Land Rover Freelander 2 Car Review

Facts At A Glance
Car: Land Rover Freelander range
Prices: £21,875-£33,425 – on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 11-13
Emissions: 179g/km
Performance: Max Speed 112mph / 0-60mph 10.9s
Fuel Consumption: (combined) 41.3mpg
Safety: Seven airbags, anti lock brakes, ESP
Dimensions: Length/Width/Heightmm 4500/2180/1740

Freelander 2: First in Class

Our Rating: No Rating Available

Recent changes in the environmental rules in the United Kingdom have dictated that vehicles must now adhere to much more strict laws in regards to CO2 outputs and also overall fuel consumption. Many of the carmakers didn't need to change much because for years the auto industry has been delivering cars with lower emissions and better fuel mileage. However there were a few companies that had to do some serious changing to get their vehicles into shape to pass these new regulations. One of those care companies was Land Rover.

Land Rover has been known since their introduction as an excellent 4x4 that also delivered the luxuries of a higher-end car. The problem for Land Rover is that most 4x4 are not what most people would call earth friendly. It took some serious work on the part of their engineers to release vehicles that fell within the new emission levels. For the most part the vehicles still remained the ones to have for off-road living. One of the first vehicles that did have major change was the Freelander 2.

The Land Rover Freelander 2 is being offered for the first time in a front-wheel drive version. That sound you just heard was the collective gasp of Land Rover lovers across the world. Don't worry though the Freelander is also available in the traditional four-wheel drive.

Under the bonnet of the Freelander 2, Land Rover offers to choices of a 2.2-litre diesel engine. The entry level engine is dubbed the TD4 and drives on 148bhp that comes with an automatic shifter and the start/stop technology that is becoming the rage of European cars. There is also the option of upping the power of the 2.2-litre to 187bhp under the SD4 guise. This engine also comes standard with the automatic gearbox with the stop/start technology.

Both engines offer very good fuel consumption numbers. Of course the best numbers come from the front wheel drive with an estimated 47mpg combined and a decently low 158g/km of CO2. The TD4 will get around 45.6mpg and the larger SD4 gets about 40.4mpg. Emissions come in at 165g/km and 185g/km respectively.

Land Rover is offering the Freelander 2 in four different trim levels that they are calling the S, GS, XS and HSE. The S model is the version that comes with the two-wheel drive under the car. The school of thought for Land Rover was both to get the car under the emission regulations as well as offering a low price that makes it truly an entry level vehicle. Standard features are what you would expect from Land Rover, but up to the top of the line levels and the automaker adds in leather trim, electric front seats and premium floor mats.

It most likely wasn't easy for the Land Rover engineers to deliver a two wheel drive Freelander 2, but the end results are excellent. The entry level trim version is an excellent starting point for people who want to test the Land Rover waters before they commit full bore to a more expensive Land Rover.