2009 Land Rover FreeLander 2 Review

By Alborz Fallah | January 09th, 2009

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.

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As I was deflating the tyres numerous people asked if I was going to take “that toy” on the beach and whether or not I wanted their help when I got stuck.

It got to a point that I had turned down so many offers that I figured if I actually did get stuck, I was going to die on the beach to preserve my pride!

We began our assault on the beach, but with the car as clean as could be, it wasn’t exactly fitting in with the whole tough off-roader image.

The FreeLander 2 crossed the river surrounded by folks in Japanese 4WDs, most of who were looking at it as if it was about to somehow get stuck – while it was standing still! They all seemed to forget this thing has a 210mm ground clearance and wading depth of 500mm.

We disembarked the ferry and slowly made our way towards the beach. Following, of course, a Mitsubishi Pajero.

Before we began, sand mode was engaged, this is one of four modes (general driving – grass/gravel/snow – mud and ruts – sand) available for different terrain. Playing with the controls lets the computer work out the best way to distribute power and torque while controlling the traction systems.

Changing the mode affects the FreeLander 2′s dynamic stability control (DSC), hill descent control (HDC), electronic traction control and ABS systems as well.

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After a few tense moments and some deep sand pockets, the FreeLander 2 was free and roaming the beach.

The Pajero in front of us, one of the many 4WDs that offered to help when (not if) I got stuck, was now trying his hardest to pull away just to save face, which wasn’t going to happen. Guess I wasn’t going to be sleeping on the beach.

An hour of driving around the softest sand only built more confidence. At one stage the FreeLander 2 was essentially swimming and the satellite navigation was starting to freak out.

I’ll admit, with the sand sinking, there were a few ‘moments’ were I was looking at my phone wondering if I had to make the ‘call’ but never fear the FreeLander 2 pulled through without any issues.

It’s hard not to like the FreeLander 2 as a great fun SUV. The chassis is very rigid and stiff. There is limited body roll thanks to its monocoque construction as well as the use of ultra-high-strength steel (used more extensively in the FreeLander 2 than in any previous Land Rover).

It’s brilliant around town and although it probably won’t cross the Simpson desert, oh wait, yes it will.

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Step inside and you’ll be amazed just how much room there is. Beautiful white leather all around with a massive panoramic sunroof mixed in with the open air ambience of the car’s interior will win you over.

Even though it’s only 50mm longer than its predecessor, the Freelander 2 has significantly more head, shoulder and legroom, in both the front and rear. The rear seats are even elevated (like a cinema) so the rear passengers get a better view.

We drove 300 kilometres to the beach with five adults in the car and the only complaint was the rear headrests were hard to adjust.

This FreeLander 2 was fitted with the technology pack option ($7890) which meant an Alpine, Dolby Prologic II 7.1 surround sound, 12x40W amplifier, subwoofer and 13 speaker sound system. Put simply, it’s brilliant. Of course you also get full colour DVD satellite navigation (a little annoying at times), adaptive bi-Xenon headlights and Bluetooth telephone integration. For almost $8000 it seems just a little too expensive.

My test car was powered by a 2.2-litre, turbo-diesel engine that manages 118kW at 4000rpm and 400Nm at 2000rpm. The diesel engine coupled with a six-speed automatic results in a not-so-impressive 0-100km/h of 11.2 seconds. However when it comes to pulling up hills or just driving around town, it doesn’t really feel inadequate.

Official fuel consumption figures are 8.5 litres per 100km but given the amount of highway driving, the test vehicle managed an impressive 8.3L/100km carrying five adults.

It’s also worth mentioning just how good the FreeLander 2 actually looks. Just look at it.

It’s beautiful, it’s aggressive yet not over the top, it’s chiselled but still handsome and riding on 19-inch shadow chrome alloy wheels (part of the premium pack option for the HSE) can’t hurt either.

Having finished the photo-shoot on the beach we drove back the longest possible way, making sure every Japanese 4WD owner could see that the FreeLander 2 had earned its glory. “You made it? I am impressed” said Mr Pajero.

If you’re thinking about buying a European built, semi-large city-friendly SUV with proven 4WD capabilities, it’s hard to go past the FreeLander 2. Even the chaps on TopGear (the UK one, not the horrid Australian one) gave the FreeLander 2 the title of “SUV of the year”.

The original FreeLander seems almost dwarfed by the size of the new one and as a result the FreeLander 2 is a great option for small families or young couples looking for a great all-around luxury vehicle, at a reasonable price.

CarAdvice overall rating:
How does it drive:
How does it look:
How does it go:

Engine: 2.2-litre TD4 turbo-diesel
Power: 118kW
Torque: 400Nm
Top speed: N/A
Safety: Seven airbags Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, Emergency Brake Assist and Corner Brake Control Roll Stability Control system
0-100km/h: 11.2secs
EuroNCAP rating: Five stars
Turning circle: 11.4 metres
Fuel tank: 68-litres
Fuel consumption : 8.5L/100km
Fuel type: Diesel

Cupid Stunt

Should sort the sceptics out. Yes its not a full bore 4wd before making stupid comments, its a softy roady.
Jimbo

LOL “Borington Disease” I am going to steal this one and use it myself.

