2007 Land Rover Freelander 2 Reviews

Graham Smith road tests and reviews the 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 Land Rover Freelander 2 as a used buy.

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.

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....   

Land Rover's baby Freelander is all grown-up now, much more a younger brother to the Discovery and Range Rover than a try-hard orphan.The first Freelander had its moments, a good-looking and compact SUV. Later versions had better engines and transmissions.Yet there were some build issues, cabin ergonomics were not always great and that first Freelander, for the price, was uncompetitive against any number of rivals.This time around the Freelander has moved on and up. It is now quite an endearing, comfortable and capable machine in both diesel and petrol forms. It is now worth being seen as a mini-Range Rover, a rival for the likes of BMW's X3.Prices start at a respectable $49,990 for a petrol-engined SE, moving through four models to $57,990 for a diesel-engined HSE Freelander.There are many parts of the package that impress; both engines are quick and keen, the six-speed automatic transmission a little gem and the ride belies the size of the machine.Downsides include solid fuel consumption from the 3.2 litre petrol engine when pushed and, in some areas, a little too much fussiness.Appreciated is the dial-up terrain response button on the centre console. While the Freelander has no low range, this system does change engine and transmission responses plus adjust, where necessary, some of the electronic traction controls.Unlike the same system in the Discovery and Range Rover (both with low range plus more power and torque) this does not allow for foolproof four-wheel-driving.But it does help, switching from the road setting to say, mid and ruts, for better (if limited) creeping ability.Now if only this dial went a little further and automatically switched off all the Freelanders' buzzers and bells, seat belt warning, parking distance control warnings, key in ignition warnings.For there will be times when crossing paddocks, opening gates or shifting tree limbs from overgrown forest tracks where a driver may be in and out of the vehicle a bit, may be moving forward five metres without a seatbelt.And while on the little gripes (and Land Rover's not on its Pat Malone here) can we please have a remote-controlled key fob where it doesn't take a high-powered torch to work out in the dark which is unlock, which is lock and which is tailgate release.Having said that, Freelander does this cute business of folding in its mirrors when its locked up and lighting up the doors when reopened.And there are quite a few little gadgets to like, a reasonable amount of creature comforts and conveniences. Interior space is not huge but the driver and front passenger are well accommodated, armrests for both. This time tall drivers can see below the top of the windscreen.Despite a little extra length, the rear cargo space needs careful packing and the rear seat may not suit bigger adults over a long distance.There is more to Freelander 2 than a luxury interior, one now has more hints of the bigger Land Rover's interior design.There is now a better ride, better handling and more refinement to help distinguish the British product from the rest of the class.Maybe the initial steering feel could have more meat but once turned in the Freelander is an agile machine, pushed along easy over a mountain road or down a dirt track.Most torque is fed to the front wheels in normal driving but the torque balance is adujsted continuously to ensure traction when the tar runs out or turns slippery.And so the baby Land Rover can be pushed along with confidence, helped by the eagerness of both engines and that slick six-speed automatic.The four-cylinder diesel is smart and, with 118kW and maximum torque of 400Nm at 2000rpm, very handy when attacking hills; the six-cylinder petrol runs out like a rally engine.The Freelander 2 rides with authority, it is well damped for roads through the back-blocks and able to tackle big lumps without upsetting handling or grip. It rides like a bigger machine, more like a Range Rover than some compact rivals.At the end of the track the Land Rover Freelander 2 may not get that much further through rough-and-tumble four-wheel-drive country but it is a nicer machine than most for getting to that track.It is also has a full-sized spare and would appear to be better bolted together than its predecessor.This is a fine, grown-up compact with the only question still to be answered is who will own Land Rover if Ford decides to sell? And will that harm Land Rover's recent progress? 

