Style Magazine 79
stylemotoring
he Freelander has been the go-anywhere toy
of choice for some time, and is now available
with new technology that makes it the cleanest
Land Rover ever made.
The car is fitted with an intelligent Stop/Start
system that cuts the engine as soon as you select
neutral and release the clutch. This can reduce fuel
use by almost 20 per cent if you spend a lot of
your time in heavy traffic.
Am I the only one thinking, what on earth are you
doing in a Land Rover in the first place if you
spend a lot of your time in heavy traffic?
Whatever, Land Rover merits praise for making the
system work so well. There is no diesel engine
shake when the motor stops and starts. Likewise,
certain components have been beefed up to cope
with the extra mechanical abuse which will
inevitably follow repeated stop/starting.
More work has gone into ensuring that everything
else continues to operate when the engine stops,
so in-car entertainment, bluetooth, climate control
and the like all continue as usual. And it's not
some expensive option either, the Stop/Start system
being equipped as standard on all new TD4
Freelanders.
Climb aboard and this Landy's interior does not
disappoint, with a commanding driving position
and plenty of glass to aid visibility. Quality
materials abound, and it all feels quite classy.
Every new Freelander comes with alloys, air
conditioning and a CD player, while GS
specification adds climate and cruise control,
parking sensors and the Terrain Response system,
which gives you the ability to optimise chassis
settings depending on driving surface conditions.
XS trim adds electric front seats and a beefed up
stereo system, while SE models get satellite
navigation and a CD multichanger, and the HSE
trim of the press vehicles adds leather upholstery.
On the road the Freelander feels car-like, with
good ride quality and accurate steering. There is
more body roll than I would like through the
corners, but all it really takes are minor
adjustments to your driving style to make
smooth progress. It is refined too, and
impressively quiet unless you work the 158bhp
2.2-litre diesel engine hard.
As an ambassador for the 4x4 cause, this `eco-
Freelander' makes a good case for itself.
However, to put things into perspective, for all
of the efforts that have gone into making this
car more fuel efficient, it still produces similar
emissions and economy figures to those
produced by a VW Golf GTI.
VERDICT
If you must have a
compact 4x4, this is a
brilliant example of the
breed. Whether the
`eco' credentials will
stop 4x4-bashers from
keying your car is
another matter entirely.
FACTFILE
Land Rover Freelander
TD4_e HSE
Price: �32,595
Engine: 2.2-litre
turbodiesel
Power: 158bhp
Torque: 295lb ft
Top speed: 112mph
0-62mph: 11.8 seconds
Fuel consumption:
42.2mpg combined
Emissions: 179g/km
A Land Rover
that goes easy
on the planet
and a people
carrier that's
not a people
carrier. Are
these things
too good to be
true? asks
Adam Swift

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