Great article, a beautiful small 4WD(it can be called that now) that is just ever so slightly out of my price range. Oh well if I am so inclined I’m sure there will be second hand ones nocking about in a few years time.
David

I totally agree that the Freelander 2 is a beautiful car to drive. The ergonomics of the driving position are equal to that of cars twice the price, and it feels a lot more solid than most of the Japanese “soft-roaders”, but I don’t think you can claim that it has overcome reliability issues. After extensive research when I was looking at buying one, I discovered that the first two people I spoke to about them had both had MAJOR issues from new, including auto-trannie issues, and an electrical fault in the wiring which lit up the warning system on the dash like a X-Mas tree. The other thing which seems to always be overlooked until you sign on the dotted line is that of servicing costs. A minor service where an apprentice drops the oil and tops up your wiper fluid is $400… That’s when I left the showroom and headed down to VW for a Tiguan.. (Which i am rapt with now that I have it.. after the waiting list fiasco. It’s not perfect but then again no car ever is!?!). The Freelander is a nice car, but still has a lot to prove before it should be given a clean bill of health.
Frontman

I always laugh when people say that Land Rovers aren’t good, I f this was the case how come they are the most widely used defence vehilce (including UN).
Good article pleasent informative read.
Rod

Having owned a 1999 Freelander for over 3 years now I have had so many people ask me how much its cost me. Well it cost me regular services, an muffler and a heater switch. I go everywhere in it and its never let me down & its done over 200,000 k’s. I’d buy another one in a heartbeat.
Alan

As for as reliability goes, Land Rover has always being near the bottom of reliability survey. And people saying that it’s reliable enough for defence vehicle need to remember that they generally use Defender for that purpose, which is an old fashioned but rugged vehicle built to last. More modern Land Rover has more eletronics that can cause reliability problems.

As for the freelander 2, it is much improved in quality, but i think it’s rather expensive for a compact off roader, and people buying a car in this class and price will have cost high on their list of considerations.
Sam

Nice car, but I still don’t see the value at 60k. I would prefer a Grand Vitara or an X-trail for around half that money.
David

Frontman, an article on Caradvice on the 30th January 07 had results of a reliability survey conducted by a warranty company, whereby all issues relating to faults were collated, and Landrover came 2nd last.. 44.21% of Landrovers were captured as having faults requiring warranty claims… Now that doesn’t sound like a reliable brand to me.
I seem to recall that Mazda was the best and most reliable, which is no surprise given the level of detail and expertise that the mjaority of Japanese cars seem to enjoy these days..
Richo

don’t forget also that when the Australian army used to buy landrovers, before they put them into action they would completely re-wire them and put isuzu engines in them, hence the reliability!

Land Rovers are just not reliable cars, there was a time when they where, but basically from the moment they introduced the range rover, then the discovery, and then worse still the freelander, they have been nothing but trouble! Ofcourse there are example out there of people who haven’t had problems, but they are far outweighed by people who do
MisterTwo

Alan/Sam. The Grand Vitara/X-Trail/RAV4/Forrester etc are not in the same class as the Freelander. Similar size yes, but not the same class. It is like saying the Calais V is in the same class as a BMW 550 as they are a similar size, or the Eclass Mercedes is in the same class as a Caprice. People in the market for a Freelander are looking to spend $60,000+, they don’t think “The X-trail is better I’ll buy that”. Like someone in the market for a $160,000 BMW doesn’t think “Calais V is a similar size, I’ll buy that instead”. If you are in the market for an X-Trail you are looking to spend $35,000 and wouldn’t even consider a Freelander as it is well outside budget.
Alex

MisterTwo is right, this car is not a Rav4/CRV competitor, it’s a Q5 and X3 competitor as it deserves to be. It’s also very good value when you do stack up the true competitors, the X3s starting price is thousands more than this car.

Richo, Land Rover have been quite reliable for the last few years at least. The Freelander is a very solid and reliable car and the Range Rover (2005 onwards) is also very reliable as is the Sport and the Discovery. They simply are reliable and it’s naive of you to think differently.

As for people spouting warranty claims, don’t forget that a warranty claim is often a broken button or something small. Just because somebody’s made a warranty claim it doesn’t mean their engines packed up.

My family has owned the best part of thirty Land Rovers over the years and no, they haven’t all been reliable but the majority have been. The five original Range Rovers we had worked perfectly for fifteen years and all the Defenders have been great. We had two second generation Range Rovers and they were wonderful, though we bought the underpowered diesel so they were a bit unimpressive. The Discovery was the worst, only one of six of those that we had never let us down (until the Discovery 3 which is excellent and yes, reliable). My mother had two original Freelanders and they were terrible but not even Land Rover tries to hide how unreliable and badly built that car was. Give them a break people, they are doing a good and convincing job of changing and it’s just idiots carrying around old stereotypes that’s stopping them.
Reckless1

I find this quite amusing, Alborz “I valued it at about $90,00, ”

You can’t seriously expect us to believe it would find happy buyers at $90,000 – that’s just plain ridiculous.

As for reliability, think historical Land Rover (meaning very poor), think Tata, and any other Indian car.

