Land Rover Freelander: great to drive on and offroad (From Hereford Times)

Land Rover Freelander: great to drive on and offroad

8:00am Saturday 30th July 2011 in Road Tests

WITH running costs a priority, motorists need to check mpg and CO2 emissions carefully before they buy.

This is especially true of the bigger 4x4s which can prove costly to run and maintain unless you have a particular chore in mind for the vehicle.

However, the new breed of compact SUVs with off-road ability is selling well because they offer affordable running costs. And heading this expanding class is Land Rover’s Freelander which in its latest guise is a big improvement over the old model.

The Freelander 2 feels like a mini Discovery – the Freelander’s bigger sibling – with high levels of engineering refinement and equipment that allow the vehicle to drive like an executive car on the road and perform with considerable ability off it. You get the best of both worlds.

To make the Freelander more appealing, Land Rover has been concentrating on improving economy and this includes the introduction of a two-wheeldrive option and start-stop technology with the manual gearbox.

The company has certainly lowered running costs and with or without the start/stop system all the 2.2-litre turbo diesel motors return respectable combined figures of between 40.4mpg and 47.2mpg which is good for such a versatile vehicle.

However, the Freelander is pricey, with on-the-road costs ranging from £21,995 to £36,245, but in fairness the cars are well specified and Land Rover’s brand culture and desirable image keep resale values strong.

For maximum economy choose the eco-friendly eD4 model with the start/stop technology and a CO2 emission figure of 158.

But for more oomph and more luxurious travel the HSE specification with 190ps on tap is the one to have. It is beautifully built inside and out.

With plenty of adjustment from the electric memory seats, the HSE gives a comfortable and relaxing ride and the driver’s commanding position gives a sense of security as well as an excellent view of oncoming traffic.

There is plenty of muscular performance available from the motor with acceleration of 0-62mph in 8.7 seconds which matches some of the more powerful saloon cars. And there is ample and smooth mid-range acceleration for fast overtaking together with excellent on-road composure.

Off-road the Freelander is surprisingly capable considering it doesn’t have the very low ratio gears sported by the bigger 4x4s such as the Discovery and Range Rover. But it can tackle steep and muddy slopes without drama and the excellent Terrain Response system with settings for different surfaces works very effectively and is like having an expert in the cab when the going gets tough.

The Freelander’s shape remains fairly traditional but is does look upmarket and the interior is now classier than ever with the HSE trim including leather upholstery, chunky switchgear borrowed from the Discovery and an excellent layout with touch-screen sat nav and the latest in electronic wizardry.

The cabin – a huge improvement on the old model – is spacious, too, and the rear will accommodate three adults but with little room to spare. The boot on the new model is a decent size and with the rear seats folded there is a large cargo area.

AT-A-GLANCE

Land Rover Freelander 2.2-litre SD4 190PS HSE automatic.

Price: £36,245 (on the road).

Top speed: 118mph.

0-62mph: 8.7 seconds.

Fuel: 40.7mpg (combined figure).

C02 emissions (g/km): 185.

Verdict: Great to drive on and offroad, versatile, wealth of equipment, excellent build quality, expensive to buy but affordable to run and worth the cash.