Test drive Land Rover Freelander 2003 - 2007 SUV
By your letters
Cosmetic renewal of the car, it is, if you like, facelift or restyling, this is an apology of the designers for too fast time running. Old friend new suddenly
As a cream from wrinkles for ladies of Balzac age, restyling is vital for modern cars to hide traces of ruthless wilting. But someone mascara, lipstick, overhead eyelashes are required earlier, someone later, and someone completely protects the face of a young man, without waiting for the manifestations of insidious time, giving himself to be torn to pieces by peeling, massage and tattooing specialists.
The appearance of one of the most popular SUVs in Europe, a Lend Rover-Frilander, remained unchanged for seven years. Only once, in 2001, he was detached by the salon and summed up technical giblets. His younger competitor Nissan-X-Trail went to the cosmetologist two years after the premiere.
Did the British be late and why did the Japanese hurried? Let's figure it out in order.
You can’t drink prestige
Popular proverb, the popular proverb claimed that Mercedes, in Africa Mercedes. Rude and visibly. In the same way, the recent restyling did not affect in any way, and he could not influence the position of English and Japanese SUVs in a hierarchical table of ranks. The Lend Rover is the most, after the jeep, of course, the promoted all-terrain vehicle of the world. In addition, the English brand in itself is considered very prestigious. This is indirectly evidenced by the fact that the Lend Rover, along with Jaguar, Aston-Martin, the battleship and Volvo, enters the prime minister a group of the Blue Blood of the Ford Legion.
The X-trail does not have such a promoted name, however, it does not extinguishly extinguish. And in two and a few years of release, the first Particular in the history of Nissan won the glory of the car of stylish, fashionable and youth.
Familiar and unfamiliar Seven years without a single touch of blush, this is serious. Perhaps, the designers of the Lend Rover could not be here from the very beginning in the apple. The youthful and muscular, with perfectly suspended proportions, the English all -around, it seems, does not think to age. Therefore, the task of designers involved in the facelift of the person was so responsible. Well, at least, they did not comply with the principle. The first thing that catches the eye, double headlights in the style of a new ranga-rover, increased the light output by 70%. The radiator grille became more restrained and stylishly, the bumpers turned black, and the rear lights lifted a little above the sea level for better visibility and so that they got down less. It would seem that the changes once, two and expected, but look at how young a lover of freedom looks young for at least seven years release.
Instantly selecting an updated X-trail from the flow is not so easy. After all, no one complained about aggressive-cubic design, and therefore the stylists of the company only delicately blew the first dust dust from their brainchild. A little pattern of the radiator grilled changed, and a stylish bluish lens appeared in the front headlights. The front bumper became 55 mm shorter, but you will not notice this with the naked eye.
Nissan's back -back lamps were made in the last fashion for the last fashion
And of course, the exterior of Nissan is still rightly called the most high-Tekovo of all the SUVs.
Towards the wishes
In general, restyling X-trail is almost entirely compiled according to readers' letters. Moreover, in the most literal sense: the owners of the cars were sent profits on what would I improve in the X-trail?. Of course, not to all radar divisions found the road to the conveyor. But the main thing is that you can now doubt the inner world of X-trail, has become even better. Restyling, as if with a nail file, easily and imperceptibly removed all the burrs of an already stylish, high -quality and spacious salon.
The front seats pillows have become longer. The button control of the all -wheel drive transmission was replaced by a round switch. A fastener grid appeared in the trunk, which, if desired, easily turns into a protective in case a labrador goes on the road. Buyers complained about the not-so-convenient climate control block please, large rheostats were replaced by a tiny panel. The innovation from the category of jokes located immediately behind the steering wheel is an air duct. Not otherwise to cool hot heads. The cladding of the central console no longer glance in the sun, the heating buttons of the seats are now logically located, and the cooled/heated box is ready to take on board not only the cola tan, but also the whole breakfast of the tourist.
