Land Rover Freelander 2 4×4 (2006 – ) expert review

The Land Rover Freelander 2 is bigger than its predecessor, and it looks stockier as well. But it’s still small enough to feel at home on city streets and in car parks. Parking is surprisingly easy, thanks to good visibility out of the cabin and large side mirrors. We liked the striking front grille, wheel arch air vents and spare-wheel-free tailgate.

It’s the baby in Land Rover’s range, but the Freelander 2’s cabin is light and airy and the driving position is elevated enough to see over most other traffic. There are lots of buttons on the dashboard, but they are logically laid out and easy to use – they’re large enough to use easily, even wearing a pair of gloves. The plastics are good quality and everything shuts with a satisfying clunk.

The front occupant cabin space is excellent, but rear passengers have only just enough legroom. The three-seat rear bench is raised up to give passengers a better view. The boot is some way ahead of its rivals, with 755 litres of space compared with just 540 for the Audi Q5 and 480 in the BMW X3. Well designed touches include tough rubber mats which should protect the carpet, and a plentiful number of large cubby holes and drinks holders.

Driving enjoyment isn’t something normally associated with 4×4s, but there are plenty of cars which are less fun to drive than a Freelander 2. Its steering is pleasingly accurate and well-weighted and the suspension is taught, without being uncomfortable. There’s hardly any wallow in bends and within its limits the its surprisingly rewarding to drive. Off-road the Freelander 2 is good enough to get you anywhere you need to go. All models above the basic S trim get a simple knob on the central console which optimises the vehicle for the various terrains you are most likely to encounter.

It’s the cleanest Land Rover ever built, and it’s also far from being the slowest. Its 158bhp 2.2-litre diesel engine also packs 295lb/ft, so acceleration from 0-60mph is a brisk 10.9 seconds. It feels even quicker on the road, and you’ll rarely want for more performance. The engine is particularly quiet, and it revs sweetly around the dial.

The biggest hurdle to the Freelander 2 TD4e’s running costs is its high initial price. Our range-topping HSE test car costs over £30k, although it’s possible to get a more modestly-specced car for £21,295 with the same engine.

This compares favourably with the BMW X3, Audi Q5 and Volvo X60 but makes it considerably more expensive than soft roaders like the Ford Kuga and Volkswagen Tiguan. Fuel and emissions savings are good for the wallet, and this Freelander averages a respectable 42.2mpg while emitting 179g/km – similar figures to a family saloon.

The first Freelander had plenty of reliability woes, but the new one looks to be much better. After trawling owners’ forums, we found no stories of faults with the new model.

The Freelander 2 received the full five-stars for occupant protection in Euro NCAP crash testing. The only blot is a one-star score for pedestrian safety – 4×4s are intrinsically more dangerous in collisions with humans.

The base-level S model has keyless ignition, eight-speaker stereo with MP3 connectivity, alloy wheels and air-con. Top-of-the-range HSE models are pricey but luxurious with leather seats, touch screen satellite-nav, Bluetooth connection and 18-inch alloy wheels.

You might be concerned the least-polluting Land Rover ever would be having something of an identity crisis, but fear not; the Freelander 2 is everything a 4×4 with the green and gold badge should be. It’s great off-road, satisfying to drive and rewarding to own – with less of the guilt. Visit the Land Rover website now for more information on the Land Rover Freelander 2.