Land Rover Freelander Reviews

Though it's generally used only as a suburban runabout, the Land Rover Freelander is capable of tackling bush, beaches and desert conditions that would strand, or even break, others in its class.

Ford Territory AWD and Land Rover Freelander go head-to-head in this comparative review.

Don't laugh... plenty of people accidentally put petrol in their diesel at the servo and it creates an absolute calamity.This can't happen in the Land Rover Freelander because there's a diesel only nozzle hole on the fuel inlet. It's a simple fix and underlines just how much thought has gone into this impressive compact SUV from Britain.Well, the Britain bit is not totally correct because new Freelander II TD4's engine is from PSA — Peugeot in France and is a 2.2-litre turbodiesel with 110kW/420Nm output. A similar engine is used in the new Peugeot 508 and other vehicles.A water-cooled variable geometry turbo (VGT) is used to optimise efficiency and contributes to the Freelander's impressive 6.6-litres/100km fuel economy.Of course, being a Land Rover means the Freelander will go almost anywhere — and get back and to this end, is fitted with L-R-s clever Terrain Response system. This offers a range of modes to suit various driving environments. It's selected simply by turning a dial on the centre console.It's a full time four wheel drive and is equipped with decent dual purpose tyres that neither hum too loudly on sealed roads nor lose grip too easily on slippery surfaces.As version two of the current shape the new model benefits from evolutionary changes and upgrades not the least to its appearance and standard equipment.The outside has been tweaked to give a family Land Rover look to the front with grille and headlight changes, revised body hardware and similar minor changes to the rear end. It is a positive step because this new Freelander is the best looker so far.They have grown a green conscience at the factory and equip Freelander with an array of technology to cut emissions and reduce fuel consumption such as the smart charging battery that only draws power when the engine is decelerating. It will happily ingest biodiesel and the manual TD4 has engine stop/start.Freelander is impressively quiet inside and the engine has plenty of pull across a wide engine speed range.The test vehicle was a mid-range XS priced at $52,790 but features plenty of luxury kit including leather and a decent locally fitted Garmin satnav system. It has a six-speed auto transmission with adaptive shift and sequential change mode which seem superfluous because it's best left in D.Ride quality is excellent offering a high level of comfort and a degree of sportiness. We took the TD4 off road and it simply toyed with what we threw at it in terms of sand and beach driving, slippery, muddy dirt roads, water crossings and rough rock hopping.On the highway and around town is a similar story — no complaints at all really. It's comfortable, goes extremely well, has all manner of luxuries and looks great.It even got the big thumbs up from "The Boss," who was reluctant to hand over the keys. And you can't get a better recommendation than that....   

If a car brand completely resists trends and change, there's every chance it won't live to regret the decision. Land Rover - like Jeep in many ways - resisted the soft-roader trend, preferring to keep things like dual range, ground clearance and off-road ability before indulging in metrosexual tendencies.Both hard-core 4WD brands succumbed and Land Rover's result was the Freelander, which is without a transfer case and sits lower than the rest of the Land Rover range - but don't mistake it for an overgrown shopping trolley built for the school run and nothing else.We're in the range-topping SD4 HSE - which has a lofty $65,854 asking price before any stickers are added or taxes paid. That's not cheap'n'cheerful, but patience - the contents list includes satellite navigation, steering wheel controls for audio, cruise and phone, dual zone climate control, manual reach and rake steering adjustment, power-adjustable front seats with armrests, automatic xenon headlights, parking sensors front and rear (but no rear camera), Bluetooth phone link, leather trim for the seats, steering wheel, gearshifter and console, trip computer, dual-zone climate control, automatic headlights and windscreen wipers.The test car was also packing gear from the HSE Premium Luxury package, which adds $6890 to the bottom line and among its inclusions are adaptive function for the headlights, 19in 10-spoke diamond cut alloy wheels (including a full-size spare), an auto-dimming rearvision mirror, heating for the front seats, a heated front windscreen (for the snow bunnies), upgraded leather trim and the Alpine 13-speaker surround sound system. The option box for the double sunroof (for $3300) and black metallic paint (a $1700 hit) were also ticked, taking the as-tested priced to a grand total of $78,144.The little Landie packs plenty of good stuff, although this particular