The home hearth and strict office stylistically inner world of Frilender and X-trail differ as heaven and earth
The interior of the X-trail (on the right) looks, perhaps not so comfortable. However, there is much more real, unsolved convenience. And in terms of space on the sofa Nissan, who is glad and three passengers, a little more preferable
In the photo, the freemlander salon (left) looks gorgeous of excellent dressing skin and expensive plastic. Alas, the narrow opening of the back door and frank flaws of ergonomics mercilessly destroy the first impression
The digitization of the freemlender speedometer looks cool around the perimeter, but it complicates reading. In the X-trail, you need to use side vision to find out the speed. However, you get used to it quite quickly
You can scare the Japanese unless the metallized coating around the windows buttons, and an almost unreadable white combination of devices on the most expensive eleance version, are still unstable to scratches. Black tidy, installed on the modification on our test, is much better. In any case, convenient, stylish, high-quality and, if you want, smart, the interior of X-trail deserves five.
Alas, only a shameless liar can repeat these words in relation to Frilelander. The main and undoubted dignity of the English salon is perhaps a feeling of comfort. Chubby steering wheel, high -quality and pretty seats, expensive carpets. But the sensation is a feeling. And if the frelender is impartially evaluated, the picture loom is not the most funny.
The British at all times have been distinguished by a different approach to the interior, but authenticity is good in anything, but not in ergonomics. The rear janitor, for example, is turned on not a ring on the steering wheel, but the button on the dashboard. Moreover, there is one more if you want to spray water at the same time. But it will still be. The hood lever is located near the front passenger door. It is clear that the Land Rover car is English, but the same jaguars and rovers, not to mention the Japanese, are happy to please the drivers of the countries with right-handed traffic.
Suppose you open the hood infrequently, but another puncture is already more serious. The driver's seat does not have height adjustment. The British made the pillow itself longer, and saved on the adjustment. With my meter, eighty -five almost rested the crown on the roof. Moreover, the steering wheel in this position partially closed the dashboard. In the absence of adjustment of the steering wheel in height, the situation is patho.
Of course, getting rid of the old disease of the narrow opening of the rear doors is very difficult. But is it so difficult to slightly raise the casing of the ventilation system dangling under the feet of the front passenger? In a word, Frilender did not earn more than a trie out of the salon.
Move the shaft! The 1.8-liter engine of the K series, installed under the hood of Frilender, is still a veteran of the labor front. He faithfully served the MGF Rodster long-removed from production, and on the smallest land rover appeared in the year of debut. It is clear that the speed records from such a thing cannot be expected. But as an entry-level motor, a 120-horsepower four is not so bad. Of course, the noise background is great by modern standards, but this is the only serious drawback. And let the modest cubature not allows you to confidently move on the freemland in a lump, which is so relevant for an all -terrain vehicle. But if you give the heat and do not shy away high speeds, then the Englishman in terms of accelerated dynamics is practically not inferior to the Japanese.
And Nissan, by the way, has extra two hundred cubes of volume and 20 horses! The modern design is issued by a much more quiet work and an instant revolution of revolutions slightly touched the pedal, and the tachometer arrow is already dancing at 25003000 rpm. Nevertheless, the duet of a 140-horsepower engine and a rather long box is weak for one and a half-ton mass of the X trail mass. Yes, Nissan is faster than Freilender, but if you were in the place of the Briton RAV4 or CR-V, then he will not be concerned.
The brakes of Nissan and Lend Rover were again pleased only to a certain extent. The pedals on both cars, as they say, must be in a seriously with the character. In addition, the efficiency of inhibition, perhaps, would be higher if the ABS would come to work a little later. On the other hand, the caution of the creators of all -terrain vehicles is understandable in this case, it is better to lack.
