Land Rover Freelander

gpvs · June 2001

Try the LR centres, it's really different.

smich · June 2001

Is Freelander a vehicle the owner can work on and do maintenance to ? Or do we have to take it to the dealer for everything? Also, how maintenance intensive is it?

tincup47 · June 2001

I would imagine it would depend on the tools and expertise the owner had. Most vehicles today require a level of tools and expertise beyond the shade-tree mechanic. There are several ECU's on this vehicle controlling the advanced systems like ABS, HDC, Transmission, Engine management sytem, and OBDII emissions equipt. I would imagine changing fluids or brake pads would be something the average user could do. Most problems would be best handled by a Land Rover dealer, as training on diagnosing will be up to date. I haven't gotten any info on maint schedules, but I wouldn't think it would be that bad.

ankleroom · June 2001

tincup,

How does Freelander compare on-road to the Mazda Tribute and other road-focused utes?

Do you think 175 horses will be enough for American buyers? It is an older engine design, right?

Might it get a more powerful engine in the future, maybe as an option?

thanks

rsholland · June 2001

Chuck-

Patti has indicated that "eight suggestions" that the Subaru Crew recommended, will be implemented on the '03 Forester. However, she did not know what those eight suggestions are. So... we do have some input, which is great.

Bob

tincup47 · June 2001

I haven't driven a V-6 on the highway yet, but others who have are quite impressed. The 0-60 time is not as good as some in the class, but I've heard it is acceptable and the vehicle cruises quite nicely at above legal speeds. I hope to get an opportunity to take one home for the weekend soon, and I will post my impressions. The engine is a few years old, but is a modern design with DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder, variable intake. The engine could make more HP, but it has been tuned for more low end torque.

tincup47 · June 2001

I hope they are, and it would be nice if it was because of the suggestions given to Patti. Some of those might have been coming anyway, independent of input.

agh15 · June 2001

is their any luxury features the freelander has that we dont know of yet

baladam · June 2001

For the folks expecting too much from a Freelander, here is some information.
V6 version of this car is most likely comparable to Santa Fe V6. Because their gear box (auto-manual shift) , engine size, torque and power figures, fuel mileage, viscose coupling differential systems are almost same.
So, better to remark what is different. Well, Freelander has HDC (Hill Decent Control) with a control button attached to gear lever, Santa Fe has automatic a/c and better cargo space in the back.
Freelander is actually in the same class as Santa Fe , CRV , Forester and RAV , with much similarity to Santa Fe in engine, gear-box and other options available on the car such as cruise control, cd-player, moonroof (which is standard on Santa Fe here), and it cannot be considered as an off-road SUV.
Freelander is never comparable to a Discovery, too, which is totally different design and has much more facility to be rewarded as an off-road SUV.
Hope , it helps..

tincup47 · June 2001

What specific features are you looking for? The HSE will come with a Becker Navigation sytem, and a 6 disc CD changer with Harmon-Kardon speakers. All models will have an available cold climate pkg which consists of heated seats and windscreen. All models will have an available sunroof. Alloy wheels will be standard on all models, as will power windows and locks, remote keyless entry with security system, cruise control, full size spare tire on alloy wheel. ABS, Electronic Traction Control and Hill descsnt control will be available on all models as standard equipt. About the only items missing are power seats, Automatic Temp control and rear disc brakes. Most of the other vehicles in the small SUV class lack those also.

agh15 · June 2001

do you think the freelander will ever get power seats, and auto temp

tincup47 · June 2001

I'm sure that would depend on what the competition offers, and feedback from our potential customers. I'm not in the marketing dept., so I have very little info on what may be included in future models, and even if I was privy, I doubt if that would be info that could be made public.

agh15 · June 2001

The jeep liberty, the main competitor for the freelander offers power seats, auto dimming rear view mirror, and heated seats. it doesn't offer auto temp but its cheaper than the freelander so that makes since.

tincup47 · June 2001

Will be a very capable competitor to the Freelander. It does have some items the Freelander does not offer, but the Freelander has several items the Liberty does not offer. I would encourage everyone to compare the Freelander vs. the competition, then purchase the vehicle that best fills their needs. That applies to all our competition, each vehicle has strengths and weaknesses that others do not have. Land Rover recognizes that there are over 50 SUVs being marketed today, some are better on-road, some better off-road. With that much choice it is becoming harder to build a vehicle that will appeal and sell to large segments of the market, especially if you are a small niche marketer.

freelanderpa · June 2001

Thanks for the responses about the dealership experience. I watched Car & Driver TV this weekend and they said the BMW X5 had less cargo room then the Escape. So, how much cargo room does the Freelander have? How does it compare to others?

