Test Drive Land Rover Freelander 2000 - 2003 SUV

Invitation to the journey

Land Rover Freelander can be called the victim of the Russian economy. In the fall of 1997, the car was debuting for next year, was preparing to land on our territory following the popularity of Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V popularity, but the August crisis rushed here. Freelander official sales were postponed, as it seemed, indefinitely. In short, to enter the Russian market, the very small Land Rover needed exactly two years.

Of course, Freelander appeared in Russia not today. Gray importers brought it almost immediately after the start of sales in Europe. But now another thing - the car is certified and sold through the official dealer network.

It can be said that the soil on which the Freelander flourished, the Japanese blast - it is them that the world is obliged to the appearance of parquet (beach, boulevard) SUVs, like RAV4, HR-V, CR-V and Forester. These cars - for those in everyday, most often urban, everyday life needed by the radicalism of real SUVs, but who has ceased to arrange impassable conservatism of ordinary cars. This is especially true in our homeland, where the roads even in the cities often know what (as they do not remember the aphorism of General Swan: if anyone doubts that Russia has their own way, let them go on our roads). Maybe Russia is a country, so to speak, 4x4?

It is hard to believe that Land Rover has succumbed to fashion and only therefore built another parquet scarcoon. Yes, even at the time when BMW AG was influenced. It may not be that the market successes of Freelander (last year - the most sold car 4x4, a much overtaking rivals) were explained only by prestige and reputation of the brand. Let's try to figure out ...

For two and a half years, the past from the moment of birth, the car appeared at all, it was not at all aged - such a timelessness is peculiar to all Land Rover cars. It looks freelander very stylish, it is inherent in a large proportion of visual functionality - it is immediately seen that the car will not be afraid if necessary to leave a good way. In any case, his driver will not be afraid to scratch the body (especially in front and rear), and the bottom is at a decent height. The engine and transmission are covered with aluminum protection convened on the bumper - it will be useful with a sharp braking on off-road, so as not to peck someone. The rear door fixed on the back door also works on the desired image.

To finally determine the Freelander class affiliation, go into technical details. Body carrying, according to its design, Freelander is rather a road car than an SUV. Suspension of all wheels independent, such as MacPherson, which is also quite natural for the passenger car. The difference is the increased road clearance and moves of the suspension (they reach 180 mm).

The transversely installed engine is combined into a block with a gearbox corresponding to this layout solution, the torque from it is fed to the front wheels. And from it at right angles, the shaft is moving to the rear axle reducer - the car is allocated ...

The inter-axis differential in the transmission is absent, its role is performed by a viscous coupling. When Freelander moves along a normal road, not a dropping, angular velocities of rotation of its wheels are the same, and the shafts converged in the viscous clutch have a constant difference in rotation frequency. In this case, the theoretically coupling is disconnected, and the torque on the rear axle does not transmit - the car moves on the front drive. But it is worth the front wheels at least slightly slip, the difference in the frequencies of rotation of the wheels - and the shafts. Immediately the viscosity of the silicone fluid in the coupling will increase dramatically (it has such properties), it will begin to pass the torque to the rear wheels, and the car smoothly turns into the all-wheel drive.

In practice, Freelander gear ratio of the rear differential is slightly higher than the front (3,214: 1 versus 3,188: 1), so even on the perfect coverage, some part of the torque on the rear axle is still served ...

And where is the blocking of differentials, ascend the adherents of the present full drive? Its role is performed by the control system of traction control (Electronic Traction Control), which slows down the axle wheels, thereby transmitting a torque to those wheels that have a clutch with an expensive. There is still a descent system from Hill Descent Control, helping to keep the course stability on steep descents. It works when driving on the first and rear gears at a speed of up to 9 km / h. The same encountered to us at the BMW X5 (Motor # 4, 2000), in fact, and lent it from Land Rover ...

Features Freelander Mechanics do not allow it to be called a full-fledged SUV - there is no total reduction in transmissions, forcibly disconnected front or rear axles and blocked differentials. How will such a car be behaved on the road and outside it, we will see.

Since Freelander is higher than a regular car, I prepared climbing upwards, taking into account my two-meter growth - more convenient than diving to a low driver's seat. Early rejoiced. The chair was too high, sit under the ceiling, - even more than the usual tilt the back, so as not to beat the head of the roof. The adjustment of the height pillows would not have prevented ...

Otherwise, it is quite convenient, the steering column is adjustable along the angle of inclination, which allows the root of the root. The visibility from the driver's seat is good, the gear lever (with a yellow button HDC) is well located, the same can be said about pedals.

