The Land Rover LR2 is certainly among the most maneuverable sport utility vehicles ever assembled. If you don't believe that, take a test drive in a high-rise garage.

The antiquated, 10-story garage where I park is attached to a vacant skyscraper. So the garage is virtually empty most days, which explains the low monthly fee and the creepy, creaky elevator. The driveways are narrow and the corners are very tight. But the LR2 can whip through the steep course like a sports car.

Yes, a parking garage is a poor substitute for a mountain trail. But I'm convinced that most SUV owners rarely travel beyond paved surfaces. If you park at the top of a 10-story garage, you really appreciate maneuverability.

My confidence was enhanced by the LR2's "intelligent" all-wheel drive with traction control, magnificent disc brakes with cornering control, electronic brake-force distribution and hill-descent control. The responsiveness of the 230-horsepower, inline 6-cylinder engine and six-speed automatic transmission inspired valet-class acceleration rounding the corners. On a flat surface, the LR2 can zoom from zero to 60 mph in a brisk 8.4 seconds.

The second-generation LR2, known as the Freelander 2 in Europe, is a compact SUV designed to compete with similarly athletic vehicles such as the BMW X3, the Lexus RX 400h and the Acura RDX.

Introduced originally in 1997, the Freelander/LR2's heritage says a lot about Land Rover's adoptive parents. BMW, which had briefly controlled the brand, used the Freelander prototype as inspiration for its own X3. Current owner Ford Motor Co. has lent some components from its other import luxury brand, Volvo, toward the Freelander's safety structure.

Compared to most Land Rover products, the LR2 looks like a bargain at a base price of $33,985 for the SE trim.

It's hard to design an unattractive SUV, but Pontiac proved it was possible a few years ago with the ill-fated Aztek. Land Rovers have remained consistently stately, with just the right degree of modernization. The tall profile, the angle of the rear roof pillars and the easily identifiable front end distinguish the LR2 from its legion of competitors.

"The overall look is new and contemporary," explains Land Rover design director Geoff Upex. "We have kept a close design relationship with the LR3 and Range Rover Sport, but interpreted the design language to suit the requirements of customers for a more compact SUV."

The paint job on the review SUV immediately brought to mind Volvo's palette, which includes something known as "Metallic Saffron." The copperish "Tambora Flame" on the LR2 looked suspiciously like "Metallic Saffron." One suspects that Volvo had some leftover paint.

When it comes to safety, the LR2 shares much with Volvo, as well. Among the seven — count em, seven — air bags is one for the driver's knee. The crush zones in the LR2 were also derived from Volvo technology.

The interior of the LR2 is quite commodious, but the driver may need to consult the manual to learn some operational features. The "key" is just a fob that inserts into a poorly marked slot in the dash. After the fob has been properly installed, you place your foot on the brake pedal and push the start button located above the insertion point for the fob. If starting a car "keylessly" gets any simpler, we're going to need to go back to engineering school.

The LR2 was designed to provide generous head, shoulder and leg room, in both the front and rear. But the LR2 feels considerably smaller than the Range Rover.

Large glass areas enhance the elevated driving position and stadium seating, where rear passengers sit slightly higher than front occupants, for a clearer view. With the elevated seating, one would presume the LR2 would feel a little top-heavy in robust turns. But one would be pleasantly surprised by the low center of gravity.

Land Rover claims best-in-class cargo capacity for the LR2 with 58.9 cubic feet of space with the rear seats folded and 26.7 cubic feet with the rear seats up. Make sure that all your cargo is cube-shaped for maximum efficiency.

Other standard features include bi-xenon headlamps, adaptive front lighting, rain-sensing windshield wipers and rear park distance control. A two-part panoramic sunroof is standard, as is automatic climate control.

The LR2 is designed and engineered by Land Rover at Gaydon, near Warwick, England, and is built at the Halewood plant in Liverpool.

WHAT'S NEW: Inaugural year for new model.

PLUSES: Maneuverability, safety, styling, comfort.

MINUSES: Complexity of instruments; fuel economy.

BOTTOM LINE: A class act in a smaller package.

(Richard Williamson writes about automobiles for Scripps Howard News Service.)