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Land Rover Freelander The Freelander’s cabin has been comprehensively redesigned. The instrument panel has new gauges and new switches. The black-faced gauges have silver trim rings and silver needles that give them an elegant, watchlike look. Cup holders have been added to the center of the dash. They are large and easy to reach but could cause a mess if drinks spill across the air conditioning and audio units. Redesigned seats offer more under-thigh support as well as new fabrics with improved feel. The seats are mounted high in the vehicle, which is good for visibility, yet I found climbing up into them often resulted in bumping my head on the door. I also noticed that the steering column seemed too far away. Rear-seat legroom is moderate, as is the luggage space. The audio controls are somewhat vague and take undue concentration to learn. Land Rover, owned by Ford Motor Co., has given the Freelander a facelift. The new front fascia has twin, clear-lens headlights and a bold new grille that looks like a brush guard. The new lights are not only 70 percent brighter, but they give the Freelander a face that looks like its larger siblings. The bumpers are now painted the same color as the body. In back, the bumpers have been painted to match the body, and the taillamps have been moved up to the corners of the bumper for better visibility. Prices start at $25,995 for the SE and jump to $28,995 for the loaded HSE. The entry-level S has been dropped, while content has been added to the SE and HSE. The HSE comes quite well equipped. Options include a premium stereo, heated seats, park distance control and fog lamps. The Freelander is the first Land Rover to be built with a unitized body rather than having a separate frame. It continues to come in two body styles: a five-door or a sporty three-door that has a detachable hardtop or a retractable soft top. Freelanders are powered by a DOHC, 2.5-liter, 174-horsepower V-6. A 2.0-liter, turbodiesel four-cylinder is popular in Europe. A five-speed automatic transmission, anti-lock brakes and electronic traction control help maintain traction. The Freelander is capable of moderate off-road driving. The full-time, four-wheel-drive system that sends 60 percent of the power through the front wheels and 40 percent to the back wheels. Since the Freelander is intended primarily for on-road use, it does not have an extra-low gear or a transfer case. Hill Descent Control pulses the brakes very rapidly to aid in going down slippery slopes.
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