Combining incompatible
Who said that the all -terrain vehicles are bad runners on asphalt? Both Frilelander and X-Trail are ready to prove the opposite. Nissan engineers due to a rigid and short -free independent suspension were able to reduce the transverse rolls as much as possible and save the car from frightening rolls. The car confidently holds a straight line at speed as if not an all -terrain vehicle, but an ordinary passenger car. The trajectory of movement does not have to be adjusted, the absence of wave swings allows you to safely keep cruising 150 km/h. We praise and efficient operation of the electricity differential. When slipping the front, the rear bridge connects much faster than with the help of viscousyft, which ultimately improves stability on the turns.
It is curious that despite the noticeably longer, soft and comfortable suspension, which the engineers equipped with a land rover, all of the above can be safely repeated to the freemlender. With the exception of one moment. The steering of the head gives out the age of the car, and this is great. At the parking speeds of the lamb Lend Rover, someone will not seem to someone in a modern way, but the reactive force is not lubricated zealously trying to try.
We can, if we want
The creators of the SUV pay more and more attention to setting up the asphalt habits of their pets. And patency? And patency, like girls, then.
Frilelander is almost the only exception. The most compact of the Lend-Rovers of the rigidly connected bridge, there is no blocking of inter-axle differentials and lowering gear. But if any of the SUVs has the right to be called an alternate, then this, of course, is an Englishman.
Aluminum protection closes both the engine crankcase and suspension elements, and the steering rack is located high, as soon as possible. Yes, the freelander does not have a handout, but the angle of entry of 30 degrees for the SUV is outstanding. And the fully sealed brains of the engine allow the land-rover to force a ford to 40 cm. Eh, here would also be a painful 6-cylinder motor!
If anyone can challenge the freezer to the freezer, it is Pajero-Pinin, but you really are not X-trail. It's funny, because Nissan is almost the only one of the SUVs whose second (in this case, the rear) can be connected hard, with the locking of the center differential. However, with such scanty ships of the suspension, there is little use from this function. Diagonal hanging is taken by surprise on the most harmless hill. Only blocking the rear inter -long differential can help here, which does not have this type of machine.
However, this grief does not matter if your XP+is installed on your X traile. This system, available only for versions with a manual box, not only helps to keep the car in a speedy turn. When slipping one of the wheels, she slows it down and, imitating the work of the self -block, transfers torque to the neighboring one. This is something.
Nevertheless, the Japanese should not be prescribed mud baths due to the unimportant geometric cross -country ability. Take a look at the low -suspended samovar of the muffler for five minutes of digestion on the off -road can cost an unscheduled visit to the technical center.
Black Mongol
In the fall of 2003, Freilender's modifications were complemented by a sport version specified specifically for Europe. A sports frelender differs on 30 mm with a reduced road clearance, a more rigid suspension, 18-inch cast discs, as well as a new upholstery from the seats Black Mogul or a black Mongol, if in Russian. This fabric happily combines the prestige of the skin and very high wear resistance. Frilender Sport is offered with a 2-liter turbodiesel with a power-RALL power system or a V-shaped 2.5-liter six.
Change of places
We have already mentioned the noisy motor of freelander and the quiet X trail. It remains to add that in the nomination the smoothness of the course the picture is exactly the opposite. Despite the shorter wheelbase, the Englishman showed himself a rare nonsense regarding the quality of the roadway. Freilender simply ignores the small rubbish, the average, like hatches and thermal shows, brings it to the driver’s ears rather than to his back, does not graze on large potholes. The energy -intensive pendant adequately holds blows and infects the excitement of permissiveness wherever I want, there is a swing there.
Well, you feel the short course of the Nissan suspension not only by hand. Not to say that trips to the X-Trailele were delivered by special discomfort by no means. Just a permanent boom-boom on bumps gradually forced to look for and go around the consequences of the Moskovsky streets.
Could be better
Despite the solid difference in age, in the crash tests, by and large, both did not shine. 20 points and only three freeland stars are easily explained by the fact that in the mid-90s, when the British SUV was created, the requirements for security were completely different. Only what is the buyer to blame, because he pays money for a new car?!
