Land Rover Freelander

Land Rover Freelander at a glance

Freelander 1 (1997–2006)

A smaller Land Rover became possible after British Aerospace bought Rover Group in 1988. The project was code-named CB40, after building 40 at Canley where the first concept was drawn up, and ran as Pathfinder. When BMW bought Rover, it funded production at Solihull in the former Rover SD1 assembly hall. The car was presented in autumn 1997 and reached showrooms in early 1998. It was Land Rover's first monocoque, with box-section subframes. For the wider company story, see our Land Rover history.

There were two bodies: a three-door with a soft or hard rear roof section and a five-door estate, plus commercial versions. The Freelander took part in the 1998 Camel Trophy and the G4 Challenge. At the end of 2003 the car was updated with a new interior and facelifted front and rear ends.

Wikipedia EN reports more than 540,000 sales in Europe in nine years. North America got only the V6, from the 2002 model year. Sales there fell from 15,021 in 2002 to 2,141 in 2005, and production for that market ended in August 2005 after MG Rover's collapse cut the supply of V6 engines.

How the Freelander's four-wheel drive works

The first Freelander had permanent four-wheel drive without low-range gearing or locking differentials. An intermediate reduction drive (IRD) acted as front differential and transfer unit, and a viscous coupling unit (VCU) between the propeller shafts varied the torque split. Hill Descent Control, traction control and an off-road ABS by Wabco helped on loose ground. Wikipedia counts more than sixteen patented features in the car.

The Freelander 2 replaced the viscous coupling with an electronically controlled Haldex coupling: third generation at launch, fourth generation from the 2009 model year. It also got a version of the Terrain Response system from the larger Land Rovers. From the 2011 model year the eD4 offered front-wheel drive only, without Terrain Response and Hill Descent Control, and 75 kg less weight.

Freelander 2 (2006–2014)

The Freelander 2, code L359, made its debut at the 2006 British International Motor Show and was sold as the LR2 in North America and the Middle East. It was built at Halewood on Ford's EUCD platform and came only as a five-door. Deliveries started in October 2006; German sales began in May 2007.

The diesels came from PSA's DW12 family. Stop-start became standard on manual diesels in May 2009. In August 2010 the diesels moved to Euro 5 with a new bumper and grille. In autumn 2012 the six-cylinder made way for the Ford-sourced 2.0 turbo, and the cabin and lights were updated. The eD4 used 6 litres per 100 km and emitted 158 g/km of CO2. To compare these outputs in other units, use the power converter.

Safety: the first five-star small off-roader

Euro NCAP gave the first Freelander three stars in its first test. In March 2007, Fleet News reported, the Freelander 2 became the first compact off-roader with the maximum five stars for protecting adults. Pedestrian protection got only one star. Sicurauto lists 35 points for adults, 40 for children and 7 for pedestrians.

Known faults

Wikipedia EN describes several faults of North American Freelander 1 V6 cars. Cylinder liners in the KV6 could slip, and failed thermostats or coolant expansion tanks could cause overheating, head gasket damage and warped heads. Faulty shift solenoids in the automatic were often mistaken for a failed gearbox. A class action in the US ended with repair refunds or buy-backs. For any first-generation car, check the cooling system history and the condition of the IRD and viscous coupling.

Sales, the end and the new Freelander

Wikipedia EN lists 37,910 Freelander 2 sales in 2009 and between 48,000 and 58,000 a year from 2010 to 2014; the total from 2009 to 2015 is 310,619. Production ended in autumn 2014: Wikipedia EN gives 7 October, Wikipedia DE November. The Land Rover Discovery Sport took its place from 28 February 2015.

In June 2024 JLR and Chery signed a letter of intent to revive the name for a separate brand of electric cars. Chery Jaguar Land Rover, the joint venture in China, is to develop and build them on Chery platforms, with JLR's design chief Gerry McGovern overseeing design. The first model, a crossover, was scheduled to appear in late 2026.