PS: Matchbox has already brought the Freelander to the USA - it's the 3-door version and costs $0.99.

jahnoth1 · June 2001

Are the figures correct that the cargo room is less than 20 u. ft.? The liberty seems small at 29.9 u. ft. Escape is adequate - I believe it is around 34 u. ft. All are less than Cherokee. Liberty would be better if it was a foot longer.

Will people look into Freelander with such a small cargo area? My black lab fits well into my cherokee. I have been thinking of upgrading to liberty or freelander but cargo room is very important.

bobcatbob · June 2001

I think people are starting to hit on the one area where Freelander is glaringly deficient. With less cargo, does that mean there is more emphasis on room for passengers? The Freelander does have the same footprint as the Escape, so it ought have to have roughly the same over interior capacity, right?

Chuck, what are your thoughts?

tincup47 · June 2001

The Freelander has very good rear seat room, I have sat in the back and could see sitting there for a couple of hours. At my size that is saying a lot. I haven't had the opportunity to try the Escape, so I'm afraid I can't comment on it's interior room. I do know my wife's Forester has more cargo room, but that does come at the expense of rear seat room. I could not sit in the back for any length of time in the Forester.

rsholland · June 2001

This always been the most often heard complaint of the Forester over at the Subaru forums here at Edmunds. I know, we own one too. I'm hoping that Subaru will be addressing this issue with the all-new '03 Forester.

Bob

tincup47 · June 2001

Unless they increase the wheelbase, they won't be able to do that without sacrificing rear cargo area with the seats up. The Freelander has 4" more wheelbase than the Forester, but less rear overhang.

rsholland · June 2001

Yep. One of the latest rumors is that it will be built off the Outback platform, rather than the Impreza platform, which the current model uses. The Outback has a 104.4" wheelbase.

This has been a topic of much discussion over at the Subaru forums. Some of us want the wheelbase stretched, while there are others who don't.

Bob

tincup47 · June 2001

I follow the Subaru forums myself, so I'm familiar with the discussion. There would be trade-offs in the handling, but they could be addressed with suspension tweaks. One thing that I have become very cognisant of since working for a manufacturer is that in the SUV market, all vehicles are compromises. Increasing cargo area can affect wheelbase,seating area or rear overhangs which has effects on comfort or off-road ability. The range of compromises and the effects they have on vehicle performance and cost are mind boggling.

rsholland · June 2001

Excellent point regarding compromises. What most people don't realize is that of all the types of vehicles sold, none probably fits the "compromise" description more so than a SUV. Folks want to have their cake and eat it too. Makes it tough for any manufacturer.

Bob

tincup47 · June 2001

It certainly does, and the fact that with all the competition today and the lead time on developing a new model, you have to have a crystal ball to determine where you need to be by the time your new model comes out. GM has been behind the target on truck based SUVs for quite a few years, but seem to have some good full size ones out now, just in time for the move to car based smaller SUV's which is where the growth in the market is now. I'm glad I work for a small niche marketer like Land Rover, I can only imagine the tension a new model is at a major manufacturer that has to look at selling huge numbers to be profitable. According to Bobcat the Liberty is targeted at 250,000 units, an almost unmanagable number to hit. That is more than Land Rover's total worldwide sales last year.

freelanderpa · June 2001

So, will the Freelander's rear seats fold down? If so, will they lie flat?

rsholland · June 2001

Chuck-
I'm sure you're aware of the raging argument of the IFS/IRS vs. solid axles. Many hardcore off-roaders say independent suspensions can't cut the mustard off road. They feel you can't get as much axle articulation with IFS/IRS, and that they will never be as durable as a solid axle setup.

