Test Drive Land Rover Freelander LR2 since 2009 SUV
Land Rover Freelander 1.8
Facelifting is a faithful sign of growing models. The decision to spend this difficult operation is taken, as a rule, in two cases: or the model will soon leave the stage, or it is waiting for a long and happy life on the conveyor. I would like to believe that for Land Rover Freelander, Facelifting will not be the fall of life, but will begin a new stage in the life of the British SUV.
700 Seven hundred changes made to the appearance and interior of the younger Landy are designed to strengthen the car Renome as a single premium class. To this end, on the exterior, the updated car is as close as possible to the Range Rover and Discovery, and it certainly has taken advantage. The former Freelander obviously lacked branded solidity and self-confidence, got him for the front lighting, and for the black plastic bumper, combined with the grille. Everything definitely understood that such a decision was practical when driving down off-road, but Land Rover lovers in the shower hoped that Freelander would still change. It was almost seven years to wait, but the most patient fans waited in the wings and gladly met, in essence, a new car. We will not do a scrupulous count of changes, but we will pay attention to those details that drastically changed the appearance of a small Land Rover.
First of all, the face of the car was another. The headlights are made in the Spirit of Range Rover with two light elements and transparent glasses. The first positive moment capable of melting ice in the souls of recent skeptics. The new bumper is now partially painted in the body color, as well as the grille of the radiator, and its monolithicness went into the past. On a new car, the front bumper consists of several parts, which is not only more interesting from the point of view of design, but also increases the mainfieldability of the part, which on off-road often takes a blow to itself. Someone will say that Freelander lost its face, and will be categorically wrong. The small SUV finally got rid of infantality, for which he was often criticized, and the proof of this is the new signboard on the door of the trunk, made in the spirit of large models, which came to shift the cheerful sign of corporate colors, as well as the changed rear lighting. Outside, it is now all in an adult! And what about? Here the new is also enough, although familiar details remained abundant, such as, for example, two glove boxes or the hood opening handle from the front passenger side. The instrument panel is made according to the modular principle and, being absolutely symmetric, in the framework of production, it easily changes with the right-to-levicultural, it is worth only to change the airbag and a combination of instruments. The salon is decorated pretty tough for a purebred car with plastic, and the seats of dense high-quality skin. The optimal landing will be able to find the medium-sized driver, tall will remain tall in the absence of adjustment of the seat height and put up with the fact that the head rests on the ceiling, but the density of packing and side support perfectly deserve flattering reviews.
The interior is noticeably revitalizing the new combination of devices with large dials, dressed in decorative rings. The devices are better read and raise your apparent sporting. True, the tall driver sees them only partially the upper part of the scales overlaps the steering wheel. The function keys disappeared from the visor to the visor, the place for them was found on the central console, which, in turn, became more friendly to the driver. Volumented Freelander got rid of the still load of the last windows keys on the front of the front armrest. Large keys are grouped into the block on the driver's door, and the plug remained on the armrest, the purpose of which is shrouded in the mystery. The Hill Decent Control system is now included with the button at the base of the gear lever, and not the ring on the handle, as before. In general, with the exception of several national traits, the interior gives the impression of a well-conceived branded product. It remains only to start the motor and check the little Land Rover in the case.
On asphalt and not only
Freelander is supplied to our country only with gasoline engines, which two are provided for this car. The basic is considered to be a 1.8 l motor motor with a capacity of 117 hp, working with a mechanical 5-speed gearbox, and is also proposed by V6 with a volume of 2.5 liters (see No. 12, 2001). From the moment of launching, the Four begins to grow out clearly and persistently continues to do it with increasing revolutions. Motor would be happy to be hiding, but in order to stick in the stream, it must be constantly spinning up to 5000 rpm, closer to the peak of power. At these moments, the engine begins to make sounds, more characteristic of sports machines than for the status SUV.
But it is not worth putting the seal of the negative on the heart of the car with all its noise, it honestly fulfills the task, even despite the long-incredible and poorly listening clutch pedal and far from perfection the gear shift mechanism. On the track a car, swaying on a soft suspension, allows the owner to relax somewhat, but if there are extraneous objects in the form of small pebbles or crushed ice on the asphalt, then they necessarily try on the rear wheel arches, returning the driver from the world of positive sensations into the world of Russian roads. Buying Freelander as a car for traveling to the country, you should immediately take care of off-road shoes for it. Bridgestone Dueler tires are perfect for asphalt, but they cannot oppose anyone else's countryside, not to mention the directions of the Russian depth. The viscous coupling and the anti-skid system, which make up the base of all-wheel drive transmission, are configured in such a way that the sitting in the cabin did not have doubts about Freelander belonging to the Great British off-road legend. Even on the road tires, the car with an enviable perseverance climbs on the snow brushier and overcomes the rut rolls rolled apart. He struggles to the latter until the tires have not yet lost the clutch, and the driver did not break up with the thought to overcome the next obstacle.
It is pleasant to realize that in the soul of the soul of the real Land Rover, although repeating the exploits of the participants of the G4 Challenge on this car will not work out due to its destination. It has no bohemility of Range Rover, but he left far from the deliberate simplicity of Defender. He switched from a favorite child to the category of a full member of the family. Of course, like any Land Rover, an updated Freelander Neshevayev 25 thousand euros for the basic bundle, but the car of this brand was and remains proof of social status and the presence of a fine European taste.
Some Technical Specifications Land Rover Freelander 1.8
(manufacturer data)
Dimensions, mm: 4380x1805x1760
Base, mm: 2555
Pitch in front / rear, mm: 1535/1545
Diameter of reversal, M: 11.6
Engine type: gasoline 4-cylinder 16-valve
Working volume, cube. CM: 1795.
Max. Power, hp / rpm: 117/5500
Max. Moment, nm / rpm: 160/2750
Transmission: Mechanical 5-speed
Tires: 215/65 R16
Max. Speed, km / h: 160
Access time is 0-100 km, from: 11.8
Fuel consumption (medium), l / 100 km: 8.1 / 9.8 / 12.9
Tank volume, l: 64
Maxim Rakitin
A source: Magazine "Autopanoram"
