Only had it in March but so far high marks for quality of drive and comfort. Took one off road on Land Rover test track and it managed everything. My only niggle is the door seal on lower sill split after being rubbed by shoes. Recommend heavier duty seal. Performance very good for size. Auto lights, wipers, gears and rear parking sensors means that with cruise control on, all I have to do is steer. Spot on.
Compared to the old Land Rover Freelander, this is a totally different beast. Handling is pretty good, the 160bhp 2.2 diesel engine performs well and is at home on both the motorway and on mud. I usually achieve about 30mpg round town, and 35-40mpg on longer motorway trips. Having previously owned an Audi A3 I was expecting to be disappointed but the car is very comfortable, well equipped and seems to be fairly well-built with no knocks or rattles.
Excellent car in all respects except depreciation. Do not buy this car new. In six months it has lost over £12,000 in value, very steep for any car. Land Rover say that it will retain 50% in value after 3 years, but after losing 37% in six months, that seems unlikely. If you are going to buy one, buy a used one or ex-demo.
Read all the hype but I am a little disappointed. With only 400 miles on the clock the rear tailgate is leaking. It appears to be coming in through the rather cheap high visibility brake light. Land Rover appears to have cut a lot of corners with this vehicle. Steamed-up headlights is another. The fuel consumption, in the mid-twenties, also leaves something to be desired. Very little storage inside the car. The front seatbelts are rubbing the seats - so much so that I had to get the black tape out.
The new Freelander 2 is completely different to the old Freelander. It's bigger, the steering is lighter and has a great engine with the same CO2 emissions as my old hatchback. Looks classy, feels safe and assured on and off road. Eats up road humps and pot holes. Loads of safety features, I can't fault it. Pity Gordon Brown sees fit to increase taxes what is arguably one of the safest cars on the market, but then again, I don't suppose he's ever driven one. Nice one Land Rover.