As for one person claiming to have a 1999 Freelander that has never had a problem, well, I suggest he contact Land Rover so they can start a Hall of Fame for their cars which have never broken down. They should pay top price for what may well be the only car in the exhibition.
John of Perth

I have to disagree with MisterTwo and Alex. In its native market it has a hard time keeping the Xtrail and dare I say it the Santa Fe at bay. These two vehicles have equivalent if not better build quality than the Freelander.

Having said that I was very interested in the Freelander 2 but hell why did the importers drop the manual diesel version? I drove the auto while very good did not satisfy (as no auto can) the ‘driver’ in me. I also prefer a manual offroad – trickier but less stress on the drivetrain particularly in hot, extended runs.

I also tested the Tiguan in manual diesel version but it was really no bigger than a slightly stretched Golf (I have a Bora V6 too).

I finally settled on the Xtrail Ti in manual diesel with its powerful Renault engine and a 6spd gearbox to boot. Ok NIssan didn’t offer an integrated satnav so I dropped one in. I have done 15000km in it and like this review a lot of beach and gravel work and the vehicle is sublime. It also has a full size spare – does the Freelander have one in either spec?

In this price range, build quality has imperceptible differences though I am more willing to err on the side of Nissan than Landrover for resale purposes.

In my off road travels I have never seen any X3/5′s, or for that matter even Discovery 3′s. Where are you guys!! Too afraid to scratch the paintwork I suspect.
David

Alex, you made some good points (until you called people with all of the facts on the car, and not just a biased view of owners “idiots”), but I believe that anything which means you cannot drive the car because it is getting fixed means that it is unreliable.. It does not confine itself to the engine blowing up, as that is extremely rare these days in any make of new car. If a switch breaks it means that it is not well made, and i am afraid that is what you have got there. Let’s not forget, the Freelander 2 is a lovely car and drives (in my opinion) better than almost all within the small 4WD category, but to think that it is free of niggles and unreliable build quality will leave it floundering behind many of the other cheaper cars. I also think it funny that Alborz could spout it worthy of a $90k car… If that’s so Alborz, do you want to buy my 2nd hand Passat for $75k.. it’s a nice car.
Andrew

I have had one for 12 months and 21000 km and take it off road when ever I can. Not just for the fun of it but more to get to a good camping spot or as you have done here along the beach. You do get a few looks from other 4WD owners and it probably makes you more careful as you don’t want to get stuck. One such comment over the holiday break was “So you got down here with that did you?”. Well I sure didn’t get it flown in now did I?

The car for me has proven reliable although has needed a new power steering pump. I’m not sure how this compares to other makes but I’m sure LR don’t make it themselves so I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt. To their credit they replaced the rack too as they were concerned the pump failure may cause foreign material from it to harm the rack later down the track.

Off road it is not as capable as a proper Land Rover as it does not have the ground clearance. An important thing to note is that the fuel tank is of particularly bad design. If you are pushing the ramp over angle it’ll be the first thing to catch. Due to the bracket holding the tank if you need to reverse out of mud it acts like a shovel forces dirt between it and the tank forcing the plastic tank up and the bracket down. However after market guards are available although at a high cost. Another poor choice in my view is the tyres, the stock Goodyear Wranglers have side walls made of paper. I have punctured one and the others have cuts that probably make them illegal, some more suitable ATs will go on shortly.

Overall though I love driving the car, for me it is a good compromise between city car and getting to that great camping spot on the weekend. I also tow a ton around on a semi regular basis and it does this with no complaints at all. You can’t complain with the fuel consumption either, I recently did 2300 km with the car fully loaded including the roof. It was mostly highway but had about 300 km of dirt and 50 km of more careful driving. It returned 8.2L/100 for the trip.

Jim

Pretty much the same experience here. My FL2 also needed a new power steering pump at the one-year inspection. I also managed to punctuate one of the tyres within the first year. Otherwise no complaints. I am happy with the LR service. Fuel consumption averages to 8.8L/100km including 90% city commuting. Probably would buy it again.

Sam

Like I said, I’m sure its a great car. I disagree with the idea that someone who buys a Grand Vitara or an X-trail wouldnt consider or couldnt afford a Land Rover. Its a matter of perceived value for money. I think this Land Rover is too expensive and a 30k Vitara is my case in point.
Just because 2 cars might technically be in a different ‘Class’ doens’t mean they cant be compared.
http://www.caradvice.com.au/ alborz

Sam, the Freelander is a WHOLE other car, the interior of the FreeLander 2 HSE (tested here) makes the car appear far more expensive than it is. It’s beautifully put together. I can’t comment on reliability issues, only that I asked owners and researched online and although there are some that have minor issues, there is none of that “it will be useless in 3 yrs”

it’s worth noting that all makes and models have some issues. The Japanese advantage is their electronics. It’s simply just brilliant and Europeans suffer in that category. But on the whole, Land Rover’s reliability is definitely on the way up.
Andrew

Sam, the Xtrail and Vitara don’t compare. The Xtrail has lower ground clearance, towing ability and worse departure and approach angles. The 4WD system is also not by Haldex, there’s a reason Bugatti put it in their Veyron. The Haldex system in the FL2 will put power to the rear from standstill depending on the mode it’s in. The other systems wait for slip to occur. Gradient release control is another feature of the FL2, if stopped on a steep slope the system will gradually release brakes when you take your foot off them thus making a safer start to your decent.

