Road Test: Land Rover Freelander
5-door Station Wagon, 2-litre Turbo Diesel.

The new breed of soft four wheel drive is coming on. Sitting behind the wheel of a Freelander with the Land Rover badge in front of you almost seems odd considering the company's serious off-road heritage. This little four wheeler can however deliver you a few surprises. The most noticeable point in the whole package was the on-road handling. Especially in the wet when I drove it. I was curious to see how it would perform and it came through with flying colours. Unlike any other Land Rover and the traditional four wheel drive station wagons, the Freelander's layout is of that of a front wheel drive with added power going to the rear via a viscous coupling. For normal road use the power split is 95% to the front and 5% to the back. You can just notice the back kick in a bit further when cornering hard in the wet. The viscous coupling adds an extra positive feel in the handling and control of the vehicle. The suspension design is totally unlike any other Land Rover in that independent suspension by Macpherson struts is used on all four corners. The Freelander feels so car-like, you hardly realise that you are in a four wheel drive, apart from being farther from the ground.

Electronic traction control that works via the anti-lock brakes is fitted with the intention of off-road use. It can sense when one wheel is slipping, and brakes that wheel which diverts the power to the stationary wheel. Unlike traditional four wheel drives, the Freelander has no transfer casing to allow an extra low set of gears. The five speed manual gear-box feels slick and precise. First gear seems low due to its intended occasional off road use. Once you are moving, the pick up is excellent, especially in third and four gears. To compensate for the lack low-ratio gears when engine braking is usually needed for descending steep slopes in first gear, a button is placed on the gear lever that operates the anti-lock brakes again and keeps the vehicle from going any faster than 6mph/10kph. You would hardly know you were driving a diesel due to the lack of engine noise and the ease with which it rev's. With the radio off and window down I couldn't really hear the turbo charger but you knew it was working.

Climbing into the Freelander is a very pleasant experience. What looks from the outside to be quite small, seems instantly spacious and has an air of familiarity about it with all the controls placed in well thought out places. The seats give excellent support and are fully adjustable in the front. Add an adjustable steering column and no one should be uncomfortable. All your expected modern touches are fitted, which adds more to the car likeness. The rear seats are set to take three and provide excellent support and leg room. The back luggage area seems quite small when you first look at it. This is due to the two door and five-door models using the same wheel-base. The space needed would depend on your demands, but don't expect to have enough space for five adults on a weekend away. It is ample room for two though as you can fold the back seats forward. One neat feature is a lockable storage box under the floor. The rear door is quite crafty. It operates via solenoids and lowers the rear window slightly from its huge dust seals and then you can open it. In the rough the wagon will take most that moderate off-road use can dish out to it considering its road orientated design. The tricky diff's and traction control really help when it gets greasy. You have to remember that this is a light four wheel drive; if you want to get really serious in the bush go for a more traditional off-roader. It is great if you just want to explore a bit and get a lot further-on than a car.

Overall the 5-door Freelander provides an excellent package for those who are not going totally off the beaten track but want to be adventurous when they feel like it, and for those who choose the added safety of constant four wheel drive with traction control and ABS brakes for tarmac driving. The 2-litre diesel engine is sweet, has good power and feels very willing once you have the turbo wound up. The economy of the diesel will be a big attraction for many buyers.

- Michael Bishop, 3/1999

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