Which? works for you

Which? Car review

Land Rover Freelander (2006-) Dec 2006 Class: 4x4s/SUVs New price: £21,750 - £39,740 Used price: From £12,095 On sale:

Performance:

Ride comfort:

handling:

★★★★

★★★★

★★★

Boot & Storage:

Safety:

★★★

★★★★

Reliability:

★★

Total score:

70%

Fashionable and desirable.  Decent off-road ability.  Good forward visibility and passenger space.  Poor reliability, according to owners.  Expensive to buy, and high running costs.  Imprecise steering. 

Recommended models in the range

Which? Car Top Choice Model 2.2 Td4 e XS [Nav] 5dr New price: £28,600 Used price: £20,000

Fastest Model 3.2 i6 HST 5dr Auto New price: Used price: £18,395

8.4 secs

0-62mph:

Most Efficient Model 2.2 eD4 Black and White 5dr 2WD New price: £22,470 Used price: Combined fuel economy:

47.1 mpg

Cheapest Model to buy new 2.2 Td4 e S 5dr New price:

Overview The Freelander 2, launched 2006, grew upwards and outwards - and also became more expensive. It’s not particularly economical, and Land Rover’s legacy of poor reliability continues to plague this desirable small off-roader, which suffers from too many faults. The Freelander 2 is bigger than the original model and comes with more powerful engines, as well as a higher price tag. Inside, leg- and headroom is good all round, with sufficient rear space for two adults. The boot’s 310-litre capacity is still pretty poor in this class so you may need to fold the rear seats to expand it to 640 litres. Forward visibility is good but, while the door mirrors are large, overall rear visibility is poor. The 2.2 TDi we tried - now discontinued - has plenty of pull but fuel economy isn’t sparkling: we averaged 36.2mpg versus the claim of 37.7mpg. The engine’s not intrusive but wind and tyre noise are noticeable at higher speeds. The steering feels imprecise and there’s pronounced body roll when cornering at speed. Despite this, the suspension copes well with potholes. Addressing the fuel economy issue, a new diesel model with stop-start joined the range in 2009 to replace the previous TD4 unit. This is badged TD4_e, and Land Rover claims it can do 42.9mpg and emit a reduced 179g/km of carbon dioxide.  The Freelander 2 gets a poor two-star rating from owners in the latest Which? Car Survey. The electric windows are particularly problematic in newer examples, while in Freelanders aged over three years old, the handles, differential, parking brake and parking sensors all feature frequently in owners’ reports. 

£21,750

Cheapest Model to buy used 3.2 i6 GS 5dr Auto Used price:

£12,095

Cheapest Model to Run (new) 2.2 Td4 e S 5dr New price: £21,750 Running costs: £17,097 (3 years/36,000 miles)

Owner’s View We live in the Scottish Highlands so the 4x4 spec. is valuable and further enhanced by the ‘snow & mud’ option. Good (variable) ‘cargo’ space meets our needs most of the time.

Which? Car review

Land Rover Freelander (2006-) 4x4s/SUVs

On the road

How we test

The 2.2 TD4 diesel engine is very flexible, which negates the need for too many gearshifts. Don’t expect the Freelander to handle like a sports car – it’s a heavy, tall vehicle, and it corners like one.

Performance

★★★★

The majority of Freelanders sold in the UK have the 2.2 TD4 engine, and this isn’t a bad thing. It’s a quiet, flexible unit, which is mated to an easy-to-use six-speed manual transmission. Ultimate performance is perhaps a little lacking, but the Freelander is a heavy car. It’s perfectly happy with passengers and luggage on board, but you may wish to investigate larger cars for heavy-duty towing capability. Model tested Acceleration (37-62mph) diesel 2.2TD4 (150bhp) manual 5-door (2007) 6.9 secs diesel 2.2TD4 (152bhp) automatic 5-door (2008) 6.8 secs diesel 2.2TD4 (152bhp) manual 5-door (2010) 6.9 secs

Ride comfort

Rating

We use the sophisticated electronic timing equipment to record standing-start and in-gear acceleration, and repeat each test several times. Ride comfort

★★★★ ★★★★ ★★★

★★★★

In normal use the Freelander is a comfortable car, with relatively soft suspension providing a good ride.  Model tested diesel 2.2TD4 (150bhp) manual 5-door (2007) diesel 2.2TD4 (152bhp) automatic 5-door (2008) diesel 2.2TD4 (152bhp) manual 5-door (2010)

Performance

Rating

★★★★ ★★★★ ★★★★

Ride comfort is assessed by our laboratory experts who have driven hundreds of thousands of miles in a myriad of different models.