How does Land Rover address those concerns, now that the Freelander has a IFS and IRS, and that future Range Rovers are also rumored to be so equipped?

Bob

tincup47 · June 2001

The rear seat backs fold down, don't know if they go completely flat yet. The seats then will flip forward like a Discovery or Range Rover.

tincup47 · June 2001

That has been the subject of much discussion here. The general feeling is that there are valid points to that arguement, but we want to wait for the new product to make a final decision. I haven't seen or driven the new RR or heard anything about how it does off-road. My opinion is that due to where the Range Rover and Freelander are in the marketplace that it was felt (and remember, decisions on these vehicles were made under BMW) that on road performance should be increased to be more competitive in their segments, especially in the U.S. BMW was also trying to lower development costs on the Range Rover and X5 by having them share components. Hard core off-roaders do not tend to buy new Range Rovers or mini-utes to do the Rubicon, so BMW wasn't overly concerned with sales losses due to this compromise. These are just my opinions.

rsholland · June 2001

is it the opinion of the engineers at Land Rover, that when-push-comes-to-shove (pun intended), solid axles will always be better than independent set ups, off road? Or, does Land Rover think that a IFS/IRS can be built (and marketed) to match (or better) the best solid axle systems out there?

It's been my feeling for some time that a "properly designed" IFS/IRS will equal or better any solid axle setup. The question is: what is a properly designed IFS/IRS?

I don't know; but I do know there are already several purpose-built IFS/IRS systems out there. Besides the Hummer; Oshkosh, the maker of severe-service specialty and military vehicles makes several. This includes an off-road fire truck, and a replacement for the military's cargo transport truck. These are vehicles that would be considered Class 7 or Class 8 trucks, with GVWs exceeding 32,000 lbs. Also, I believe either Euclid or Caterpillar, the makers of huge off-highway dump trucks employs IFS on some of their vehicles. So durability is not an issue.

So again, the question of suspension travel/articulation is the real question. Can a IFS/IRS match a solid axle in this respect?

Bob

tincup47 · June 2001

I really don't know. I would imagine that if a viable IFS/IRS setup is feasible, we will be one of the first to build one. As I haven't had a chance to see or drive the new RR, I don't know if they actually haven't acheived that already.

rsholland · June 2001

It looks like you answered my post, while I was in the process of editing it. I guess your answer is still the same...

Bob

tincup47 · June 2001

can be matched, possibly articulation. The real problem would be ground clearance, since it changes on an IRS/IFS setup as the suspension travels. To illustrate this take a toothpick and rase one end as the other stays at a set level, the center ground clearance will stay the same or increase. Now crack the toothpick so each end will move independently, the center doesn't raise as the ends do now, decreasing clearance as the suspension compresses.

rsholland · June 2001

I understand your point. However, that could be countered if the suspension could be designed to "telescope" in some fashion. By that I mean, as the suspension moves up and down, the length of each axle could lengthen (or shorten) to make up for the decreasing ground clearance.

My point is simply this; Solid axles have been around since the stone age. We are just beginning to experiment with the possibilities of independent suspensions. Most of what we have seen to date are based upon modified "street" suspensions, where long travel is not the main issue. Other than the Hummer, with its gear driven hubsand which has loads of ground clearance, we really haven't seen a whole lot of new thinking in this area. I see some interesting stuff being done with desert racers, but that's about it.

Ford recently showed, at this year's auto shows, a dune-buggy type of concept (Explorer EX) with a fully-independent suspension. Did the Land Rover folks lend a helping hand on that project?

Bob

tincup47 · June 2001

Will drive R&D on something like this. Making it practical for production vehicles at a reasonable cost will determine if it becomes a reality. I don't know if Ford had access to us when that vehicle was designed. We did not become part of Ford until July 1, 2000. Up until that time we would not have been able to have any input on any of their designs.

ankleroom · June 2001

The relatively small cargo area (with the seats up) seems like a good design for a compact ute, allowing less rear overhang and a tighter package.

Unless you regularly carry cargo and short-legged passengers at the same time, it is good to have the option of rear passenger roominess with seats up or copious cargo room with seats folded.

