ROAD TEST - LAND ROVER FREELANDER SD4 HSE:
As part of a midlife upgrade to the three and a half year old Freelander II, the compact Land Rover underwent some cosmetic surgery and a technical tweak in November.
Where there was one turbodiesel model, there are now two - theoretically giving Land Rover customers the choice of either better power or superior economy. The 2.2-litre TD4 model has been detuned from 118 to 110kW (although torque is up from 400 to 420Nm) and is positioned as the range’s economy derivative. Available with a manual transmission, it also comes with a fuel-saving stop/start system.
A newly introduced derivative called the SD4 uses an upgraded version of the TD4’s engine with power hiked to 140kW (and the same 420Nm of twist), but it’s available only with a six-speed auto transmission.
I’m not sure it was wise to offer the SD4 without the choice of a manual gearbox because the automatic we tested suffered from major turbo lag on initial pulloff. It’s a malady you eventually get used to when you’re pottering about the suburbs in not too much of a hurry, but those times when you want to nip into a busy road, the long wait for the power to kick in causes some sphincter-tightening moments as cars come bearing down on you.
The 0-100km/h time we achieved in the car at Gauteng altitude was a rather pedestrian 11.5 seconds, and only after holding the brake with your left foot to first build up some engine revs.
Once it’s revving past the dreaded dead spot, the Freelander SD4 canters contentedly, with loads of overtaking grunt and easy cruising ability along with a generous 190km/h top speed. Land Rover has lowered the engine’s decibel output as part of the technical tweak, and it’s a fairly refined and un-tractorlike diesel driving experience. As for fuel consumption, we averaged a 9.9 litres/100km, fairly decent for a vehicle this size.
On the road the Freelander’s handling is somewhat more wallowy than its sharper-handling German SUV rivals, but it’s not bad. The ride’s quite plush in a way that makes long journeys pass by in comfort.
Off the tar the vehicle’s pretty capable. Land Rover’s Terrain Response system, first seen in the Discovery 3, offers four programmes - general driving, grass/gravel/snow, mud & ruts, or sand - which can be easily selected by turning a rotary control in the cabin.
Permanent all-wheel drive, substantial ground clearance and short overhangs position the Freelander II as more than just a soft-roader, and it’s not a vehicle that’s afraid of getting its wheels muddy. Included in the weekend-adventuring arsenal are Hill Descent Control and Gradient Release Control.
Thing is, the Freelander’s starting to look almost too pretty for the rough and tumble of the bundu. As part of the recent facelift the exterior mirrors and bottom section of the bodywork are now all colour-coded to the paintwork, and you feel less comfortable scratching these than the old black-coloured versions.
The cosmetic makeover also comprised a new bumper and grille, along with new alloy rims and colour options, while the Land Rover logo changes colour from gold on green to a more contemporary bright silver on green.
Inside, a new range of seat styles and instrumentation identify the 2011 Freelander. The finishes are pretty good and the leather seats look especially smart. The dash is rather busy with buttons and switches, but the chunky controls are easy to locate and use.
The flagship Freelander SD4 HSE we tested is packed with features for its R489 995 pricetag, including electric adjustment for the front seats, a touchscreen-operated (if not terribly user friendly) navigation system, Bluetooth phone integration and a nine-speaker Alpine audio system with 6-disc in-dash CD player and auxilliary input.
VERDICT:
A great all-rounder with luxury, versatility and economy as its selling points, not to mention good grunt once you get over the turbo lag hump. But Land Rover should consider introducing a manual version of the Freelander SD4 or revising the auto’s gear ratios to ensure a more responsive take-off. -Drive Times