Used Land Rover Freelander 2 review

History

The Freelander 2 arrived in September 2006, in five-door 4WD form only. There were 3.2-litre i6 petrol auto or 158bhp 2.2-litre TD4 diesel manual options only at launch, although by April 2007 a TD4 auto had joined the line-up.

The top-spec HST went on sale in February 2008, then in April 2009 the i6 was discontinued and the TD4.e with stop/start was introduced to cut emissions from 194g/km to 179g/km. A revised Freelander 2 in September 2010 brought an overhauled interior, design tweaks and a two-wheel-drive eD4 model, plus the auto-only 188bhp SD4. Manual gearbox TD4s also featured stop/start.

The trim hierarchy runs S, GS, XS, Dynamic/SE, HSE, HSE Lux/HST. All models feature alloy wheels, electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors, ESP, climate control plus powered windows front and rear.
GS adds reversing sensors, XS electrically adjustable front seats and cruise control, SE features navigation while HSE brings leather. 

Alternatives to the Land Rover Freelander 2

The BMW X3 and Audi Q5 are the Freelander’s biggest rivals, with premium badges, posh interiors and excellent engines. You’ll pay plenty for these, but there is a cheaper option – the Volvo XC60. Recently replaced with a new model, the XC60 is stylish and safe, and you’ll get more for your money than if you buy German.

Alternatively you could buy Japanese, with the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V and Nissan Qashqai all offering frugal engines, generous equipment levels and reliability. As with the Land Rover, all these cars are five-seaters, but if you’d prefer seven seats take a look at the Nissan X-Trail or Mitsubishi Outlander, which don’t have the same premium feel but do offer great value. 

What to look out for: 

Gauge faults

Fuel gauges can be inaccurate, sometimes sticking at the quarter mark even though the car is running on fumes, leading to drivers being stranded. 

Radio glitch

The radio can stay on with the key removed, flattening the battery. A software update cures this. If a clock shows in the radio display, the work has been done.

Electrics

Other glitches centre on temperamental air-con systems and faulty LCD screens, so carefully check that these are all working properly. 

Gearboxes

Clutches and gearboxes can be weak. Listen for whining when cruising, check for clutch slip when accelerating and any jumping out of gear.

Interior

While there are plenty of premium materials inside, the functional design is disappointing. Oddments space is good, the seats are plush and the carrying capacity excellent. Even with the rear seats in place there’s room to stow 755 litres, which expands to 1,670 litres with the rear seats folded.

Running costs

Diesel Freelander 2s need to be serviced every 16,000 miles or 12 months; petrol models every 10,000 miles. Check-ups alternate between minor and major, at £295 and £530 for diesels but a hefty £518-£639 for petrols. While the petrol is chain-driven, the diesel unit’s cambelt needs replacing every 144,000 miles or nine years.

Fresh brake fluid is required every three years (£42), while the coolant, gearbox and differential oil and auxiliary drive belt need replacing every 10 years or 150,000 miles. This service costs £900 (£1,190 for the petrol), so be wary of a Freelander 2 that’s coming up to 10 years old or 150,000 miles and needs a service.

Recalls

The Freelander 2 has been recalled five times, the first in April 2008 because the sunroof guide could fail on cars built from November 2006 to January 2008.

Source: Auto Express