engine misses out on the start-stop fuel saving system found elsewhere in the range, there's brake energy recovery to keep the battery charged up.The 2.2-litre turbodiesel is a common-rail unit that employs balance shafts to keep it smooth - Land Rover's own figures suggest it is one decibel quieter than the in-line six-cylinder petrol. The powerplant produces 140kW at 3500rpm, which is not too far short of the petrol engine's 171kW effort. The diesel has a peak torque figure of 420Nm and a combined fuel consumption claim of 7 litres per 100km, 103Nm more than the petrol engine and using 3.7 fewer litres per 100km. The Freelander sips from a 68-litre tank, suggesting an open-road touring range of 1000km would be possible.Where the Freelander has an advantage over much of its compact SUV competition is the Terrain Response drivetrain  system that tailors the car's electronic systems to the impending terrain.Although not as advanced as the Terrain Response in its larger brethren - in the case of the Range Rover Sport now has a dynamic driving mode for the active suspension - the Freelander has four modes - general driving, grass/gravel/snow, mud/ruts and sand - for getting it a little bit dirty.The stability and traction control systems, as well as the Haldex four-wheel drive system, work together to endow the Freelander with a level of offroad ability well beyond the segment average. The drivetrain uses an electronically-controlled rear diff to put drive to the rear wheels as required, via a six-speed automatic transmission, as well as a hill-start and downhill assistance systems.It's not quite a mini Disco or Defender, nor is it a pint-sized Rangie (they've done that now anyway) but the Freelander has aspects of all three - the front grille in particular - within its fairly conventional exterior package. That's far from a bad thing as the Land Rover breed has always produced handsome machinery, from the rugged utilitarian 110 and Defender models through the to the regal and arrogant supremacy exuded by the Range Rover.The cabin follows suit, adopting (as you'd expect) switchgear and dash layouts from the rest of the family. The test car's burnt orange interior might not be the first choice in trim colour but the ergonomics of the interior are much-improved over earlier Land Rover product - the only way in many cases was up.Aside from the inherent active safety of all-wheel drive, the Freelander employs anti-lock brakes with emergency braking assistance (which the company says can reduce stopping distances by up to 15 per cent) and  brakeforce distribution systems. Some of the same hardware also deploys in the form of traction and stability control, as well as cornering braking and anti-rollover control systems. The passive safety features list includes dual front, front-side airbags and full-length side-curtain airbags, as well as a driver's knee airbag.This segment is awash with vehicles that have no chance of overcoming a wet grassy slope at a country footy game - the Freelander is not one of those soft-roader wanna-bes. The green oval badge would (I hope) fall off in disgust if it weren't capable of getting its Continental rubber grotty and ploughing on unfazed. Granted, it's never going to clamber over the terrain its brethren can, but it will certainly complete more arduous tasks than the bulk of its competitive set.Terrain Response is off-roading for dunces and - provided you have faith in the under-body protection - it can be bumped and thumped over some more challenging terrain. Tracks violated by big ruts left by large off-roaders will offer the Freelander a challenge only through lack of clearance, which is decent for the segment at 210mm, not from a lack of tractive performance from the drivetrain. On the bitumen, the Freelander is a very comfortable conveyance - the top-spec leather seats are well-cushioned (if not heavily endowed with lateral support).Ride comfort is more supple than the German prestige competitors and while body roll is a little more prevalent, it's not a roly-poly mess like the original Range Rovers - it progresses with purpose once settled into a bend.The driver has enough adjustment to get a good position behind the wheel and rear seat head and leg space is still reasonable with taller occupants in the front.The diesel is reasonably quiet and offers a solid shove in the back from low in the rev range, without having to resort to full throttle - punch it hard and Land Rover says it will hit 190km/h and only takes 9.5 seconds to hit 100km/h, which is not far off the petrol six-cylinder model's claim.In cabin storage is reasonably good but the level of connectivity isn't up to par - no USB socket or Bluetooth link for the music, just a 3.5mm jack.There are cheaper prestige alternatives in this segment - as well as a well-mannered local - but what price to pay for the compact SUV with badge cred? It is probably top of the pops in off-road terms and pretty good on the bitumen too, but the high asking price takes the shine from the Freelander.

