Freelander Gs 2018 Manual
. Latest reviews from the world's most outspoken motoring journalist.
Quotes Britan's biggest motormouth's classic quips. Jeremy Clarkson's reviews on Driving.co.uk. Classic Clarkson Unmissable reviews marking his first 20 years at the Sunday Times. The stars and their cars. The best of everything.
Classic Cars Stories and advice about our beloved classics. Gadgets, apps and tech trends. The latest articles from Driving. In-depth reports and long-form fun. Ranking the best, fastest, most expensive and more.
In-depth, impartial and expert car reviews. The latest reviews. On film. Get under the skin of cars over months rather than days. Tech, gadgets, car accessories and other products tested. Guides for basic car maintenance from the experts at Haynes. Expert advice on finding the right car.
The most popular advice topics — we've got you covered The most popular advice topics — we've got you covered. Your correspondence. The best clips on Driving. The latest reviews. On film.
Deinstallation and disposal The devices must be disposed of properly, in accordance with local and legal regulations. Suitable adhesive labels: Zweckform-Avery No. Schaerer coffee art touch it.
Head to head at the drag strip. Dash cam footage Caught on dashboard camera. By the time the original Land Rover Freelander had gone out of production in 2006, it had become the Solihull marque’s all-time best seller, with more than 200,000 examples sold. But while the Freelander was hugely successful for Land Rover, it wasn’t such a great experience for those who bought it.
The car was depressingly unreliable with a whole catalogue of potential faults just waiting to strike. It’s easy to see why the Freelander was so popular. It was as brilliantly capable on the road as off it, while the spacious cabin swallowed a family of five with all their luggage – as long as you opted for a five-door edition. The short-wheelbase, three-door model looked neater, but didn’t offer the practicality of its long-wheelbase sibling. However, it still looked good enough to impress all those other yummy mummies at the school gates.
At launch in 1997 there were three and five-door Freelanders and a choice of 1.8 petrol or 2-litre diesel engines. Frankly, you’re better off avoiding any of these earliest cars as the only Freelander worth considering is one powered by the BMW-supplied TD4 engine, offered from August 2000. Soon after this arrived, a 2.5 V6 petrol engine was introduced. If you have money problems – as in too much of it – running one of these will provide a swift solution. If you’re still determined to buy a Freelander Mk1, we’d steer you towards one of the facelifted cars from September 2003. Heavily revised with an updated exterior, refreshed interior and extra kit levels, build quality also dramatically improved, significantly reducing the pain of ownership – but not eliminating it altogether. We’d also advise you to avoid entry-level models as they’re poorly equipped.
Go instead for a car at least to XE, GS or ES trim, or the range-topping HSE. Even better, though, would be to look more closely at one of the Freelander’s many rivals, such as the Nissan X-Trail, Honda CR-V or Toyota RAV4. All of these are likely to be more dependable, and while they’re not as good off-road as the Land Rover – although the Nissan is surprisingly talented – they’re pretty good on the Tarmac. The thing is, few of the Freelander’s contemporary rivals have the same cachet, or its all-round abilities. The Freelander is one of those cars that can give nothing but trouble, yet owners love them and will happily come back for more. That’s how great the Freelander is to use, if not necessarily to own. What to look out for The 1.8-litre petrol engine eats head gaskets like a kid consumes crisps.
Meanwhile, the V6 petrol unit drinks fuel. Differentials and gearboxes wear for fun, as do the various suspension bushes and driveline joints. The diffs and gearboxes also leak oil, while the electrics and electronics work only when they want to. Air conditioning and climate control systems are especially temperamental, along with the Hill Descent Control. Look for waterlogged footwells; water can leak in from an array of places, rotting the carpets and floorpans. A tally of nine recalls isn’t great, but it could be worse. Most were for the pre-facelift model, because of potential issues with the wiring, handbrake, rear suspension and passenger airbag.
Other glitches that could arise include door locks and seat backs failing. The one to buy Only late TD4s are worth considering. A 2006 56-plate Freelander 2.0 TD4 HSE 5-door can be found for £7,000 on the forecourt or £6,000 in a private sale.
2018 Freelander 21qb
If you prefer an auto, add around £400 to these figures. Factfile Engine: 1951cc, 4 cylinders Power: 110bhp @ 4000rpm Torque: 192 lb ft @ 1750rpm Transmission: 5-speed manual/auto Acceleration: 0-62mph in 13.2sec Top speed: 102mph Fuel: 37.2mpg combined CO2: 205g/km Road tax band: K Dimensions: L 4425mm, W 1810mm, H 1710mm Land Rover Freelander Mk1 rivals.
Honda CR-V ( driving.co.uk). Nissan X-Trail ( driving.co.uk). Toyota Rav-4 ( driving.co.uk).
The Freelander has kept up with the times - it's now available as a 2WD model As you can tell, this is a car that has not only shaken up the market, but moved with it as well. Now, but the brand has proved it can be popular,., offering five seats and four-wheel drive. The Freelander proved that there was a market for a small off-roader with a big name badge and continues to sit at the forefront of it. That's quite an achievement, because with the Land Rover badge comes the expectation that it will be competent off the road as well as cosseting, quiet and composed on it. And with the caveat that while it a high-riding car, it should still be wonderfully agile.