and an abundance of glass, with twin
panoramic sunroofs means a light, airy feel
to the cabin and excellent visibility out.
Space race
Despite moving the spare wheel to
underneath the boot cover, boot space has
been increased to 755 litres, rising to 1,670
with the seats down. The bootlid now
opens upwards like a standard car boot
instead of the traditional 4x4 way, and a
high-level rear brake light has been added.
Our test car was fitted with the 2.2 Td4
diesel engine mated to a tight six-speed
gearbox. Quiet at idle, it responds quickly
at low revs which means � for a diesel � it
has a fairly wide powerband. It's not slow
either � 0-60 takes 11.7sec and dropping it
into sixth on a cruise elicits little noise from
the engine and plenty of low-range torque.
It also feels a lot more agile than it looks
� the chunky lines belie tidy handling
suspension, but the sharp and easy steering
which works so well around town becomes
a little too responsive � a little more weight
as the speed increases would be welcome.
With a light right foot, Land Rover claims
you'll get an average of 37mpg from the
diesel, dropping to around 25 for the 3.2
six-cylinder petrol. With 230bhp, if you
must have petrol power it is a good strong
engine, but most buyers will opt for the
more economical 158bhp diesel.
Top of the class
Obviously, it's not the most rewarding
drive out there � rivals such as the BMW
X3 and Honda's CR-V offer a better
on-road driving experience, but then
neither of them can touch the Landie
when the going gets tough. With 210mm
of ground clearance, a 31-degree approach
angle, a 34-degree departure angle and the
ability to wade through half a metre of
water, nothing in its class is going to
better the Freelander 2 off-road.
Riding on high-profile, hybrid tyres,
the Land Rover's four-wheel-drive is
permanent, although it can transfer
power to whichever axle needs it; for day-
to-day driving, most of the power goes to
the front wheels which saves fuel and tyre
wear. The Freelander 2 retains the hill
descent control of the old model, which
41
essentially means the car will fall down a
hill all on its own with no driver input on
the pedals. It's scary the first few times,
but works very, very well, especially for
the casual off-roader. It's also been linked
to a new Gradient Release Control,
which will release the brakes progressively
after being stopped on a steep slope.
The ability to haul a 2,000kg braked
trailer makes it a pretty capable tow car,
and helped by its monocoque structure,
Land Rover also claims that the Freelander
2's static stiffness is second only to the
Discovery and Porsche Cayenne.
There's not much to dislike about the
Freelander 2 � it looks smart, it's been
very well thought out and its on-road
manners are more than good enough to
be competitive with rivals. It's a quantum
leap forward from the old model, and
brings it perfectly in line with the family
of other offerings from Land Rover.
Even if Honda's CR-V is a better road
car, and BMW's X3 has the all-important
golf-club badge, step off the tarmac and
it's Land Rover's green and gold that
still reins supreme.
THE ROADTRIP
Destination: True Grip Off Road Centre
If you're one of these people who never takes
their 4x4 off road, here's your chance to learn
how it's done. Talented instructors at True Grip
near Canterbury will demonstrate how to
climb, descend and traverse safely on wet
mud, and show you how to make the most of
your car's four-wheel-drive system. Then take
a deep breath, because it's your turn.
Tel: 0800 234 6558
SatNav postcode: CT3 4LR
Eat at: The Wife of Bath
Half an hour away is the Wife of Bath restaurant
with rooms. Imaginative menus coupled with an
eclectic drinks list, cheerful service and a
recently decorated restaurant that's elegant and
modern, the Wife of Bath never fails to impress.
Plus, if you accidentally over indulge you can
stay the night in one of their fine rooms.
For more information, tel: 01233 812232
Also stop at:
Just up the road is Herne Bay, from where
Bayblast will take you out on a terrifyingly
fast boat to see the seal colonies and have a
nose around the offshore wind farm. (01227
373 372). The Stodmarsh nature reserve isn't
far away either, so if you want to get back to
nature, drop by and visit the extensive bird
population. (01233 812525).

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