In a quiet moment, even Land Rover admits the Freelander has gone from sinner to sainthood. The previous model, which was a hit in Europe but a lowly performer locally, was even nicknamed the “Freeloader” by many road-testers.The previous generation's respectable heritage was shattered by poor build quality, questionable reliability and lacklustre engines. Local buyers were aware of this and gave it a wide berth. Last year Land Rover sold 87 and in 2005 only 145 for the year.This time around though, the British company with a royal warrant and seriously chic Range Rover has got it right. Land Rover Australia says the Freelander is the most complete in its class and can justifiably take its place against the BMW X3 and Lexus RX330.Two petrol and two turbo-diesels are available. The petrol line-up is priced from $49,990 for the six-cylinder Si6 SE and $55,990 for the Si6 HSE. The Td4 SE and HSE models add $2000. Options include a $6890 “tech pack” with Bluetooth, satellite navigation and xenon adaptive headlights, $1500 for metallic paint and $3300 for a sunroof.The slick 3.2-litre in-line six is shared with Volvo but built by Land Rover and the punchy 2.2-litre Td4 comes from the French PSA Group. Both engines are mated to a smooth-shifting Aisin six-speed sequential automatic.The Si6 delivers a healthy 171kW at 6300 revs and 317Nm at 3200 revs. This is 30 per cent more than the old V6 and a 10 per cent improvement in fuel economy. The 2.2-litre Td4 ups the ante in the torque stakes, with 400Nm on tap at 2000 revs. This is significantly better than the 260Nm delivered by the old 2.0-litre turbo-diesel. The Td4 delivers a significant power lift. It develops 118kW, compared with the old car's 82kW, a 43 per cent increase.The new Freelander is only 50mm longer and 109mm wider, ensuring a bigger interior and larger boot. With the rear seats in place, luggage space has grown from 546 litres to 755 litres.Land Rover has maintained the Freelander look with the clamshell bonnet, stepped roof and chunky front end. It has a wading depth of up to 500mm and ground clearance of 210mm. The car is packed with technology, safety and standard equipment.It has a full-time Haldex four-wheel-drive system with four-mode Terrain Response that electronically controls the centre coupling to make off-roading easier. Terrain Response has settings for normal driving, grass/gravel/snow, mud/ruts and sand.To keep the car on the road there are anti-skid brakes, brake assist, corner brake control, stability control, roll stability control and hill descent control. With a highly rigid monocoque body and seven airbags, the car also manages a five-star EuroNCAP crash rating.After the dismal run of the previous Freelander, Land Rover Australia, general manager Roger Jory does not want to jinx the new car. But the company should be able to sell upwards of 120 a month for the Range Rover's junior sibling.

