The Freelanders are rolling out of the Land Rover Dealerships in record numbers and we know why. If you are at all interested in purchasing a competent, all wheel drive, (real world) vehicle, you owe it to yourself to try the Freelander.
The Freelanders are rolling out of the Land Rover Dealerships in record numbers and we know why. If you are at all interested in purchasing a competent, all wheel drive, (real world) vehicle, you owe it to yourself to try the Freelander.
Although there are many other choices in the marketplace Land Rover continues to design and build unique vehicles that are fun to drive. Unlike its predecessors, the Freelander has a unitized body instead of the body on frame design, however it feels very rigid. After the first few miles of your test drive I guarantee you will have a smile on your face.
The 2.5 liter 24 valve V-6 puts out 174 HP at 6500 RPM. Combine that with the four wheel independent MacPherson strut suspension, the quick 3.2 turn lock to lock steering, the 225/55R-17 radial tires and 5-speed automatic with manual sportshift mode and this is a sportscar compared to any of the previous Land Rover products. You won’t even suffer sticker shock with the base model Freelander S starting in the mid 25k dollar range.
We haven’t had an opportunity to try it off road, but even without a transfer case it seems to be quite capable from the reports we have heard so far. The overall fit and finish are very good, definitely a cut above most of the competition. This certainly looks like a winner for Land Rover, a real entry level vehicle worthy of the Land Rover name and a nice mix of simplicity and European design.
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