By Gary Anderson
Road Test
On Iceland’s Langjokull, or Long Glacier, the new-to-North America Land Rover Freelander proved it will be an excellent choice to take you to Lake Tahoe next winter.
Comfortable at interstate highway speeds, this small utility vehicle can also get through the worst weather or terrain conditions you’ll encounter.
With full-time four-wheel-drive, electronic traction control and its patented Descent Control System, the Freelander brings the competence of Land Rover’s unexcelled off-road performance into the mid-$20,000 price range. Up and down steep grades, on loose gravel, and over slick ice, this car outdrives everything else selling for under $30,000.
Iceland seems like a long way to go to test a new vehicle, but this amazing “land of fire and ice” offered every possible road condition that you might experience on a weekend Sierra skiing or hiking trip. Smooth black-top roads with out-of-this-world scenery, ash-covered lava plains and blue ice glacier fields are all within easy drives of the capital city of Reykjavik.
Priced from $24,975 for the base model, and topping out at about $33,000 for the fully optioned top of the line, the Freelander puts Land Rover into a new, lower price range.
The Freelander uses a viscous-coupled, front-rear differential, rather than the classic four-wheel-drive technology of the Discovery or Range Rover, to provide permanent all-wheel drive. However, the styling has much in common with the Freelander’s siblings, including large windows and a high-seating position that provide exceptional visibility.
Few owners are likely to test this vehicle to its limits as we did in volcano-based Iceland. We blasted along the loose gravel tracks of old lava craters, drifting the cars around corners under total control. On the glaciers, the cars climbed and descended ice-covered slopes and even traversed deep crevasses with the same ease as the tour guides’ big-wheeled glacier vehicles.
At highway speeds, the car was comfortable and quiet, belying its off-road capabilities. The four-wheel independent suspension with MacPherson struts front and rear even absorbed 50- mph runs across potholed washboard gravel with equanimity.
Power comes from a 175-horsepower, 24-valve V-6 engine through a five-speed “sport automatic” transmission that can be left in drive for in-town driving or stop-and-go traffic. On clear roads, with the shift lever on sport mode, upshifting and downshifting requires only a push or pull of the lever. Using the sport shifter and the rack-and-pinion steering, the Freelander can be driven almost like a sports car.
With 177 pound-feet of torque and traction control, the car can climb surprisingly steep slopes. Going downhill, even on glare ice or loose shale, it really shows off. Shifting into first or reverse and pressing the hill descent button automatically controls the car at a 7-mph pace, regardless of the angle of descent, while the ABS brakes and traction control pulse any wheel that starts to spin or skid. Even with your feet off the brakes and gas, the car “walks” down the slope as if it had a cat-like mind of its own.
At 175 inches long, the car is 10 inches shorter than the Discovery and 14 shorter than a Ford Explorer. However, with 19-cubic feet of luggage space (47 with the rear seat folded) it provides more than adequate space for two people, weekend gear and skiing or camping equipment. I liked the smaller size. It didn’t feel as if I was piloting the Queen Mary. But it still has the thirst of other SUVs, with miles per gallon estimated at 16 city and 19 highway.
The interior is neatly finished in monochromatic wool and vinyl and Land Rover’s signature textured-rubber surfaces. Leather upholstery, a navigation system and a premium sound system are all available as options. Leather or not, you won’t confuse the interior with that of a luxury sedan. Everything looks as if it was designed to be functional, rather than opulent, offering a feeling of solid quality. Controls are simple and easy to reach and can even be managed with gloves on.
One drawback shared with other Land Rovers is the short seat cushions on the front seats that are designed more for off-roading than for long trips. They do allow you to see the ground close to the car when avoiding trail obstacles or parking in tight places and have good bolsters for lateral support. Rear seat space is comfortable for two adults or three children.
The Freelander is well worth a look if you want a car that’s comfortable and useful around town, but will be able to sail past the chain controls at Donner Pass. And whether you’re thinking about trying the Hollister Hills off-road trails, or just want to be sure you can get out of the cabin driveway and up to Squaw after a fresh snowfall, the Freelander will be up to the challenge.
For more information about the Freelander, logon to www.freelander.com.
Anderson is editor and publisher of British Car Magazine, published bimonthly and distributed internationally from offices in Los Altos (949-9680; www.britishcar.com).