The Suzuki is again a lesser car but you expect this for the price difference. It again has lower ground clearance, lower towing and worse approach and departure angles. Tow ball down weight is only 85kg which is quite low. The FL2 is 150kg.

This is all without going into drive trains. The Vitara has 300Nm, the Xtrail 360Nm, the FL2 400Nm. The FL2 also has terrain response none of which the others offer.

You think the FL2 is too expensive then that is fine and I’m not saying the Xtrail or Vitara are bad cars just that when you start laying the specs down on paper and you do get more for the increased asking price.

CarlMc

Andrew,you must do your research
Subaru 220 clearence
Challenger 220 ”
Freelander 210 ”
Jeep 204
Santa Fe 203
Suzuki 200
Captiva 200
X-Trail 200
Tiguan 195
Skoda Sct 170
Maz.CX7 170

So basically we are talking about 10mm difference at kerb weight,empty tanks and storage. You say the Freelander is not for off-road work because of clearence,what would you consider clearence for off road abilities. All these SUV’s above can go off road but should avoid 4WD tracks unless equipped to handle those situations which need lower-gearing as with Challenger and Suzuki and Forester,they are all beach-buggies and forest trails SUV’s.

The FL2 is 4WD full-time which is a bit different to AWD or P/T 4WD but the FL2 still don’t have low gear for 4WD driving, which the above 3 do

Sam

I understand all that, what I am saying is that, to me, it doesn’t represent value when its twice as expensive as a car which is 90% as good.
Alex

But Sam, the X Trail and Vitara aren’t ninety percent as good. Maybe fifty or sixty percent but not ninety. The Freelander does that wonderful thing that only a Land Rover seems to be able to do properly, create a car that is wonderful off road and wonderful on road and still manages to be classy and stylish. The X Trail (updated) is simply the ugliest compact SUV on the market, I’m not saying it’s not capable (but even so…) but it is very ugly and no better than the Land Rover off road and really falls behind on road. The Grand Vitara is rather dismal on road and harsh off road. Obviously your view can’t be changed but as I said in a previous comment, in Australia (pricing is much different in the UK) this car is a Q5 competitor, not a cheap Japanese family SUV competitor. It’s so much better than that.
Alex

To John Of Perth, the reason why you have never seen X5s or X3s is because they are not made or meant to go off road. They have AWD because of grip more than anything. And no, people will not want to scratch their paint but more than anything, they wouldn’t want to get stuck and in one of those, that is a real possibility.
As for Discovery 3s, well as mentioned quite a few times in this review, I think Australians are still too scared to buy a Land Rover and take it far from civilisation because they are paranoid that they will break down. The other thing is that people think that Discovery 3s and Range Rovers can’t go off road any more because they’re too pretty but in reality, they’re as good if not better than a Land Cruiser and certainly better than a Pajero.
Sam

Maybe I need to develop a taste for the finer things in life. Or maybe im just a tight arse who would prefer the 30k in the pocket and drive a ‘Harsh’ Suzi instead of a smooth LR.
John of Perth

Gee I am yet to read some informed comment :

Andrew – Haldex doesn’t make the Freelander better and the Xtrails/Suzes worse. Having driven a Haldex equipped vehicle for 7 years the set up is pretty much the same – fwd bias. Terrain response just varies the traction control algorithm – for most deep sand/mud work the 4WD lock mode/ESP Off of the Xtrail is fantastic. I am not sure if you can turn off the ESP on a Freelander.

Xtrails also have the gradient release and hill descent and towing capability in the manual is just fine.

Alex – if it is classed as an SUV surely it is capable of being taken off road. Otherwise they are simply for pose value. AWD in a Subaru doesn’t prevent them in an Outback or Forester being taken off road. I have friends with an X5 4.4 & Volvo XC90 and they have volunteered to try out the off road capability. Beauty also is in the eye of the beholder – put a nudge bar and some drivng lights on the Xtrail and it serves its purpose. By the way have you noticed how many are on the road!

The Freelander is good but not great.No one has answered my question as to whether it has a full size spare (I would hope it does).
Alex

Oh but John, the BMWs aren’t classed as SUV, they’re classified as “SAV” or Sports Activity Vehicle. That says it all and BMW have said before that they had to be very careful not to insinuate off road ability because there isn’t much. Have you seen the Top Gear episode where the X5 gets stuck after about a minute of off roading and has to be toed out by an old Defender?
Even so, just because a car is classified as SUV doesn’t mean it has to have off road capability, it’s more a body shape these days. A station wagon for those who don’t want to be seen driving a station wagon. An MPV for those who don’t want to look boring. Besides, the term sport utility vehicle doesn’t hint at off roading anyway. The BMWs are soft-roaders.
Finally, the Freelander is still much better than the X Trail and I have done a bit of research and I believe that it does come with a full size spare wheel, but I suppose only an owner could back that up.
John of Perth

Alex – have a look at the Aust Xtrail forum to see what us Xtrail owners get up to.