Which? Car review

Land Rover Freelander (2006-) 4x4s/SUVs

On the road continued...

How we test Handling

★★★

Handling

During hard cornering there is pronounced body roll, and the speed at which the tyres relinquish their grip is relatively low. In our obstacle avoidance test, the Freelander’s standard electronic stability control (ESC) did a good job of resisting the strong tendency to understeer (front-end push) but the maximum speed achieved while retaining control of the vehicle was low. Model tested diesel 2.2TD4 (150bhp) manual 5-door (2007) diesel 2.2TD4 (152bhp) automatic 5-door (2008) diesel 2.2TD4 (152bhp) manual 5-door (2010)

Rating

★★★ ★★★ ★★★

Brakes

★★

Brakes

Ultimate braking performance is an area where the Freelander’s weight and dimensions count against it. Within its class, the average stopping distance from 62mph of 42m is nothing out of the ordinary, but most conventional cars pull up a lot sooner. Model tested Braking distance (62-0mph) diesel 2.2TD4 (150bhp) manual 5-door (2007) 42.0m diesel 2.2TD4 (152bhp) automatic 5-door (2008) 43.0m diesel 2.2TD4 (152bhp) manual 5-door (2010) 42.0m

Rating

★★★ ★★ ★★

The Which? Car braking test measures stopping distance from 62-0mph and is repeated ten times in quick succession to highlight any brake fade issues. Refinement and noise

★★★★

Refinement and noise

The Freelander is impressively hushed, with little engine, wind or road noise entering the cabin. Land Rover has used materials of a reasonable quality in the Freelander; it’s not up to the standards set by Audi and BMW but neither is it notably cut-price. The door sills are well sealed, which means that mud and dirt don’t collect at the bottom of the doors, even after a drive around a muddy field. That’s good news for your clothing. Model tested diesel 2.2TD4 (150bhp) manual 5-door (2007) diesel 2.2TD4 (152bhp) automatic 5-door (2008) diesel 2.2TD4 (152bhp) manual 5-door (2010)

On-the-limit handling is explored well away from public roads to ensure a fair test. Our obstacle avoidance test is one of the harshest tests in the industry..

Cruising noise 66dB 67dB 68dB

Rating

★★★★ ★★★★ ★★★★

The Which? Car experts use a decibel meter to record interior sound levels at common UK motorway speeds, and combine this with subjective assessments to arrive at an overall score.

Which? Car review

Land Rover Freelander (2006-) 4x4s/SUVs

On the road continued...

How we test Cabin and controls

★★★★★

Cabin and controls

In the main, the Freelander is logically configured inside. Most of the controls are where you’d expect to find them, although the heating and ventilation controls could do with being sited higher up. The rain-sensing wiper control (where fitted) isn’t very intuitive, and the horn buttons on the steering wheel are too small. If you go for a model with the rear seat audio option, watch that any rear passengers sitting in the centre seat don’t kick and damage those controls. It’s nice to see that a generously-sized glovebox is present and correct, however. Model tested diesel 2.2TD4 (150bhp) manual 5-door (2007) diesel 2.2TD4 (152bhp) automatic 5-door (2008) diesel 2.2TD4 (152bhp) manual 5-door (2010)

Rating

★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★

Visibility and parking

★★★

Visibility and parking

Many drivers choose an off-roader for the raised seating position, rather than any need to leave the tarmac, and the Freelander is very much a car for peering over other road users. That’s fine when looking forwards, but the view towards the back is severely restricted by the large rear roof pillars. Parking sensors are a must if you want to keep the Freelander’s bumpers free of scratches. The turning circle of 11.8m is about average for this sort of car, but it’s not easy to parallel-park. Model tested diesel 2.2TD4 (150bhp) manual 5-door (2007) diesel 2.2TD4 (152bhp) automatic 5-door (2008) diesel 2.2TD4 (152bhp) manual 5-door (2010)

We penalise cars with difficult controls, and we look for things like backlit light switches and easy-to-use heating and ventilation adjustments.