Sadly, it continued to concentrate on its role as basic transport for a few decades afterwards, and in doing so it opened the door to a tidal wave of Japanese copycats.It learnt quickly after that. First there was the 1970 Range Rover; more recently there's the mini-me off-roader called Freelander.Now in its third generation, the Freelander has changed marketing tack by arriving with only one engine – a turbocharged diesel made by BMW – and two body styles.That the power comes from BMW isn't weird considering the German was one of the former owners of Land Rover (it's now owned by Ford). But the use of a diesel in a soft-roader – a vehicle that doesn't have the off-road acumen of its bigger Land Rover siblings – in the Australian market is an unusual move.What will sway buyers is the fact that this is a damn good diesel.It's quiet, revvy, economical and pulls strongly from anything above idle. With that power plant mated to the five-speed auto, the rather portly Freelander SE gets up and dances.Dressed with a new body faced off by a tough-looking grille, the Freelander presents as a very likeable package with excellent street appeal and just about the perfect size for a young family or a couple on the move.It shares some features with the Discovery, notably the pocket headlights and the profile showing a raised roof line founded on the need to lift the rear seat to create a better vista for its occupants.The tailgate is a swing-away style, though the rear glass is electrically operated to serve as a portal for shopping and similar small items.The model tested was an automatic five-door SE which, despite the rather squat dimensions, easily accommodated four adults on leather-faced seats.From the driving seat the dashboard is simple and neat, with many storage nooks for personal gear. Partly because the seats are comfortable and the ride compliant, this is a machine that quickly endears itself to the driver with on-road confidence at highway speeds and nimble manners through bends.Forget the fact that this is a diesel. Aside from some muted grumbles at idle, the performance is excellent and the engine noise disappears at speed.Point it into the dirt and there are some limitations. The suspension travel is modest and a few times in the Hills near Mundaring the rear wheel spun uselessly in air. But the ground clearance appeared better than expected with no bangs and crashes from below.The engine is practically unstoppable and it's this – plus the option of using the gearbox manually – that makes the Freelander more confident in the bush than initially expected.Take it to the sand, however, and the low-profile tyres give little scope for deflating.The lack of a low-range transfer case is another bugbear, though the first-gear ratio is quite low – so much so that the vehicle generally accelerates from rest in second gear.I am aware that previous Freelanders had some awful quality problems and some petrol-engined versions succumbed expensively to the Australian heat. This diesel should be a lot better.

Australian diesel is more pollutive than petrol. So I am suffering an embarrassing sense of hypocrisy for my admiration of this car. There. It's out in the open.I can't even define just what it is about the Freelander that I came to love so much. Everything? Well, no. It's a bit sexist because the only vanity mirror is on the passenger sunshade – and the single broad strap on the driver's sunshade underside is not the best piece of design for either car-park cards or sunglasses. So there. I have criticisms. And in its diesel throb and its overall design, it is a fairly macho vehicle, I suppose. Certainly I gave it the male name of Fred, which alliterated nicely with Freelander.When first I drove out of the Land Rover lot, I felt I was in a large 4WD. It drove large. Solid. Heavy. Diesel chug. This turned out to be a happy illusion. The Freelander is compact.It slips easily into difficult and narrow parking spots. It manoeuvres happily around parking stations. It plays city car in the city.Out on the open road, it plays country car. On dirt, it plays worker car. And all the time, looking at the fuel gauge, it seems to play economy car. So off to Willunga Farmers Market I took Freelander Fred to load its compact rump with sheaves of fresh spinach, beetroot, leeks and gourmet potatoes, hmm, OK, and a couple of creme fraisch cakes ...And then the big test, up Willunga Hill. The Freelander was not impressed by the incline. "Chickenfeed," it chugged. "I can do near verticals if you want." I didn't want. I wanted an easy ride and I got it. It is automatic – and turbo. It found its gears and kept a steady, effortless pace. Muscular and not showy. That fairly well sums up the Freelander. It feels safe. It gives a good view of the road, although the rear vision is a bit cluttered, what with headrests and spare wheel with a brake light above it.It has European controls – windscreen wiper and lights reversed – which take but a few minutes of adjustment. Its cup holders are superbly placed – embedded in the centre of the dashboard. After some of the darned dumb places car designers have been sticking cup holders, this good old common sense comes like a breath of sane, safe air.And I suppose that sums up the Freelander. It is immensely practical. There is nothing flighty, faddish or gadgety about it.The boot has two ways of opening – the glass slides down, for just dropping in a few bags of shopping, or the whole door swings open to the side. It does not look like a massive area, but it seems to take a lot of luggage. Work that out.My week in the Freelander was a pleasure. It's a tasteful, restrained, classy workhorse – a bit like me, really.