I am not questioning the Freelander’s ability – I just think it is expensive in HSE spec and would have seriously considered it in a manual version. Compared to the Xtrail in Tl format there are only a couple of items such as HID lights and folding mirrors that distinguishes the two – jump into an Xtrail Ti or Tl spec and take it for a drive. The trim around the rear cargo area of the Freelander is very ordinary.

With the benefit of 15000kms in the new Xtrail diesel I would be reticent to say the Freelander is a much better vehicle – sounds like your research is paper based!
Alex

John, I don’t need to see a forum to know because as you are not doubting the Freelanders ability, I am not doubting the X Trails ability. If it was simply a soft roader (yes I am bringing this up again) they would have made it look more fashionable and less like the previous X Trails fallen off a cliff.
I have also driven the Freelander and it’s so much more pleasant. It is a better vehicle, period.
You made a big deal about build quality in your first comment, fair enough if you’re taking it off road but you are wrong in saying the X Trail and the Santa Fe have better or even equivalent build quality. Land Rover is miles ahead in that respect, unlike those of the Nissan and Hyundai the interior actually feels luxurious.
However, I still don’t think they are comparable because people may buy them for the same purposes but the Land Rover is a class up from Nissan. Land Rover is a premium brand, that’s why people complain about a Land Cruiser costing $80,000 but don’t care that a Range Rover Vogue costs $150,000, because they are in different leagues.
I don’t think I can deny that your X Trail is better value for money but the Land Rover is a better car and no, my research is not paper based.
As for not being able to buy a manual diesel in the Freelander in Australia, It is a bit disappointing but a manual’s a bit unnecessary. Probably about 85% of sales would have been automatic. Most people won’t take this car off road and it’s not as if an automatic won’t work off road, as you’ve stated that’s just your personal preference for the driver in you.
Alex

Just so say, the sentence that says “I have also driven the Freelander and it’s so much more pleasant. It is a better vehicle, period.” had something that I accidentally backspaced before it saying of my experiences driving an X Trail (I rented one a few months ago) and it’s not even comparable to the Freelander on road. It doesn’t handle nearly as well and feels like a 4WD (not a compliment), not a car.
Andrew

John, you are obviously happy with your Xtrail and me with my FL2. You can’t see the extra value in the FL2, I can. This is why I bought it, not to mention that I think the Xtrail took some mighty big falls from the ugly tree.
John of Perth

Alex – did you rent the T30 or T31 model and was the rental a Ti spec because you might be quite surprised at the difference between the two models particularly after the Renault’s Ghosn influence.

Andrew – as an owner can you clarify whether the Fl2 has a full size spare?

Not trying to convert your opinions – glad you like the FL2 – just think if they priced it fairly into Xtrail territory, it would be an even better proposition!
Alex

To John, I’m not sure what spec it was but it had leather and alloy wheels if that answers your question and it was definitley a diesel but it was automatic, not manual like yours. As for model, it was the new one because it was diesel and I rented it in Australia and I don’t believe diesel was offered here in the X Trail until the new model. Automatic gearboxes also work much better with the diesel Land Rover than the diesel Nissan.
As Andrew wrote, you’re obviously happy with your choice and as you said, even if you did decide the Freelander was better, you probably wouldn’t say so. But I don’t think you will because you’ve obviously made up your mind.
I still stand by my saying that the Freelander is better to drive and better looking, quality etc. and Andrew made the right choice.
John of Perth

Alex – you do have some pretty fixed ideas don’t you like “automatic gearboxes also work much better with the diesel LR than the diesel Nissan”. No empirical evidence and perhaps you should consider whether the Nissan(Renault) diesel and for that matter the LR FL2 diesel would work better in the manual version; but I won’t impose here!

I guess what I am saying is as a value proposition in the Aust market given the competition it is against, it doesn’t make good economic sense, but a vehicle purchase is never quite so cut and dry, is it.

And please do yourself a favour and jump in an Elite spec Santa Fe or even the equivalent Outlander – don’t stereotype these vehicles because of badge cred which to a certain extent you have done with the FL2.

Be interested in the rental company you used for the Nissan, as I will get one of these on my next excursion.

Cheers
Andrew

John, yes the FL2 has a full sized alloy spare which is the same as the other wheels. I had the pleasure of using it the other day. There are lower spec models in the UK that get space savers but they are not sold on the Australian market.
Darren

I love my Frelander 2 SE TD4. I’ve done 40,000km in it since September 07.

I was stepping down from a big 4Wd that had proven impractical driving around the city but I still wanted decent off road capability, passenger room, luggage capacity and towing capability. In short a real “all rounder”. I looked at all of its competitor’s in all price ranges and kept coming back to the FL2.

The car has been on road, off road, in the city in the country – you name it. It’s not a hardcore 4WD but what it can do has surprised me. I can play with the “real” 4WD’s if I’m careful and always carry extraction gear if I’m planning going to a place that looks tricky.

