As for the red shirt guys they are taught to follow one simple rule so they do that cos i bet thats all they know..
The LR2 on the other hand is a fine looking machine compared to its predecessor.But as for its leg room, i think it could do with a little more.And theres also the price, but i guess thats what you pay for a land rover.
Ace
Actually, the rear legroom isint bad..I was quite comfortable (Im close to 6 feet)…I mean you’re not gonna stretch your legs as if you’re on your couch in front of the tv..
Murf
Customer service in this coutry has always been pathetic..
Great looking vehicle..i think price is OK since price since to have shot up for any decent four wheelers out there except for the Koreans..
cb
whats that knob under the arm rests? looks weird.
Mashfique Hussain Chowdhury
Adjusts the armrest up and down. Takes ages to turn.
Imran Omar Bukhsh
Sad story abt the airport. Islam has almost vanished. These were the people that gave their lives but didn’t have water before their brother did and now today its like a joke. May Allah revive Islam.
Brasco
Seriously, I don’t know how you didn’t figure out the keyfob. It only goes in one way, and it lights up when you enter the car. You can’t put it in backwards. Your obviously just trying to put down the keyfob idea from LR withought giving it a chance. You must give good reviews to vehicules you like and bad ones to vehicules you dislike.
Mashfique Hussain Chowdhury
Obviously you didn’t read what I wrote if you think I put the key in “backwards” and that I can see some cabin “light” in the morning. Nissan does it better anyway, in a car half the price. I think it is better you read CAR Middle East instead. They are obviously happy with their free long-term LR2.