Land Rover Freelander Petrol 1997-2003

The Land Rover Freelander works exceptionally well both on the road and on the rough surfaces compared to the other models in its class. It is both comfortable and handles well with the constant four-wheel drive helping to keep the Freelander on the road even in the worst weather conditions. The Freelander comes in a variety of models which include a 5 door station wagon, a 3 door hard top or soft top.

Pros and Cons:

• Good off road capability
  Handles well on the road

• Questionable reliability
  Petrol engines are thirsty

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Exterior and Interior

The Freelander is an excellent option to be used as family transport with the back seat being large enough for three people to sit comfortably and there is plenty of room in the front for the driver and front seat passenger. The boot is a good size being the largest in its class and with the added bonus of the rear seats being able to fold down increasing the space further. The rear door also comes with a drop-down window which makes loading easier if you just want to pop in small items as well as helping to ventilate the car better on longer drives. The interior is well styled with all the switches and buttons feeling solid and rugged which is in keeping with the rest of the vehicle. There are plenty of trims levels and options to choose from so you should be able to find a Freelander that will suit your style and needs.

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Engines

There are four engines available on the Freelander which are split as evenly between two petrol and two diesel varieties. The petrol engines comes in the form of a 1.8-litre and a 2.5-litre V6. The diesel engines come in the form of two 2.0-litre engines with the first one being introduced when the Freelander was launched and was labeled the 2.0 Di. The second engine replaced the Di in 2001 and uses the BMW sourced TD4 turbo diesel engine that is more powerful, fuel efficient and reliable.

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Performance and Economy

The entry level 1.8-litre petrol engine is the most popular engine around and feels energetic but isn't very fuel efficient only managing 27mpg and is noisy at higher speeds. The 2.5-litre V6 isn't really worth considering as it's not that much quicker than the 1.8, the standard automatic gearbox also hampers its performance being sluggish and clunky and only manages 22mpg which is the worst in the range. The 2.0-litre diesels are by far the best with the newer TD4 engine introduced in 2001 being the better engine with improved economy managing 36mpg and it feels very refined giving loads of power which proves useful when driving off road. The permanent four wheel drive really helps the handling of the vehicle and with the 40cm wading depth it is great off road too. The lack of low range gears does let it down a little bit so it is unable to tackle all the obstacles that a Defender could tackle, but compared to its rivals it is miles ahead. The Freelander also isn't too expensive to insure as it will cost about the same as its rivals.

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What it's like to Drive

With the Freelander's permanent four-wheel drive the handling is good no matter what surface or terrain you are driving on, feeling just as at home on tarmac as off road. It does feel more like a 4x4 on the road than a normal car, especially when it gets to the corners where it leans a lot if they're taken at speed. The turning circle isn't very good either making parking a bit of an ordeal in tighter car parks. The driving position is good though, offering a commanding view of the road ahead and good all round visibility. The drivers' seat isn't height adjustable so some drivers might find it hard to find a comfortable driving position. The steering column is adjustable though which should go some way to relieving this problem.

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Faults and Repairs

In the 1.8-litre engine the most common problem is blown head gaskets which are due to the coolant level dropping too low. All the other engines though have proven to be extremely reliable. The other most common problems are with the suspension, the manual gearbox, rear differential and electrics. However, most of these problems were corrected in a facelift of the Freelander in 2002 which also now came with a passenger airbag as standard and ABS brakes. Using a Land Rover garage will cost a lot for repairs and services so it would be a good idea to find a specialist in your area that should offer cheaper hourly labour rates.

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