Land Rover Freelander 2.2 TD4 (2006) CAR review

The overview

This is Freelander 2, an all-new British-built small premium off-roader, not to mention the successor to the car that kicked off the whole market for such cars. The final Land Rover designed by Geoff Upex before his retirement, Freelander 2 is bigger - 50mm longer, 109mm wider and 32mm taller - than the old car, faster, better equipped and, yes, more expensive too. A worthy addition to the Land Rover family? Read on to find out.

Under the skin

The new Freelander is just that, new. The body is a conventional steel monocoque constructed from high-strength steel but it’s not light, leading to a total kerbweight of around 1800kg depending on model. Suspension is all-independent by coils and gas dampers, the brakes are relatively large and plusher Freelanders will come with a version of Land Rover’s Terrain Response system. Like the Discovery’s and Range Rover’s, it has four modes: general driving, mud and ruts, slippery surfaces and sand and uses electronics to brake each wheel and send torque wherever suits.