The badge might say diesel, but what that means Down Under is "serious off-roader".The Freelander went oil-burner-only a couple of months ago for the Australian market, with a total switch to 2.0-litre turbo-diesel power.It's a shift in focus for the Land Rover which, though never a "soft-roader", had a slightly suburban emphasis for young families and people who couldn't afford to jump into a trendier Discovery or flagship Range Rover.The Freelander has been a huge hit at home in Britain, where the classic Land Rover is still the benchmark for four-wheel-drives. But it has not gone as well in Australia, where Toyota is king of the bush and Japanese four-wheel drives have made life more than tough for a vehicle not close to best in class.Still, it has a Land Rover badge and Land Rover DNA, and that is enough for some people.Sales this year have been modest -- 282 in the first seven months -- with the Freelander up against heavy hitters in the compact four-wheel-drive class, where the Nissan X-Trail is setting the pace with 8098 sales.The Freelander is a class above its size rivals on price, and that means it could also take a hit from the classy BMW X3. The Landie's prices now start at $39,950, which is well above a five-door Toyota RAV4 from $32,290 or a Honda CRV from $31,990, though even the flagship Freelander SE automatic at $46,450 is well below the X3 at $65,300.No surprise, then, that Land Rover in Australia is pushing the diesel angle and pitching the Freelander at people who really need an all-paw escape machine.The update hasn't changed the fundamentals, with tweaks typical for any mid-life facelift.The nose looks a little different with a new bumper-headlamps-grille combination, the tail lamps are new, there are new colours and the removable roof on the two-door can be either a hard cap or a folding soft top.Inside, Land Rover has tweaked the dash and added cupholders, the seats have more support and new fabrics, and sound and ventilation is upgraded.It's not much of a change, but Land Rover is concentrating on the all-new Discovery, which it needs to win back lost ground in the luxury 4WD class.The Freelander has never been a Cars Guide favourite. The British machine has always felt cramped and dozy on the road, but we were hoping the latest version would change our minds.THE Freelander diesel is great in the rough stuff. It has fantastic grip and climbing ability, as well as a sure-footed feel on steep descents that makes it a delight for four-wheel-drive work.It is easy on fuel, has reasonable overtaking power for country road work, and packs Land Rover suspension that crushes the roughest roads and irons out smaller bumps without upsetting anyone in the cabin. But, and it's a big but, you have to drive out of town to get to the rough stuff.The Freelander, even with the latest updates, is nothing special for everyday blacktop driving. For suburban commuter work, unless you are a Land Rover fanatic, it would be a real pain.The diesel engine doesn't get going for the first 30 metres, the touch-change system on the automatic gearbox doesn't provoke a real response, and even when it is going it struggles to provide zip.It is a snoozer. Fine for country use, but outpaced in town.The cabin changes make the Freelander a little nicer, but even the latest seats – with great support and comfort – put a mid-sized man far too close to the roof. It's easy to bump your head in rough country.The cabin still looks a mix-and-match job, unlike the integrated Japanese rivals and the classy X3 for people with big budgets, even with big cupholders and good CD sound in our SE automatic tester.The doors close with a real thunk and the Freelander feels as if it will go the distance, but not without some squeaks and rattles.The real enjoyment comes when you turn into the scrub and tackle tracks or hills, when the diesel engine just thumps along and the superb suspension keeps the wheels planted and the car moving forward. That's when you know it's a real Land Rover, capable of realising the dreams of any weekend warrior.It has a badge to compete with the Japanese hero cars, which won't go close to it in the bush – apart from the Nissan X-Trail – but cannot match their comfort and refinement when you're closer to home.So we cannot avoid the buts and we cannot really recommend the latest Freelander except to people who are sold on diesel and the traditional Land Rover off-road experience.The Freelander is great for off-road work with a diesel kick, but there are far better choices for all the other jobs.

