Test Drive Land Rover Freelander 2000 - 2003 SUV

Land Rover Freelander 1.8

Facelifting is a sure sign of growing model. 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 will be waiting for a long and happy life on the conveyor. I want 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.

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The seven hundred changes made to the appearance and interior of the younger Landy are designed to strengthen the car's renome as a single premium class. To this end, on the exterior, the updated car is as close as possible to 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 radiator grille. Everything definitely understood that such a decision was practical when driving 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 look of the little Land Rover.

First of all, the car's face became another. The headlights are made in the Range Rover spirit 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 little SUV finally got rid of infantality, for which he was often criticized, and the proof of this is a new signboard on the door of the trunk, made in the spirit of large models, which came to shift a cheerful sign of corporate colors, as well as the changed rear lighting. Outside, it is now all in an adult!

And what about? There is also enough new here, although familiar details remained abundant, such as, for example, as many as two glove boxes or the hood opening handle from the front passenger. The instrument panel is made according to the modular principle and, being absolutely symmetrical, in the framework of the production, it easily changes with the right-levicultural, it is worth only to change the airbag and a combination of instruments in places. The cabin is decorated pretty hard for a purebred car with plastic, and the seats are dense high-quality skin. The optimal landing will be able to find a medium-sized driver, the tall will remain talked to the absence of adjustment of the seat in height and put up with the fact that the head rests on the ceiling, but the packing density and side support perfectly deserve flattering reviews.

The interior noticeably revitalizes a new combination of devices with large dials, dressed in decorative rings. The devices are better read and raise your apparent sports. 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. The hazard freelander got rid of the still load of the last keys of the windows on the end of the front armrest. Close-up keys are grouped into the block on the driver's door, and the plugs 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 impresses well-developed branded product. It remains only to start the motor and check the little Land Rover in the case.

On asphalt and not only

Our country Freelander comes only with gasoline engines, which two are provided for this car. The basic is considered to be a 1.8 l motor capacity 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 clearly grumble and persistently continues to do it with increasing revolutions. Motor would be happy to be tricky, but in order to stick in the stream, it must be constantly spinning to 5000 rpm, closer to the pot peak. At these moments, the engine begins to issue sounds, more characteristic of sports cars than for the status SUV.
But it is not worth noting the seal of the negative on the heart of the car with all its noise, he honestly fulfills the task, even despite the long-term and poorly listening clutch pedal and the transmission mechanism far from perfection. On the track, the 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 him. Bridgestone Dueler tires are perfect for asphalt, but nothing can oppose Moscow region, not to mention the directions of the Russian depth. The viscous coupling and the anti-duct system, which constitute the basis of the all-wheel drive transmission, are configured in such a way that the sitting in the cabin did not have doubts about the Freelander belonging to the Great British off-road legend. Even on the road tires, the car with an enviable perseverance climbs into the snow brushier and overcomes the rings rolled apart. He struggles until the latter until the tires have not lost the clutch, and the driver did not break up with the thought to overcome the next obstacle.

It's nice to realize that in the soul body of the soul of the real Land Rover, although it will not happen to repeat the exploits of the participants of the G4 Challenge on this car. It has no bohemility Range Rover, but he has left far from the deliberate simplicity of Defender. He moved from the category of a favorite child to a full member of the family. Of course, like any Land Rover, an updated Freelander Neshevayev 25 thousand euros for the basic package, but after all, the car of this brand was and remains proof of social status and the presence of a fine European taste from the owner.

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"