As for reliability, I’ve had no problems with it (or with the 2002 Discovery that it replaced.
simon

I love my Freelander 2 SE petrol too:

nothing has gone wrong with it
it drives like a dream, smooth, fast and very comfortable
its luxurious, looks hot & i sit up high in it.
its in a different class so why bother comparing it

i test drove the other suv’s but they didnt feel anything like the freelander.

i used to have an BMW X5 Sport, loved that too and it feels just as good

there are so many xtrails on the road they’re like lemmings, they are obviously good but really ugly, look at those rear lights, who did that to the car, it needs a exterior makeover badly.

if they priced the xtrail the same as the freelander, it would be interesting to see which car xtrail owners would have chosen.

proof is in the test drive
Sumeet L.

I have had my brand new 2009 Feelander 2 TD4 HSE with sunroof and premium pack for about 2 weeks now. I have to say this:

I was in two minds before buying the FR2 and tested out BMW X3 and the VW Tiguan. Both these vehicles were simply no match and do not compare well with the drive quality, interiors and the overall looks of the Freelander 2. Its one of the best smoothest vehicle I have ever driven. I am yet to take it off road but on road it is the best small to medium SUV.

At the landrover dealer I checked out the Discovery 3 as well, The rear seat space are about the same as Freelander 2; being 6 feet tall I sat in both these vehicles and found there was no difference in space for passengers. I somehow prefer a sporty looking vehicle and found the Discovery to be a little boxy in shape. Plus for the price I was getting much more than what Discovery was offering and having small family I opted for the 5 seater Freelander 2.

So far it is smooth as ever, drives well feels great. The only thing I miss is the map pockets/ storage space under front passenger electric seat. Even though it is mentioned in the LR FR2 hand book, I find in mine it is a wide gap and missing?

I find it excellent value for money, those comparing with other Japanese/Korean brands should drive one and see one for them selves what it feels. Its like comparing an Aston Martin with a Toyota Celica and then complaining about the price difference… Hmm!
Daniel

I gotta say that I try to love my Freelander 2. Its a great car altogether, rides great and looks amazing. But it don’t love me. I can’t trust it and its surely trying to drive me mad. I’ve been back to dealer so many times that all the attendents know me by name. Electric, fuel pump, breaks, fuel meter, and window problems have pained me since the second week of purchase — and it has been a year and a half now. A car with all the pluses highlighted on the review and a such a low price tag was bound to have a catch. It just ain’t reliable.
Shane

I cannot believe that some people are trying to compare the Freelander 2 to Xtrail, Suzuki 4WD. This car is competiting in the market against vehicles such as Volvo, BMW, Audi. TO try to compared the features and interior to that of an Xtrail is monkey business. I would prefer a auto diesel any day of the week compared to a manual version. The Xtrail manual has faults with the clutch mechanism which cannot be taken off the road without a hefty expense bill that will not be covered by warranty. Even if you compare the costs of the Toyota Kluger AWD to that of a Freelander 2 at similar costs, i would take the Freelander 2 anyday
Car Advice Reader

Shane, the Freelander 2 is still a softroader just like Xtrail. On the other hand, the Vitary can be classed as a Light duty 4wd. And the Jimny is the most off road capable out the lot!!
Alex

Car Advice Reader, you are joking? Are you actually saying that the Vitara has more off road capability than a Land Rover? Vitaras are pathetic! And the X Trail is also better. The Land Rover is not just another soft roader meant to be kept in the city, it has real capability, in fact I’m pretty sure CA ran a story about one crossing the Simpson Desert with ease! I’d like to see the Vitara do that and the Jimny wouldn’t have enough power to.
Car Advice Reader

Alex, I’m not joking! Both the Vitary and the Jimny have low range gear, and therefore aren’t in the same class as the soft-roader. Although Vitary is a light duty 4wd (I’m not a big fan myself), the Jimny is a serious albeit small 4wd, that can hang out with the best of them. I have subscription with 4wd Action Australia, and Overlander Magazines, and know of many occasions where the Jimny and Vitaries have crossed the Simpson desert, and many other tracks!!
Alex

Why do you keep writing Vitary? It’s Vitara. And you are quite wrong. For a start, have you ever actually used a Land Rover Freelander to do any off roading, let alone driven one on the road? The Land Rover has the terrain response box which isn’t just a piece of electronic gimmickry, it works fantastically and provides a great off roading experience. I have the system in my Range Rover and I have taken that off road numerous times on different surfaces so I know it works. I don’t think the Vitara would have enough ground clearance to get really serious, it’s pretty low to the ground.
And just out of curiosity, what do your magazines say about Land Rovers?

CarlMc

Instead of thinking the Vitara might be too low, it is only 10mm less than Freelander2,doesn’t anybody do research anymore before mouthing off,Andrew above does it too,no research into subject.

Tom

I don’t know about the Vitara, but I’ve been 4wd’ing in a Suzuki Sierra (which became the Jimny) and with a lift kit, it out 4wd’d a land cruiser, even with its 1.3L engine. Super low-range gear box plus strong chassis plus small wheelbase = 4wding weapon.
NotTheStig

I dunno, I had one of these as a loaner the other day…

I just didn’t like it. The leather felt like vinyl and it just didn’t feel very much like a quality vehicle as many of the buttons (like the radio selectors) just felt cheap although it appeared that other switches (windows) were from Volvo ?