The new Freelander is testament to that, inheriting the genes of its relatives and the distinctive family face pioneered by the new Range Rover range.The 2004 Freelander has received a much-needed makeover, changes that, combined with its tough drivetrain, make it an agile competitor on the rough stuff.While it may not be the most obvious change, the move by Land Rover to only offer a diesel in the Freelander range is an important one. The Freelander has Land Rover's 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbo diesel, which, while it feels slow from a standstill under the 1555kg weight, cruises smoothly.A little on the noisy side but definitely not intrusive, the diesel produces 82kW of power and 260Nm of torque and is coupled with a five-speed electronically controlled automatic or a five-speed manual gearbox.Gear changes are smooth in the automatic but the initial lag means it would benefit from low range or a lower first gear when tackling off-road driving. A benefit of the diesel engine is the fuel economy, with the Freelander putting out impressive figures for an off-roader, with a combined figure of 8.6 litres per 100km for the auto.Steering kickback was felt but overall it is direct and the Freelander is well sorted on and off the black stuff.The Freelander has mountaineering benefits including hill descent control, traction control and all-time 4WD system but is hampered by the low ground clearance.Land Rover claims, however, that all suspension components are well shielded from off-road obstacles by a rugged alloy tray that protects the underneath of the car, including the sump.The steering is mounted high on the bulkhead – out of the way of stray rocks and branches that could cause damage.The Freelander enjoys a wading depth of 400mm, quite deep for a compact SUV.The front wings are made from thermoplastic that resists marking from minor scrapes.The most obvious change is the exterior. The front bumper, headlights and grille are all new and distinctively reflect the face of the Range Rover.The new twin-pocket, clear-lens headlamps are similar to those of its big brother while the partly coloured bumpers create a tough, firm stance for the Freelander that screams urban attitude.But despite its rugged good looks, the smooth lines give the Freelander a suave style of his own.Its rear is body coloured and the tail lights have been moved to a higher position on the bumper to improve visibility.Inside, the benefits are most noticeable. All models have been extensively restyled to improve comfort and greatly improve the overall feel and ergonomics.New seats, facia, instruments, switchgear, door trims and upholstery fabrics greet the driver from the moment the door is opened. The quality of the fabrics used has been improved and the new premium sports seat offers better support.The SE tested had the luxury pack, which includes leather seat trim, 17-inch alloys, rubbing strips and rear parking-distance control for $2500. The luxury pack is only available on the SE model. Parking-distance control is available for $750 on all models.The seating position is, however, less than ideal. The seat is high and cannot be adjusted. The steering wheel does not have a reach function and the seat itself has limited track movement.The Freelander has many stow-away compartments and the huge door map pockets keep the handy bottle strap, while larger cup holders are now mounted in the centre of the facia.The Freelander still comes in two body styles: the three-door, which features a removable hardback or fold-up softback, and the five-door.While the Freelander is a little more pricey than those in its class (from $39,950), the new-look interior and exterior make it a tough off-roader that now has plenty of style to match.

There's a five speed automatic transmission to fully capitalise on the torquey, BMW-sourced diesel engine while the standard transmission is a five speed manual.On approach, you'll notice Freelander's new face with Range Rover style multi-element headlights and other alterations to what has become a familiar face over the past seven or eight years.The front end is much more aggressive and now has a "Chesty Bond" chin. Significant changes have been made to the rear end.Inside has also been tweaked with a redesign and new materials to give a more luxurious look and feel. New are the dash fascia, instruments, switches, door trims, seats and upholstery.The net effect is to make Freelander look almost like a different vehicle, even though the essentials remain the same. Two body styles are available, three and five door and Land Rover has added some slick new colours to the Freelander palette including a couple pinched from Range Rover.User-friendliness was part of the redesign brief and that sees a new centre console, cup and drink holders, repositioned power window switches and other sensible changes.Land Rover has improved the new model's airconditioning and ventilation, rear seat latching and windscreen wipers.The test vehicle was an auto S model five door retailing for $42,450.The torquey diesel engine can be raucous when pushed but returns good fuel economy in mixed driving. Expect about 800km from a tank of fuel.The five speed auto with tiptronic function and sport mode helps optimise performance by providing the right gear for any given circumstance.But it's best left to its own devices in D.Ride quality is good off road but the MacPherson strut suspension is a little on the soft side for fast on-road cornering leading to body roll and understeer. The vehicle weighs from 1550kg.Off road ability is impressive despite the absence of low range 4WD or a lock up system. A number or electronic dynamic systems help off roading as well as the chunky tread tyres and 220mm ground clearance.Access to the driver's seat is an issue for taller drivers due to the high seat/low roofline.Freelander is different from the rest, has a great pedigree and is all the better for the turbo diesel engine.