2011 Land Rover Range Rover

If you've ever watched "The Sound of Music" or "Mary Poppins," you've probably wished for a nanny to wrangle your family. Someone who can sing is preferred, but what would be ideal is a structured taskmaster who won't take any guff. Don't bother with a nanny; instead, get a 2011 Land Rover Range Rover. It will get your kids into civilized shape before you can open an umbrella and float away.

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Like any fastidious nanny, the 2011 Land Rover Range Rover has its act together, with a V-8 engine that will get you and your kids to the school drop-off lane faster than you can say, "spit spot."

The Range Rover HSE feels sturdy on the road, with little body roll at higher speeds. For such a large vehicle, it's easy to drive and responsive. One of its few shortcomings is its huge turning radius of 19.6 feet. This five-seat SUV has full-time four-wheel-drive, all-terrain Dynamic Stability Control and hill descent control. That's a lot of control. There's also Terrain Response system for driving on sand, snow or mud. A good nanny is prepared for anything.

It's also worth noting that every single child who entered the Range Rover (and I had many under age 10 in it during my test drive) would get in, sit down, buckle up, cross their legs and fold their hands in their laps. It was a miracle of miracles.

The 2011 Range Rover HSE, the base model, has a starting MSRP of $79,685. My test car cost a cool $88,485.

EXTERIOR

Like Mary Poppins' silhouette, the Range Rover is iconic. Land Rover has been mindful of that and hasn't messed with the SUV's exterior too much.

The Range Rover's sloped rear end has remained unchanged; leaving an old-school clamshell-type opening that can actually be used to tailgate. My family had fun using it for just that. The tailgate comes at a price, though. It's not power operated on the Range Rover HSE, which is a luxury that's hard to go without. However, the cargo area is plentiful.

Like any SUV, the Range Rover will have some pitfalls for parents of younger kids. You'll likely have to help them open doors because the handles are hard to pull. While it's terrific that the rear doors open wide, the downfall is it's difficult for kids to close the doors when inside the Range Rover. Even my 7-year-old had trouble. Younger kids will need help getting in and out of this SUV.

The Range Rover HSE has a 375-horsepower, 5.0-liter V-8 engine and a six-speed automatic transmission. It gets an EPA-estimated 12/18 mpg city/highway and uses premium gas, making this an expensive nanny to feed.

SENSE AND STYLE

Family Friendly (Not Really, Fair, Great, Excellent): Excellent

Fun-Factor (None, Some, Good Times, Groove-On): Groove-On

INTERIOR

Any good parent and nanny will remind you that it's what's on the inside that counts, and nothing lives that motto like the Range Rover HSE. As lovely as the outside is, it's the inside that dazzles. And yes, it's the interior that quiets even the craziest kid upon entry.

During my test drive, I had to shuttle a bunch of kids around over the weekend, and I had to make multiple trips because the Range Rover HSE only has two rows of seats. Unfortunately, a third row is not available in the Range Rover. The kids' ages ranged from 3 to 11, and every single one of them sat down and folded their hands in their laps upon getting settled in the Range Rover. They all had impeccable manners and in-car behavior while in the Rover.