The radio display was totally unreadable with polarised sunglasses and while we are on visibility, what is the deal with the speedo numbers following the circle of the gauge around ? – makes it hard to read the numbers… Big LCD below the dials is for the Terrain selector thing but one wouldn’t use that very often so why not use it for something else ?

I couldn’t see any cruise control indicators – are there any ?

Window switches on top of the doors – not great to locate…

If you don’t get Nav, you get a empty hole in the centre of the dash – urgh.

It drove OK but it wasn’t anything to remember. Not as good as a Tiguan IMHO…

Probably the best small off roader but only 1% of buyers will do that !
Larry

We’re looking to buy a SUV. Have test driven the FL2 HSE and love it. Our only concern is the question of reliability. So far reviews I have read from owners are generally positive, however there are still a few who are disappointed.

To the guys who own Land Rovers could you let us know where the best place is to have them serviced in and around Sydney?

Good service can go a long way to easing any feelings of regret if problems arise.
Aaron

I just bought a new Freelander 2 TD4 HSE after test driving it. Also sampled the Audi Q5, impressive car but didn’t think it was worth $15k over the Freelander with same specs and same (city driving) driveability.

Hopefully won’t find have too much reliability issues, but that’s what warranties are for!

Like Larry I’ll be interested to know what’s the best place for servicing too.

I’m picking up my new car in a couple of days
David

I bought an HSE TD4 in Nov 08 and am absolutely rapped. It’s well built and very well finished, very solid, drives exceptionally well on all types of road, is extremely comfortable, has a brilliant sound system (the standard HSE system is all you need), cruises very quietly, has no signs of any reliability problems and I don’t expect any – it really is that good. I look forward to years of cruising around the country and finding those off the beaten track places with ease and comfort. The french diesel is hugely torquey (400 torques!) and feels much quicker than the acceleration figures suggest. Great glass roof too! Extremely impressive – and just that bit different and unique amongst a handful of boring and too numerous Japanese and German ‘car-like’ SUV’s which leave me cold. There are few others around with the style and substance of the Land Rover/Range Rover range. Try one and enjoy.
Aaron

I’ve had mine for a month now. Couldn’t be happier – great looks, great to drive, plenty of room and power in diesel engine. Would recommend anyone considering it.
Dennis

Lot’s of interesting comments on the FL2, some of them better informed than others. I used to own the original 1998 1.8 petrol model and regularly took it from Singapore into the Johor and Perak jungles in Malaysia and it never missed a beat. The hill descent control, later adopted by BMW and others, was a revelation.I tried the same trips in a Vitara without much enjoyment. Now in QLD, I have a new FL2 TD4 SE. The difference in size, quality, and performance, is so great I’m surprised LR gave it the same name. I can only suggest that those who think this thing is overpriced and no better than cheaper Jap 4x4s have never driven a Freelander. But, they should.
Bret

Dennis,
Do you have any “serious” towing experience with the FL2?

I’m interested to know how it might cope with a 1500kg caravan loaded up.
Quoted max braked towing capacity is 2000kg. Is it reasonable to expect it to get anywhere near this figure?
BMAC

I bought a Freelander 2 TD4 in Dec 2007 and have done just over 80,000kms both on and offroad. Offroad has included beaches and bush around the Sunshine Coast (Qld). In that time haven’t had a single problem – absolutely love it! Great for a quick trip down to NSW on the highway, for getting around the farm near Kenilworth or a trip to Bribie or Fraser Island. Negatives were two product recalls in that time but didn’t have any problems with these issues prior to recall. One more year and I think it will be time for another one!!
Miss J

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!
Janek

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?

andy

I agree with the favourable comments about Land Rovers and Freelanders in particular.
Having owned three Freelanders in the last ten years I have to say they are great vehicles which provided me with 10 years of trouble free motoring.I had a 2000 Freelander Xei 3 door soft/hard top, then a 2004 Freelander SE Td4 5 dr and currently a Freelander 2 HSE Td4.
You could say I have grown up with the vehicle and with each changover I have stepped up as my lifestyle needs have changed.
I think a lot of the Land Rover bashing that goes on in these forums is totally unnecessary.
In Britain and Europe Freelander is one of the top selling mid-size premium 4WD’s/SUV’s; call it what you will. It was one of the first in its category, in fact I think it defined this category by which others have since followed. It has also made a tremendous contribution to the broadening appeal of the Land Rover marque globally over the last ten years.

Cheers

Andy

Jon

Well Andy if you think Land Rover Freelander 2 bashing is unnecessary I will be happy to swap cars. Mine is rubbish- in the 12 months we have had it, the paint has peeled off, panels fallen off, the motor loses power or stops, which leaves you no brakes or power steering- it’s a death trap. Steering column said it’s locked as you are driving at 110 km, the windows go up and down by themselves, the radio will not turn off and it has been back to the dealers to be fixed 11 times now, I think.
We asked the dealer if they would buy the car back, but they only offered 60% off the original price -great car!NOT! PS let me know if you want to swap.
If you are thinking of buying a Land Rover- Run Away! (Unless you are a masochist).
Cheers Jon
andy

Jon, sorry to hear you have had so much trouble.
Some things which are not evident from your comments:
1. Did you purchase the vehicle from new ? If not, do the service records indicate the vehicle has been regularly serviced by an authorised Land Rover dealership ?
2. How many kms have you driven the vehicle in the 12 months since ownership?
3. What sort of driving conditions has the vehicle endured in the past 12 months, ie extreme cold/heat conditions, heavy use off-road etc?