Turning circle 11.8m 11.8m 11.9m

Rating

★★★★ ★★★★ ★★★

Visibility is a major issue for motorists today, so each car gets a 360-degree swivel view test to reproduce the driver’s eye view and any obscured areas.

Which? Car review

Land Rover Freelander (2006-) 4x4s/SUVs

Comfort and practicality

How we test

Occupants in the Freelander ought to be comfortable, thanks to its carefully-designed seating. The boot is a bit disappointing though, considering the large exterior dimensions.

Getting in and out

Getting in and out

★★★

It’s a fair climb to get into the Freelander, as it sits very high off the road. The door arresters are a bit weak too, meaning a door could slam shut of its own accord if parked on a slope or when picking up a gust of wind. Model tested diesel 2.2TD4 (150bhp) manual 5-door (2007) diesel 2.2TD4 (152bhp) automatic 5-door (2008) diesel 2.2TD4 (152bhp) manual 5-door (2010)

Rating

★★★ ★★★★ ★★★

We take measurements all around the driver and passenger’s door apertures and note the height of the seat, door sills and step down onto the car floor. The best cars don’t require too much bending or stretching to get in and out. Seat space and comfort

Seat space and comfort

★★★★★

The front seats have obviously been designed with some care and attention to detail, as they are comfortable and supportive with a good range of adjustment. What’s more surprising is the comfort of the rear seat, which is excellent for two adults, if a little short of room for three. Note that a centre rear head restraint is optional on some models, which reeks of penny-pinching by Land Rover. Model tested diesel 2.2TD4 (150bhp) manual 5-door (2007) diesel 2.2TD4 (152bhp) automatic 5-door (2008) diesel 2.2TD4 (152bhp) manual 5-door (2010)

Rating

★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★

We assess seat comfort subjectively, using our road testers’ expert knowledge and experience from thousands of different cars. And we measure the head-, legand elbowroom on offer in every seat, to see how well the car caters for people of all shapes and sizes.

Which? Car review

Land Rover Freelander (2006-) 4x4s/SUVs

Comfort and practicality continued...

How we test Boot and storage

Boot and storage

★★★

Some superminis have a larger boot than the Freelander – just 310 litres is available with the rear seats in place. That’s because the boot floor is quite high, due to all the four-wheel drive hardware underneath. Once the seats are folded, the capacity increases to 640 litres, but again there are more suitable vehicles for load-carrying. Model tested Boot space (seats up/down) diesel 2.2TD4 (150bhp) manual 5-door (2007) 310 litres / 640 litres diesel 2.2TD4 (152bhp) automatic 5-door (2008) 310 litres / 640 litres diesel 2.2TD4 (152bhp) manual 5-door (2010) 310 litres / 640 litres

Heating and ventilation

Rating

★★★★ ★★★ ★★★

★★★

It took a long time for the diesel Freelander to warm up from a –10deg C start and rear seat passengers will be wishing for more air distribution their way. Model tested diesel 2.2TD4 (150bhp) manual 5-door (2007) diesel 2.2TD4 (152bhp) automatic 5-door (2008) diesel 2.2TD4 (152bhp) manual 5-door (2010)

Carmakers give official stats for boot space, but our tests are more realistic. We load the boot up with measuring blocks only as far as the rear window line, so that luggage is well secured and won’t obscure rear visibility. We repeat the test with the rear seats up, and folded down (where possible). Heating and ventilation

Rating

★★★ ★★★ ★★ Feel sorry for the tester who has to warm each car up from a frosty -10 degrees in our climate chamber. Starting with a cold engine, we measure how long it takes to warm up the front and rear of the cabin. Diesel cars usually take longer. We also check the effectiveness of air conditioning, where fitted.