Forget everything you ever heard about Land Rover's littlest child, the Freelander. The misbegotten, ill-mannered brat that arrived in Australia in 1998 — and spent the next decade throwing tantrums, sulking and shedding its clothes and toys in a trail behind it — is gone. Not even sent just somewhere to learn manners and dress sense, but locked away in its room forever, never to be seen in polite company again.The compact off-roader had been successful overseas — it sold about 500,000 globally over its life span — but sensibly, we never really took to it down here, and it eventually evaporated from our showroom floors.In its place, Land Rover has spawned a much better heir, with DNA from its Volvo and Ford stablemates, and some etiquette and lessons in facts of life from its bigger sibling, the Discovery 3 and Range Rover Sport.Starting with a completely blank sheet, the Freelander 2 delivers what the first never did — a well-balanced package that's equally at home on and off road, with a premium fit-out and a good whack of the latest technology.It arrives with only a five door body, but with the choice of two engines, both mated as standard to a six-speed automatic with simulated manual mode. The $49,990 petrol version is a new 3.2-litre transversely mounted inline six developing 171kW and 317Nm, with claimed performance of 0-100km/h in 8.9 seconds and consumption of 11.2L/100km.The $51,990 oilburner, borrowed from Volvo's XC90, is a terrific direct injection 2.2-litre turbodiesel that pumps out 118kW and a chunky 400Nm, using 7.5L/100km and getting to 100km/h in 11.7 seconds, and has a manual transmission as an option.But in either of them, just about everything inside and out now looks like quality, and like it actually belongs in the Landy line.While there are still faint hints of the first Freelander's stepped roof and `clamshell' bonnet, the body's strong lines and bold shape more closely echo the popular Disco, with a similarly brawny grille and a much more coherent overall design.Even at the base SE trim level, the interior feels upmarket, with excellent embossing and feel to surface plastics, set off by subtle metallised accents on steering wheel, air vents and centre console and a few clever touches like the special CD-case slot in the glovebox.Standard equipment includes a multifunction steering wheel, 17" alloys (with full-sized spare), six-stacker audio system, dual-zone airconditioning, rain-sensing wipers, rear park control and the seven airbags that have helped it to a five star crash rating for occupant protection.And at $7000 more with either drivetrain, the HSE is a handsome thing, with a well-fitted leather wardrobe, 18" alloys, bi-xenon headlights, upgraded audio with extra speakers, memory settings for seats and mirrors and a general air of luxury all round. There's also the option of a Technology Pack for $6890 that adds touchscreen DVD satnav,The only grumble we had was a small squeak that appeared after about an hour of driving. But when we tracked this down to a bit of friction where the audio system was set into the dash, a sharp admonitory tap silenced it for the rest of the drive — a lot of which involved off-road stresses.The powered seats offer great lumbar support and with tilt and reach steering adjustment, the driver has no trouble finding a comfortable position. Freelander 2 is bigger as well, with a noticeably wider track and more shoulder room. Although even the extra length still leaves taller rear passengers with their knees touching the front. But at least the kneecaps will be lightly brushing, rather than banging, with the Freelander's new-found composure due to a focus on technology aimed at offering the best possible drive in any situation.Key to this is a rock-solid body sitting on a compliant suspension that allows a fair bit of travel but is stiff enough to prevent too much wallowing on bitumen. On this base, Landy has added a brilliant terrain response system, with four settings — general driving; grass/gravel/snow; mud and ruts; and sand — that take over where your skill set might be lacking.The intelligent full-time four-wheel drive system that uses Haldex centre coupling technology to continuously adjust the torque between front and rear, ranging from a minimal amount in normal driving to almost all being fed to the rear when things gets gnarly under there.Traction and stability controls, including a gyroscope-based roll prevention system and hill descent and gradient release control that `walk' you down tough slopes , work on the hefty anchors (316mm on the petrol version and 300mm on the diesel) to keep you as composed as possible. What all that means on the road — and off — is that no matter what you throw at the Freelander, it's pretty well up to the challenge.Scooting around hilly bitumen and gravel at enthusiastic speeds, the vehicle offers a smooth, car-like ride in the general mode, and had impressive poise, although while the steering responds quickly, there's a remote feel to it. And after a couple of hundred kilometres of this, we still posted 9.6L/100km in the diesel.But the real fun came in several rounds over an off-road course, where the Freelander never faltered. Up and down the steepest of slopes, and through sections of slime or ruts deep enough to lose sight of a herd a cattle, the vehicle made even the least competent — and that would be me, folks — look like a professional dirt dueller.Equally impressive was a test where, stopped over huge humps with one wheel high in the air — a stance guaranteed to reveal any sign of body flex or drop — you could open and close the doors without any problems. We went over the course several times with both drivetrains, and have to say that while the petrol handled it easily, the diesel did it effortlessly.Land Rover says they benchmarked Freelander 2 against the BMW X3, which has had a monopoly on the premium compact SUV segment until now. There is more competition on the way from Mercedes, Audi and Land Rover's own partner, Volvo. But for now, the Freelander itself will be keeping BMW on its toes, especially with off-road abilities that best the X3 and a price that shaves it by close to $20,000.

