Land Rover Freelander (2006 - 2014) 2.2 SD4 XS 5d Auto Owner Review

We live in the country and therefore want 4x4, raised height, good all round visibility , tough wheels and tyres and good lighting. Our late model Freelander 2 offers all this plus leather heated seats , heated windscreen and a premium badge. Its successor the Discovery Sport has inferior visibility, poor headlights unless top spec and diesels suffer oil dilution problems so with higher cost / depreciation it is no contest unless fashion is your thing. It is very easy and comfortable to drive although it is a cruiser and not designed to be hustled along. If anything steering is a tad light. For its age technology is good with sat nav, phone connectivity , voice activation and decent sound / Dab. It is probably the most reliable of all Land Rovers as it has essentially Ford components and shares parts with the Volvo XC60. Seen by enthusiasts as a bit soft with no low box / diff lock, it is surprising competent off road surpassing anything from BMW or Audi, only modest ground clearance holds it back. In UK snow conditions it is magnificent when using terrain response and Hill descent. Its Haldex 4x4 response drivetrain can be problematic if not serviced regularly which for some strange reason Land Rover do not include in the service schedule, claiming it is sealed for life - it's not! but servicing it every 20000 is simple and quite cheap. All in all a pleasant and competent ownership proposition.