Which? Car review

Land Rover Freelander (2006-) 4x4s/SUVs

Running costs and depreciation

How we test

Rarely has anything fashionable ever been cheap; compared to its direct rivals, the Freelander looks expensive. Basic versions are too sparsely equipped to merit serious consideration. Tax bandings are on the high side, and servicing is pretty costly; tyres won’t be cheap, either - but at least residual (resale) values are good. Insurance is in groups 11-13, depending on version. 

Fuel consumption

Fuel consumption We recorded an average fuel consumption of 36.2mpg for the 2.2 TD4 Freelander; this makes overall running costs quite high and other rivals eke more miles out of a gallon of diesel. The TD4_e, with stop-start, is said to return 42.2mpg, claims Land Rover (35.8mpg with the optional auto gearbox); the most significant fuel savings will be noted around town, with the engine automatically stopping when idling and then restarting as you lift off the brake to pull away. 

Petrol (combined mpg, claimed)

25.2 mpg - 25.2 mpg

Diesel (combined mpg, claimed)

33.2 mpg - 47.1 mpg

Model tested diesel 2.2TD4 (150bhp) manual 5-door (2007) diesel 2.2TD4 (152bhp) automatic 5-door (2008) diesel 2.2TD4 (152bhp) manual 5-door (2010)

Urban (claimed/tested) 30.6 mpg/30.7 mpg 25.7 mpg/25.9 mpg 38.2 mpg/29.4 mpg

Model tested diesel 2.2TD4 (150bhp) manual 5-door (2007) diesel 2.2TD4 (152bhp) automatic 5-door (2008) diesel 2.2TD4 (152bhp) manual 5-door (2010)

Extra urban (claimed/tested) 45.5 mpg/44.1 mpg 41.5 mpg/40.4 mpg 50.4 mpg/40.9 mpg

Model tested diesel 2.2TD4 (150bhp) manual 5-door (2007) diesel 2.2TD4 (152bhp) automatic 5-door (2008) diesel 2.2TD4 (152bhp) manual 5-door (2010)

Motorway (measured) 32.1 mpg 29.1 mpg 29.4 mpg

Model tested diesel 2.2TD4 (150bhp) manual 5-door (2007) diesel 2.2TD4 (152bhp) automatic 5-door (2008) diesel 2.2TD4 (152bhp) manual 5-door (2010)

Combined (claimed/tested) 37.7 mpg/36.2 mpg 33.2 mpg/32.1 mpg 45.6 mpg/33.6 mpg

We test fuel economy under strict lab conditions – using realistic test cycles – to reveal the facts behind the figures. Our figures rarely match manufacturer claims as, unlike the official mpg test, we measure economy with both a hot and cold engine, and on the motorway.

Which? Car review

Land Rover Freelander (2006-) 4x4s/SUVs

Running costs and depreciation continued...

How we test Emissions

Emissions The TD4 Freelander doesn’t produce terribly high CO2 emissions for a large-ish off-roader. The manual version’s 194g/km figure isn’t too terrible, although the automatic TD4 only just scrapes under the gas-guzzler threshold with 224g/km. Petrol versions (auto only) are prohibitively high at 265g/km. The TD4_e brings carbon dioxide output down to 179g/km, but auto versions still put out a hefty 214g/km. 

Petrol (CO2, claimed)

265g per km - 265g per km

Diesel (CO2, claimed)

158g per km - 224g per km

While testing fuel economy, we also collect exhaust gases to enable us to measure the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted. We also check whether particulate filters are effective at removing sooty emissions from diesel engines. Safety

Model tested diesel 2.2TD4 (150bhp) manual 5-door (2007) diesel 2.2TD4 (152bhp) automatic 5-door (2008) diesel 2.2TD4 (152bhp) manual 5-door (2010)

Emissions (claimed/tested) 194g per km/207g per km 224g per km/231g per km 179g per km/220g per km

Safety and security Here are the videos of the 2006 Land Rover Freelander Euro NCAP frontal, side and pole crash tests.