Land Rover's Freelander 2 is nothing like the original.That's a good thing because it was something of a problem child.We hear those people who bought one are actually quite fond of them but, unfortunately, we don't share those sentiments.The first Freelander lacked any real off-road ability and was, for the most part, under-powered while the interior decor incorporated plenty of nasty hard plastic.It's no wonder then that when it came to the replacement, Land Rover's designers decided to scrap the whole thing and start with a clean slate.Freelander 2 is new from the ground up with no carry over parts from the original, apart from design cues like the clam shell bonnet.Even the badge adorning the front radiator grille has been changed.If anything, Freelander 2 looks more like a mini Range Rover than its predecessor with its neat, square but rather conservative styling.That fits well with Land Rover's plans for the car because it has tried to take it up-market to compete in what it describes as the 'emerging' premium compact off-road segment.Until now BMW's X3 has had the running almost to itself, but as well as the new Freelander there are several more competitors to come in the near future.Prices for the new model start at $49,990 and it's a rather impressive debut.That figure gets you a 3.2-litre six-cylinder Volvo engine, six-speed automatic, leather upholstery, climate air conditioning and a long list of standard gear.There is a fuel-saving 2.2-litre Peugeot diesel but it has a $2000 premium.Both versions are fitted with the Japanese Aisin auto, which includes a manual change mode.Although a six-speed manual is offered with the diesel overseas, we will not be getting it here.Land Rover is not saying how much it has spent on Freelander's development, but it produced 150 prototypes in a 30-month period that it tested over four continents.We were invited to test both petrol and diesel versions of the five-seat wagon in the back lots of  Gold Coast this week.It was slightly larger in all dimensions than the previous model and this is particularly noticeable inside where driver and passenger are no longer rubbing shoulders.There is slightly more rear leg room and the boot capacity has increased, although some load space has obviously been sacrificed for a full-size spare which sits under the floor.On the road the new Freelander offers a refined ride, with a little body roll at low speeds but can be driven hard with confidence over dirt or bitumen roads.Predominantly front-wheel drive, the all-wheel drive system automatically sends power to the rear wheels as needed.We were particularly impressed with the strong performance offered by the in-line six, with 171kW of power and 317Nm of torque.It has a nice rasp under hard acceleration and sprints from 0-100km/h in 8.9 seconds, with fuel consumption rated at 11.2 litres/100km.However, the diesel remains the more practical alternative with 118kW of power and 400Nm of torque as it delivers 8.5 litres/100km.It is expected to account for up to 65 per cent of sales.Off-road the new Freelander has plenty of electronic aids to compensate for the lack of low range gearing. Ground clearance is 210mm and the vehicle has a wading depth of 500mm, with dial in 'terrain response' to suit a variety of driving conditions - just like the Discovery and Ranger Rover.The Freelander comes with seven airbags including a knee bolster, it was also awarded a maximum five stars in Australian crash safety tests.