2009 Land Rover FreeLander 2 Review
January 9, 2009 by Alborz Fallah
2009 Land Rover FreeLander 2 Review & Road Test
Models tested:
- 2009 Land Rover FreeLander 2, six-speed automatic, 2.2-litre, turbo-diesel – $57,990
The price, looks, interior, very comfortable and easy to live with
Options list a little pricey,
CarAdvice rating: 
Why is that when you mention the words Land Rover, so many four-wheel-drive lovers start making jokes about how it will fall apart in three days and how their Japanese made 4WDs are simply better.
Excuse me, but Land Rover has been making proper 4WDs for longer than anyone really cares to remember. It was back in 1948 that the company built its first off-roader, 60 years on and while the Defender still looks pretty much the same, the over all Land Rover image has softened somewhat and nearly all its other models are city-friendly whilst maintaining the Land Rover heritage.
The FreeLander has been around for more than a decade but the FreeLander 2 has brought the range into a new light.
Something I do often is pick up a car avoiding at all costs knowing how much it costs, this lets me assess the car for a few days before looking at the price. This way I can see if my “what-it’s-worth” test matches the manufacturer’s.
So here I was driving around in the top of the range, optioned out FreeLander 2 HSE and you know what? I valued it at about $90,00, while it only actually costs $57,990 (plus options).
Even with the $12,000 or so worth of options, you’d have to be mad to think the package is over priced at $58-grand. The interior and exterior design substantially increase the appeal of the FreeLander 2. I asked all my passengers during the week how much they thought the car was worth and not a single one guessed under $70,000.
But nearly all of them also said “So has it broken down yet?” No, it hasn’t. No doubt one week is no where near sufficient to see if a car is going to be reliable but I’ve spent the past few weeks talking to FreeLander 2 owners on forums and even randomly in shopping centre car parks, the consensus is, the unreliability days are over.
Much like how some still believe Hyundai make unreliable cars, or how Kia engines will fail, or how driving a Volvo will give you ‘borington’ disease, the Land Rover reliability issues are a thing of the past.
The FreeLander 2 is designed and engineered by Land Rover at Gaydon (right next to Aston Martin) but is built at the Halewood plant in Liverpool. The same plant that was acknowledged with a JD Power European plant quality gold award in 2005.
Of course we are going to prove this reliability issue via other means, Anthony will be conducting a long-term test of the FreeLander 2 come February.
Meanwhile, the other problem I faced with the FreeLander 2 was that no one believed it was actually a proper 4WD. Sure it has no low-range but for what it’s built for, it’s pretty darn good. It utilises a full-time four-wheel-drive system with a Haldex rear axle differential.
Bags were packed, people were informed and to test my theory I decided 4WDing on the beach would be a good challenge. Once again, the jokes started.
I had one of the first Freelanders a 98 or 99. 2l Turbo Diesel. Was the best car I have ever owned. Yes it had some problems but they were minor and lets face it every car has issues. There has not been another car that has equalled that Freelander for comfort, drivability or fuel consumption. Best 21st gift I got myself. While it certainly couldnt compare on the beach to my Patrol it certainly could go far more places then anybody gave it credit for. More places then my sister in laws xtrail thats for sure! I am now looking to get out of my TI Patrol and am going back to the Freelander. They are a fantastic car!
Following Bret’s request for info on the pulling power of the FL2…can anyone update us on how the FL2 copes with pulling 1.5 tonne or more?