What would really be handy is a liftgate, but I guess this can be a problem depending on how the spare tire is mounted. Do you think they might offer this as an option, with the spare mounted on the roof or underneath?

Will the convertible version, if we ever get one, be a true convertible (like the Jeep Wrangler), or will it just be convertible over the cargo area like the Toyota RAV4 and Isuzu Amigo? How about front and rear moonroofs, or a retractable roof, like on the Mercedes M-class?

Fat, giant tires would be cool too.

I would like to see one tricked out with winches, auxiliary lights, tube-style roof rack, brush guards, lower door cladding, side steps, waterproof interior, camo paint like the Ford Explorers on Jurassic Park, etc. Bet it would look tuff.

Hasta,
ankleroom

tincup47 · June 2001

I don't see any change on the rear gate, especially as an option. A rear liftgate would entail a complete redesign of the rear body, not a feasable item from a cost/benefit ratio. The current design was to allow the 3 door and 5 door to share a common tailgate. The 3 door with a removable rear roof section (Like Amigo) is probably as close to a convertible as you might see, but it has not been verified it will be coming to the U.S.. A front moonroof will be an available option on the 5 door U.S. model. The SE and HSE models will come with 17 inch wheels, the S with 16 inch wheels.

smich · June 2001

I found some pretty good pictures of the Freelander in action.For those interested in seeing more pics or reading more about this vehicle can visit www.freelanderclub.co.uk/ Then click on the events and then go to the Protrax event. Enjoy!

smich · June 2001

Any idea when the brochures for Free lander will be coming out?

tincup47 · June 2001

Probably not until Oct., they are doing photo shoots now.

agh15 · June 2001

any new info on the freelander

agh15 · June 2001

have you found out if the freelander will have power seats, and side airbags

tincup47 · June 2001

No Power seats or side airbags for 2002.

ankleroom · June 2001

Has anyone seen the "Tomb Raider" Freelander commercial?

Will there be any tricked-out Freelanders in the movie?

currey · June 2001

I haven't seen the commercial, however, I believe the really cool Land Rover the Ms. Croft is driving in parts of the movie is a decked out Defender.

tincup47 · June 2001

Lara Croft will be driving a specially modified Defender 110, built by Land Rover Special Vehicles. I have seen and sat in the vehicle used for filming in Cambodia (2 were built for the movie).

ankleroom · June 2001

There's a picture of what looks like a decked-out Defender in action on the www.TombRaiderMovie.com website.
You can see it if you follow these links:
The Movie --> Behind the Scenes --> Cambodian Adventure

Probably not worth the trouble for that one pic, since you have all seen decked-out Defenders before. (Is there any other kind?)

Anyway, the commercial flashed www.Freelander.com on the screen, so hopefully there will be more Freelander tie-ins to the movie.

Good choice of movie to place Land Rover product, don't cha think?

P.S. This Message was edited to coorect the web address.

megasuvowner · June 2001

I saw a freelander this morning on the way to work, its not bad, but it does look a lot like a CR-V, except for the circular tail lights. It had Maryland Manufactors plates on it since the LR headquarters is nearby in Landover, Maryland.

freelanderpa · June 2001

I received a survey from Land Rover via email yesterday. It got me to thinking, what color looks best on the Freelander? I'm partial to red and black.

ankleroom · June 2001

freelanderpa, It is hard to judge the best color from those little circles on the website survey. Maybe when they update the freelander.com site, they will add a gallery or a "build your own" section to display the colors.

The new AutoWeek magazine (June 18 issue) has an article on the Lara Croft Defenders. They cost about $175,000 each to build. Land Rover will be building a limited edition of 250 Tomb Raider vehicles, built on Defender 90 and Defender 110 platforms, with a 5-cylinder turbodiesel. They will have "diamond-plated" exteriors -- which probably means that skid-proof crosshatching on the metal body panels. Vehicle not available in the U.S.

I envy tincup getting to try it out.

Maybe they will have a contest to win one of the movie vehicles.

vnguyen16 · June 2001

Anyone know the fuel efficiency of this vehicle?

Land Rover Freelander

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