Land Rover’s Freelander has been a best-seller in Europe since its introduction in 1997, but the British off-road specialist hasn’t chosen to import it until recently.  As the smallest Land Rover ever sold in the U.S., the Freelander is playing to a new crowd.  Unlike the premium-priced Range Rover, the Freelander is right in the thick of the compact and mid-size sport-ute market.  Thanks to the off-road prowess implied by the Land Rover name, the Freelander’s natural enemy is the popular new Jeep Liberty.  For 2004, Land Rover is even making overtures into Jeep Wrangler territory, with the three-door, open-top Freelander SE3.

For 2004 the Freelander gets more aggressive front and rear treatment, with body-colored sections on the grille and deeper-set headlamps.  The high, smooth front bumper is raised to improve approach angles off-road, and that big, visible skid plate underneath protects the oil pan from rocks.  It creates a cool bow wave if you drive through a deep puddle, too.  The raised rear section and forward roof rails are reminiscent of the Land Rover Discovery, but apart from those details the high-waisted Freelander has its own identity.  16″ wheels and a full-size spare are standard.  The five-door body style is proportioned to within an inch of the Jeep Liberty’s in all directions, except for the Freelander’s three-inch shorter wheelbase.  Like the Liberty, the Freelander has a side-hinged rear door, and the rear window can be lowered.  The SE3 is a three-door with twin sunroofs and a removable roof at the rear.  Brush bars and skidplates are standard equipment on the sporty SE3, as well as a palette of bright colors.  In ’04 Land Rover will also start production of a limited-edition Freelander; orange and yellow Freelander G4s commemorate Land Rover’s involvement in the G4 Challenge international adventure race.  Only two hundred of each will be produced; special trim and unique cargo rails are part of the package.

The interior leaves little doubt as to the Freelander’s parentage.  “Stadium” seating which places the rear seats higher than those in the front, ceiling-mounted cargo nets, and the instrument panel with its large hood are similar to larger Land Rovers.  There’s a cool second glovebox under the driver’s knees, and storage cubbies are plentiful like on larger Land Rovers.  Power windows and a single-disc CD player are standard equipment.  A six-disc changer is optional.

Power is provided by a 2.5 liter, 24-valve V6 engine making 174 horsepower.  The Jeep Liberty has a bigger V6 pumping out thirty-five more horses, but that truck’s weight makes it feel sluggish.  That’s the curse of hard-core off-road vehicles, because the Freelander suffers the same malady.  It’s not slow by a long shot, but the Freelander feels less spry than the 160-hp Honda CR-V and 200-hp Ford Escape.  What’s not visible is Land Rover’s obsessive attentiveness to off-roading matters, which dictated a special design for the V6′s equal-length exhaust headers to protect them from off-road dangers.  The Freelander comes with a selectable five-speed “Steptronic” automatic transmission.  Like similar systems from Chrysler and others, the Steptronic can be shifted manually, or left to work the gears on its own.  The transmission is also intelligent, and can recognize situations like trailer towing, steep hill climbing, and other inclement road obstacles.  It then selects lower gears, to prevent hunting when more power is needed.

A four-wheel independent suspension is a break from Land Rover’s solid-axle tradition.  MacPherson struts at each corner have a lot of wheel travel dialed in–seven inches up front and eight at the rear–to keep the wheels on the ground over rough terrain.  Land Rover has tuned the suspension to improve on-road smoothness as well.

The Freelander features full-time four-wheel drive, and four-wheel traction control.  Front disc/rear drum brakes have ABS as standard equipment.  Other electronic helpers borrowed from larger Land Rovers include electronic brake distribution (EBD), and Hill Descent Control (HDC).  HDC uses the anti-lock brakes to supplement the lowest gear ratios when heading down a steep, slippery hill.  This offers control a step above the normal ultra-low “creeper” gears found in most off-road vehicles.  HDC supplements the Freelander’s creeper gear and prevents the wheels from locking.  EBD, traction control, and HDC are all standard equipment.

The Freelander is no less hard-core than any of its stablemates when it comes to off-roading.  Although many of them will never leave pavement, the fuel tank and rear differential are nonetheless cradled in the rear subframe and protected by steel skidplates.  A polypropylene skid plate protects the underside of the engine.  Tow hooks are rated for three tons, to ensure their strength in sticky situations.  Although it’s a unibody vehicle, lacking a separate frame, large box sections underneath the truck are similar to those of the ladder-framed Discovery, and increase the Freelander’s stiffness.  Land Rover is happy to point out that Freelanders survived three thousand miles on the corporate torture-test track.

With all of this equipment and ability plus a starting price under $26,000, the Freelander and new SE3 are compelling challengers to Jeep’s dominance of the small-SUV market.  If you’re looking for a little sport-ute with honest off-road credentials but a less familiar face, the Freelander is a good place to start.

Specifications:
All specs are for the 2004 Land Rover Freelander
Length:     175.0 in.
Width:        71.1 in.
Height:        69.2 in.
Wheelbase:    101.0 in.
Cargo space:    19.1 cu.ft (seats up); 46.6 cu.ft (seats folded)
Base price:    $25,995
Engine:     2.5 liter 24-valve DOHC V6
Drivetrain:     five-speed automatic, four-wheel drive
Horsepower:     174 @ 6250
Torque:     177 @ 4000
Fuel capacity:    15.6 gal.
Fuel economy: 17/21

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