Euro NCAP score

★★★★★

We rate cars for safety using Euro NCAP crash test scores (where available), alongside our own comprehensive safety checklist. Uniquely, we also feed in results from our accident avoidance test – after all, it’s far better to steer around a crash than rely on the airbags... Security

Adult occupant Child protection Pedestrian protection

★★★★★ ★★★★ ★

Which? safety rating

★★★★

Active (crash avoidance) Passive (crash safety) Child Pedestrian

57% 81% 84% 22%

Security Theft of car:

Theft from car:

★★★★★

★★★★

Security scores come from the security experts at Thatcham, who break into hundreds of cars each year. Most modern cars are very difficult to drive away, but are still too easy to steal from.

Which? Car review

Land Rover Freelander (2006-) 4x4s/SUVs

Which? Car Survey results

About our survey

The Which? Car Survey is the UK’s biggest and best reliability and owner satisfaction survey. In 2013, drivers told us about 57,182 cars, covering more than 450 million miles in the previous 12 months (that’s equivalent to driving 18,398 times around the world). This unique feedback allows us to rate satisfaction and reliability for hundreds of new and used cars. Note Star ratings below are from 1-5 (1 is very poor and 5 is very good). Percentages shown under ‘Most common faults’ indicate the proportion of owners reporting each problem in the past 12 months.

Brand

Sample size: 926 people

Land Rover ratings Overall owner satisfaction for this brand Brand reliability Dealer Servicing & repair

Model: Land Rover Freelander (2006-)Sample size:

353 people

Ownership ratings Overall owner satisfaction for this range

Ease of driving Comfort Dash layout and controls In-car technology Styling Build quality Practicality Value for money

Everyone who takes part in the Which? Car survey tells us about their car and the dealers who sell and service it. We analyse this feedback across all cars to give top-level satisfaction ratings for each brand, including the brand’s reliability record over the last eight years. All star ratings are out of five. Model ownership ratings

★★★ ★★★

Dealer Sales Service

Driving enjoyment

80%

Brand ratings

These show how owners score this car in 12 different areas, from performance to heating. Owners’ ratings are subjective – so may differ from Which? Car test scores – but they give a good idea of what the car is like to live with. Where relevant, cars are scored against other cars in the same class (e.g. for space).

85%

★★★★ ★★★★ ★★★★ ★★★ ★★★ ★★★★ ★★★★ ★★★ ★★★

Owner’s View It is comfortable. You can drive it for long periods without getting stiff. I like the high viewpoint and ease of getting in and out without bending.

Owner’s View It is a very useful, comfortable means of transport. It is reasonably economical when driven within legal speed limits. We have a property in a very rural part of France and it has proved to be very useful during some periods

Which? Car review

Land Rover Freelander (2006-) 4x4s/SUVs

Which? Car Survey results continued...

About our survey Reliability ratings

Reliability ratings

★★★

Overall Reliability Petrol cars

Reliability



Breakdowns

Average annual repair cost Diesel cars

Reliability



Breakdowns

Average annual repair cost All cars

Reliability



Breakdowns

Average annual repair cost

Up to 3 years old

3-8 years old

- - - - - - ★★★ 6% £9

-

We split reliability into breakdowns (including failure to start), faults (where parts need replacing) and problems (minor issues e.g. squeaks and loose trim). Where the car has been on sale for some time, and we have numerous survey responses from owners, we also split scores by the age of car and fuel type. Star ratings are out of five – the more stars, the more reliable the car. Most common faults

Breakdowns: Percentage of cars suffering a breakdown in last 12 months Average annual repair cost: Average annual cost of repairs (not servicing), in past 12 months

Most common faults 

Up to 3 years old

Transmission - Other Electric windows Non-Engine electrics - Other Other Minor Engine electrics - Other

6% 3% 3% 3% 3%



3-8 years old

-

-

- - - -

Failure rate: The proportion of owners reporting this problem in the last year

Want to know what’s most likely to go wrong as the car gets older? These are the five most common faults reported by owners, grouped by age into new, recent and older cars. A score of 40% means four out of 10 owners reported problems with that part of the car over the previous 12 months. Engine electrics and non-engine electrics (e.g. windows, stereo) cause more headaches than mechanical parts in most modern cars.