Land Rover Freelander LR2 test drive since 2009 SUV
Land Rover Freelander 2. Thirst - nothing!
Still, an amazing brand of Land Rover! Dry, at first glance, British charisma with a slight raid of aristocratic brutality in combination form an amazing cocktail on wheels. Vladimir Makkaveev, a journalist, 34 years old, a driver’s experience of 15 years, travels to Volvo C30.
Land Rover Freelander 2. Price: 1 784 000 rub. On sale: since 2011
By and large, reflection on the acquisition of Land Rover for potential customers almost always represent a confrontation between rationalism and vanity. And an amazing thing, with all the disadvantages of the Land Rover, of which the car is in principle a lot, human vanity over and over again conquers progressive rationalism. How substantiated is this choice?
The first and most significant trump card of this car is economical (even in winter the consumption does not exceed 9.2 l/100 km) and a super-dynamic 150-horsepower 2.2-liter turbodiesel with a crazy torque. True, against the background of the general stunning dynamics of the car, a 6-speed automatic may seem too fragmentary. But here it should be remembered that to cope with a torque of 420 nm without damage to the resource is completely difficult. So a certain inhibition of KP can be understood and forgiven. As well as not the most acute manageability in the class.
In the Russian market, Land Rover Freelander 2 is presented in four versions with three different engines: 2.2-liter turbodiesels with a capacity of 150 and 190 hp. and 3.2-liter 233-horsepower gasoline i6
But in order to explain the features of the settings by soft, but not the most comfortable suspension, you must probably at least once visit the foggy Albion and get to know the British mentality closer.
Freel, of course, a SUV, however, a solid clearance and decent suspension passages, with an enviable appetite swallowing deep potholes, but striving to choke on small irregularities, sometimes make it doubt in the urban purpose of the car. Add here the ability to overcome half-meter forces congenital for British genes without soaking the legs of the driver and passengers ... And, you want, you don’t want, the doubt creeps up: maybe this is still an SUV before us?! But no, a bulky plastic tank, hanging with a ladder sword over a road clearance, leaves no doubt about the parquet character of the car. You can, of course, order optional protection from 3 mm steel. But why was it even to lay this plastic pig under the belly of a very passable car and at the same time to endow the salon altitude to Freelander so outstanding off -road abilities? Where is the logic?! You can understand it only by understanding the British mentality of a kind of inalienable application to the aristocratic charisma of Land Rover Frelander.
The English off -road is not our couple. I remember when a decade and a half ago I first arrived on an off-road test somewhere in the vicinity of Brooklands, I was just touched by British off-road with a neatly cut English lawn between the ruts. You can also scratch about such a lawn with a plastic tank, while it is better to be more careful on Russian offroge. Freelander is still a SUV, albeit one of the most brutal, the perfect weapon in conquering curbs in a modern metropolis.
British restraint is felt in everything. Against the background of the futuristic interiors of contemporaries are expensive, but the conservative-minimalic angular salon looks quite vintage. Although one cannot but admit: with the exterior it is combined organically. And yet, with all the dynamic and stylistic advantages of Frelander, frequent complaints to reliability, by no means budgetary and very expensive components turn the purchase of this car into a duel of vanity and rationalism.
Fresh strokes
In addition to the despeating sincere enthusiasm of the new 2.2-liter turbodiesel, which despite the solid capacity of 150-190 liters. With. And the increased torque of 420 Nm, became much quieter and smoother than its predecessor, by last year the modernized Freelander 2 received an improved mechanical KP with a start/stop function. The latter, however, is unlikely to be greatly in demand in Russia. But cosmetic changes in makeup in the form of an updated front bumper, a radiator grill, alloy discs and new colors in the palette of a dyeing workshop polish the already attractive appearance of Frelander. Internal changes are even more pointed, touched the design of seats, sheathing and dashboard.
VERDICT
Cars such as Freelander fully refute the legendary Sprite slogan: the image is nothing. Thirst for all! Along with a successful turbodiesel, it is the aristocratic-brain image that the main trump card LR, thanks to which Freelander is sprinkled with a thirst for rationality with brilliance.
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
+A dynamic engine with a high moment, bright, attractive appearance, decent cross -country ability on average off -road.
-Not the most successful layout of the gas tank, a weak stove, expensive components, frequent complaints to reliability.
Driving
The controllability standard, even by the standards of its class, can not be called freelander.
Salon
Spacious and ergonomic, but restrained design gives a raid of minimalism.
Comfort
The suspension copes with a bad road great, but small irregularities are felt like a sports car.
Safety
5 stars for adults and 4 for small passengers according to the results of EURO NCAP tests.
Price
At the level of the main competitors.
SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions 4500x2005x1740mm
Base 2660 mm
Equipped mass 1805 kg
Full weight 2505 kg
Clearance 210 mm
Trunk volume 755/1670 l
Fuel tank volume 68 liters
Diesel engine, 2179 cm3, 150 hp/4000 min-1, min-1, 420 nm/2000 min-1
Automatic transmission, 6-speed
Dynamics Max 171 km/h; 13.2 s to 100 km/h
Fuel consumption is 7.0 l/100 km in the mixture. cycle
Competitors BMW X3, Audi Q5, Mercedes GLK, Volvo XC 60
Source: Magazine 5 wheel [March 2012]