The relatively fresh X-trail did not perform an order of magnitude better. Of course, four stars are not bad. But the two points out of 26 Nissan received for non-components for non-set belts. And the knees of the driver are threatened by the steering column and elements of the interior decoration of the cabin.
If we compare the equipment of basic configurations by means of safety, then here is obvious the advantage of Nissan. Other things being equal, ABS, EVD and a Break operator for the Japanese speak four airbags instead of two at the British.
Fint with ears
In Europe and America, Freilender is considered a premium class. This explains its slightly higher price in comparison with all classmates. We have everything the other way around. By definition, the prestigious Lend Rover largely due to the whistle of the euro is almost the most affordable SUV in the market. Cheaper, and even then only $ 500, only Santa Fe!
The glass opening button fifth door is smart solution. Sorry, it is not duplicated on the key
Well, Mr., why do you have a hood opening handle on the right?
The nets above the sofa will fit only for newspapers and cards
Stylish, and most importantly practical bottle holder in the door
The buttons of the rear wipers on the torpedo is too sacred
The cover of the climatic system limits the front passenger legs space
Under the curtain last year, the dealers of the Lend Rover also switched to the euro, however, in a civilized adjusting course, and not just changing the currency code. Now the basic five-door in the Set of SE will cost 24,364 euros, a three-door model is 1080 cheaper. Considering that it includes a full electric packet, air conditioning, 15-inch discs, an anti-wings system, a radio tape recorder with a CD resort. Not enough, by and large, only heating the seats and parking sensors, these are options for 370 and 590 euros. Other versions of the freelander SE (26 760) and HSE (27 963) do not contain anything vital: leather, hatch, relings, 16- or 17-inch wheels. The top equipment with a magnificent 177-horsepower V6 engine will pull 33,822 euros.
In rather spacious boxing in the central console, you can also carry the phone, but it is better to cool the drinks
The switch of operating modes of all -wheel drive transmission is located in the optimal reach
The glove box behind the steering column equipped with a 12-volt outlet, as if specially intended for a radar detector
The subwoofer will easily fit into the wide well of the cover of the cover and loudly and secretly
Stylish pedals look quite appropriate on the version of sports
Front deflector new word in the air conditioning
But Nissan prepared a New Year's gift to customers. The organization of sales through a single importer not only levels the prices of all dealers, now these prices will become different. Unlike most competitors, Nissan goes to dollars. Since January, a 2-liter X-trail in the Sports configuration costs from $ 31,700. It is not bad, given that until recently, 30,000 euros were asked for the same car. For this money, you get everything except the skin, hatch, fog lights, folding mirrors and cd changer. This farm will pull for another one and a half thousand. And if you want the x-trail you are hot, then prepare $ 35,500 euros so much is asked for the execution of eleans with a 2.5-liter 160-horsepower engine.
It remains to add that Lend Rover and Nissan will be repaired for free for three years or the first 100 thousand kilometers.
We decided:
It is quite logical that the restyling of freelander and X trail pursued different goals. The British veteran of the Parquet Front renewed appearance will help to worthy look against the backdrop of young competitors even a year or two, up to the appearance of a new generation in 2006. Nevertheless, despite the frankly outdated salon and only satisfactory passive security by current standards, the Lend Rover is still quite competitive. His talents of an all-terrain vehicle in the parquet class still have no equal, besides, he behaves very well on the asphalt. Well, the amazing fact that the prestigious all -terrain vehicle is sold for consumer euros leads us to an unexpected denouement. The updated freelander (average rating 4.2) is not inferior to the young opponent! There are, it turns out, also gunpowder in powder.
However, if you consider the SUV, first of all, as a convenient, roomy, all-weather car, then the advantage of X-trail (average rating 4.2) is undeniable. Restyling only emphasized the advantages of this bright car and smoothed out minor flaws. So now Nissan may well argue with Honda-Cr-V for the honorary title of the most practical SUV.
Mikhail Medvedev, photo of Maxim Goncharov
Source: Magazine "Limousine" [01/04]
