Land Rover Freelander (06 on) - Review

The Land Rover Freelander started out with S, GS and HSE trim designations, but this has now grown to encompass S, GS, XS, Dynamic, HSE and HSE Lux. All six trims are available with front- and four-wheel drive versions of the Freelander.

Standard Land Rover Freelander equipment

The entry-level S model of Land Rover Freelander comes with ESP and six airbags, central locking, an alarm, alloy wheels, air conditioning, electric windows front and rear, electrically adjusted and heated door mirrors, CD stereo with MP3 player, steering wheel controls for the stereo, and split and fold rear seat. The GS adds leather upholstery to the spec sheet, along with climate control, cruise control and Bluetooth connection. For the XS, Land Rover supplies the car with silver grille bars, body coloured door handles and door mirrors covers, automatic headlights with washers, front fog lights, automatic climate control, Silver Element dash insert, satellite navigation and a Merdian 380W stereo. The sporty looking Dynamic model has a grille surround, grille bars and wing vents finished in gloss black, while a body kit with deeper front spoiler and side skirts is standard too. Also for the Dynamic is the option of the door trims finished in contrasting red or black, while front and rear parking sensors are included along with automatic headlights and wipers. More standard kit is piled on for the HSE that comes with LED daytime running lights, electrically worked panoramic sunroof, door mirrors with position memory and auto-dipping function for reversing, 18-inch alloy wheels, heated front seats, and push button starter. The HSE Lux tops the range with 19-inch alloy wheels, Xenon headlights, reversing camera, Windsor leather upholstery and a heated leather steering wheel. The Freelander was updated for 2013 with a new colour touchscreen on the centre console through which the multimedia system and optional sat nav can be controlled. The Freelander’s voice control system was updated with a ‘Say what you see’ function, in which visual prompts are displayed to make the system easier to use. A keyless start system was also introduced, along with new instruments including an extra information screen between the main dials. For the 2013 Model Year a ‘Black & White’ limited edition model was also added, based on the S trim. Available, as the name suggests, in a special shade of either black or white, the edition was limited to 600 vehicles and includes 17-inch split-spoke alloys, privacy glass and Bluetooth connectivity over the standard S specification.

Land Rover Freelander accessories

Land Rover Freelander buyers can choose to add mud flaps front and rear to their car, as well as Land Rover’s snow traction system for more grip in icy weather. There’s also the choice of side steps, roof rails with cross bars, cycle carriers, ski and snowboard carriers, and roof boxes. A tow bar is another popular choice for Freelander buyers, while a front underplate helps protect the car if you intend to stray off the beaten path. For those who prefer to stick to the tarmac, a sports body kit is an option, along with a variety of different alloy wheels. New kit added to the Freelander for 2013 included a rear-view camera with ‘Hitch Assist’, a graphic showing the position of a trailer’s tow ball to aid manoeuvring. This is an optional extra for XS trims and above, and standard on the HSE Lux.