You indicate the vehicle has been back to the dealership 11 times in the past 12 months for various “life threatening” instances and it is still not repaired to your satisfaction. I find it disconcerting that an authorised Land Rover dealership would not be taking all endeavours to resolve these issues expediently. I take it the repairs have all been processed under warranty, so no cost to you, but still you would not expect these issues in a new Land Rover vehicle and furthermore once an issue has been diagnosed it should be repaired correctly.
As I said I have no issues in more than 10 years of Land Rover ownership and in fact the dealer I use for servicing has always been more than helpful and has an excellent attention and eye for detail. For example I travel to the UK and Europse for 6-8 weeks per year and my service technician even recommends having the tyre pressures adjusted to accomodate the vehicle being parked for that 6-8 week period !!
Land Rover is a “niche” product which attracts a certain customer demographic, one that is fanatical about ownership of their vehicle and generally takes pride and care in ownership of their vehicle and this extends to having a great relationship with their dealer and service technicians.
You say you have asked the dealership to “buy back” the vehicle and are surprised that you have been offered only 60% of the purchase value.
That statement in itself says a lot.
As for your comment on “run away” from Land Rovers, I would question what induced you to purchase a Land Rover in the first instance. Perhaps you should have done some more soul searching in forums such as these and accordingly you would have purchased a Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi or something similar.

Regards

Andy
Jon

To provide you with more details: Yes, the vehicle was bought brand new, the vehicle has done 39,000km and the majority of these kms have been done in the last 6 months due to my wife refusing to drive it to work and therefore I have to take it and I travel 1000- 1200 kms/ week.
The vehicle has only been road driven (not off-road) and we live in a very mild climate. We, also, find it “disconcerting” that Land Rover have not resolved these issue expediently. They just keep insisting we take it back to the dealership we bought it from (which is now a considerable distance from where we live) and yes, it is all done under warranty, but the cost of the inconvenience is just as bad. This is normally my wife’s car and she only drives 15- 20 kms to work each day, so instead the kms are climbing due to the fact we have to keep on driving it back to the dealership we bought it from and I am now forced to drive it to work. For instance I have phoned Land Rover twice in the last fortnight because the car is back in the workshop again and as yet, I still have not received a single call to let us know what is happening. I, also, am used to a “niche” product because our other car is a BMW and I can not fault the incredible service I receive from them. I did not rush in my decision to buy a Land Rover- I spent a lot of time researching models (safety standards etc) . It didn’t seem at the time that very many people had problems with their Land Rovers, but sometimes any manufacturer can produce a “lemon”, which we undoubtable have, but it all comes down to how the company treats us and how they deal with the problem. I don’t believe the “ostrich approach” of sticking your head in the sand benefits anyone. I’m glad your experience with Land Rover has been fantastic. Ours has been the same with BMW.
Regards
Jon
kennyboye

I think Jon has a valid point re: how companies manage problems. I had a first gen Freelander as my first “New” car and it wasn’t terrible but had a heap of minor-moderate problems that had it back to dealer 6-7 times in the year I owned it; just got too much of a pain so sucked down the depreciation and got rid of it. Hardly a lemon but to be honest got to the point where I asked them for a new one…bit naive (of course they said no)! A colleague bought a E class merc a few years ago and it had a major fault which developed in the first month of ownership….they refunded his total purchase price without question. That’s what I call a “premium” level of customer care. And yes he did buy another merc.
andy

Hi Jon,

Again people on here want to compare Land Rover with other vehicles that are not relevant to the discussion.
A Mercedes E-Class I would suggest depending on the model would have cost your friend anywhere from $90k for a base E220 up to $250k for a full kit AMG. Hardly Freelander 2 territory in terms pricing or vehicle type !!
The flexibility that the Australian subs have with respect to “goodwill” gestures as you indicate is dependent on the RRP $ spent, the marketing allocation provided to Australia by the respective Head Offices be they in UK or Germany and no doubt the size of the organisation globally.
I wonder if Mercedes would consider a full replacement to a customer who was not satisfied with their purchase of a C-Class base model for example which in terms of pricing is about the closest you will get to Freelander 2. That is essentially the “comparison” here, if you can call it that !!

Andy

Vivek

Interesting comments..I just sold my 2010 FL2 TD4e & have replaced it with a Xtrail Ti.
The freelander is a great car,no doubt.But it definitely has reliability issues. The build quality of the dashboard is horrible.I had creaks, rattling noises from the dashboard since day 1, even before i took it offroad. Multiple trips to the dealer didn’t help. Had But somehow i still loved driving it. Was absolute pleasure. But interiors look very ordinary compared to others in the class.
Servicing costs are way to high as well.I paid $600, $920 for 1st & 2nd service.
I now have a top spec xtrail petrol Ti for just 40 grand with all goodies/features & have to accept the fact that it drives pretty good.
I haven’t really felt a big change of stepping out from FL2 into an xtrail. I don’t feel i’m missing out on something big by trading in my FL2.