Torpedo, and the salon as a whole is characterized by strict and functional design. For some reason I remembered: Colonial style. So you see - you pour into the salon in dusty clothes (and in the obligatory cork helmet), drink things on specially reserved places, and go ahead - to the sunset (or sunrise) ... The texture of the material of the torpedo and its components does not care too carefully Hands: If something was blocked - it's not trouble, you can almost off the hose clean and then wipe with dry coarse matter.
This does not mean that Freelander is a car for nonsense, but during the trip, anything can be. On the sides of the combination of instruments in the Landrovier style, the automotive electrical engineering control buttons are located, on the central console, the built-in branded magnetol divides the space with the actuator with the aeroslum plant and the ashtray. The back seat turned out to be even higher than the front, and sit there, especially behind the rosh driver, what is called, not sugar, but to travel for short distances - tolerant. Better still go together.

Now - in the trunk. At the entrance of visitors meets the original additional stop signal, which can easily become a victim of vandals. When you take by the handle to open the fifth door, the electric drive slightly lowers the glass of the door, when slamming - returns to the place, sealing the opening. Excellent solution: With a sax battery, the back door will not open ... Fully glass can be lowered, raise from the driver's seat and with the remote control of the alarm and door locks. The trunk is small, especially in width - the place is eaten the rear suspension racks Macpherson. Several asks the picture the ability to fold the backs of the rear seat (separately).

Look at the hood turned out not so simple. Where is the opening handle? Time went, I climbed all the surroundings of the driver's seat - in vain. Finally, I remembered the Nationality of the car ... Brilliant! The lever was on the lower side panel of the right front rack of the roof - in the very place where he should be ... in vehicles with the right wheel. What is this - English charm or, maybe Land Rover specialists decided to save? Sharm Charm, but reach every time through the entire salon? I wonder how in England have former left-handed cars? Well, even though wipers from the right side ...

The hood finally is open. And where is the motor? In memory there was some kindergarten film, where there was a car with a drain hay instead of the engine, but he still traveled, and he was called a ghost. In fact, the motor in place is simply small (1.8 l volume) and hid in the depths of the compartment. The power of the Rover engine of the series K (the same, by the way, also put on the roadster MGF) - 120 hp at 5500 rpm., torque - 165 nm at 2750 rpm. Something is weakened for a car with a fitted mass under two tons ...

The motor is easily started, and here we are already away from the parking lot. An attempt to accelerate led to his stormy sound reaction, the car showed itself unagusable to this - noticeably calmer. Further attempts to achieve a more intelligible reaction to the sharp press of the gas pedal did not have tangible success. I had to move on low gears and, accordingly, high turns to keep up with the transport stream. Later I was explained in the car dealership - it is necessary to do, they say, the engine is not afraid of large revolutions and everything will be fine. I would not say. Even on small lifts, the motor was noticeably lost his focus, as if following the Olympic principle, the main thing is not a victory, but participation. For more or less calm ride enough and such an engine, but it does not have to count on ...

A very good opportunity is the work of the suspension. Such a smooth course will envy many. You can safely move, not paying attention to the irregularities and defects of the coating. The suspension is good devouring strong blows, the possibility of its breakdown seems unreal. The car very gently flows into everything that falls under the wheels, but there are no valve, and Freelander calms down quickly. Roll in turns is also small. A payment for this can be called several belated reactions to steering steering, especially with intensive movement or attempts to quickly rebuilt.

In turns on dry asphalt Freelander behaves like a typical front-wheel drive car. There are no special claim brakes, they coped well with their duties - largely due to the fact that they are designed for increased loads (remember the ETC, ABS and HDC systems).

We will come from the road and find yourself on a snowy virgin (do not be surprised - the May number, but the test passed in March). At first, I moved carefully, but then Osmell and began to roll around the circles, doing a rut to check the ability of Freelander to move in it and get out of it. There is such an ability. The car confidently walked on the first second gears, the engine power is enough - it never stalled, not to mention that it is not stuck. The only thing that did not really like it is, is an unexpectedly a big turning radius, but it has no relationship to passability ...

What is the result? Land Rover Freelander turned out to be a very extraordinary and interesting car - both visually and by chassis. He behaves perfectly on the road and at the same time gives a city resident with the opportunity to go on a trip to nature without fear. Motor is weak? Yes, it is weak for off-road. But, first, in the gamma there is 2 liters of turbodiesel with a higher torque, and, secondly, 2.5 liters of the V6 gasoline motor from Rover 75 have already appeared - they were announced in Geneva in March.

The price of the car in Russia is now not exceeded $ 30,000, which makes it a serious competitor of Honda and Toyota products with build-screen abbreviations instead of names.

P. S. Until recently, the prospects for Freelander looked absolutely cloudless. It was possible, for example, to expect the base elongation in the 5-door version, which would add space in the cabin and improved the appearance of the rear doors (now they look not very - due to the need to bypass the rear wheel arches). It was possible ... And now - who knows what will make a new owner of Land Rover with the car - Ford.

Sergey Ivanov
 

A source: Motor magazine [№5 / 2000]