Model tested: Land Rover Freelander 2 HSE TD4
Price: £30,960
Date tested: July 2007
Road tester: Stuart Milne

Overall rating: 82%
Land Rover is synonymous with rugged off road ability but today's buyer demands more comfort, on-road ability and better fuel economy – which is where the Freelander steps in.

1. Looks
The Freelander is immediately identifiable as a baby Land Rover, but styling cues like its twin-unit headlights, bulbous snout and vents in the wings move things along nicely.
8/10

2. Looks inside
The cabin owes plenty to the Freelander's bigger brothers. The interior is high quality and chunky while the centre console is festooned with buttons to control the audio, telephone, sat-nav and heating systems.
8/10

3. Practicality
The electrically-operated seats are supremely comfortable, there's ample leg, shoulder and head room in the front, but rear space is slightly disappointing for such a big vehicle. Boot space is 755 litres, which is less than some of its rivals.
7/10

4. Ride and Handling
On the road the Freelander feels as composed as some saloons, soaking up bumps with ease while bodyroll is minimal, but the steering becomes vague at speed.
8/10

5. Performance
The 2.2-litre turbodiesel offers a remarkable turn of speed, particularly through the gears. It covers 0-62mph in 10.2 seconds, before hitting 112mph, thanks to 295lb/ft of torque and 158bhp. The engine is refined, even at high speeds.
8/10

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6. Running Costs
At more than £30,000, our Freelander didn't come cheap; a mid-range Freelander is around the same price as an entry-level Discovery. We managed to return just over 33mpg – 4mpg less than the official figure. Annual road tax is £205 thanks to 194g/km of CO2, while insurance is group 13.
7/10

7. Reliability
Reports so far indicate this second-generation Freelander to be largely fault-free. It feels like a solid piece of kit, and we could see no cause for concern on our low-mileage test car.
8/10

8. Safety
The Freelander scored five stars in EuroNCAP crash tests, and four stars for child protection. All models feature seven airbags, an intelligent four-wheel drive system while all except the entry-level model gets a Terrain Response system which optimises traction depending on the road conditions.
10/10

9. Equipment
All models have alloy wheels, air conditioning and a CD player, while our range-topping HSE featured leather seats, a touch-screen sat-nav with integrated telephone, an Alpine stereo with 12 speakers and 18-inch alloy wheels as standard.
9/10

10. X-Factor
The little Land Rover might not offer ultimate luxury like the big Range Rover or amazing off-road ability like the Defender. But the Freelander is a sensible choice for townies who occasionally need to traverse fields. It should make an excellent towcar too.
9/10