Comfortable, stylish SUV, with genuine off-road capability.

The Land Rover Freelander, first introduced in 1997, and now in its second generation, is one of the classiest used SUVs on the market. It provides a comfortable ride, decent practicality, and a high-spec interior. It’s not especially fun to drive, especially compared to the BMW X3, but it’s easy and supple around town. Spec levels are decent across the range as well, giving you great value for money. And although the Freelander was quite expensive to buy from new, there are some excellent used car bargains on the market. It’ll hold its value as well, thanks to the desirable badge on the bonnet.

Recent Updates

In 2014 the Land Rover Freelander was discontinued, and replaced by the Land Rover Discovery Sport.

Great interior quality, and decent practicality.

Interior

When you buy an executive SUV, you expect an interior that matches. The Freelander has quality in abundance. And with a timeless design, and decent practicality, it’s a great family package.

Dashboard

The dashboard design of the Freelander might not be as ultra modern as some of its rivals, but it’s classy enough to look great well into the future. Controls are simple and easy to use, whilst they’re also nicely damped, giving the Freelander a premium feel. The majority of the dash is covered in dense, soft-touch materials. But lower down in the cabin there are some cheaper feeling hard, scratchy plastics. It’s only a minor niggle however. The Freelander’s interior will disappoint few buyers.

Capacity

Practicality is of huge importance to family buyers searching for their next SUV. In some respects, the Freelander will meet their needs. There’s enough room in the rear seats for adults to travel comfortably, although some rivals are bigger still. The 755 litre boot capacity is huge however, with more than enough space for a full family’s worth of travel luggage. It is an awkward shape however, with the intrusive wheel arches posing a bit of a problem for larger items.

Equipment

Equipment levels in the Freelander are decent no matter which model you go for. The entry-level SE models come equipped with climate control, alloy wheels, parking sensors, heated leather seats, a heated windscreen, and a DAB radio. SE Tech adds sat-nav, automatic lights and wipers, and upgraded speakers. Whilst range-topping Metropolis models add electric seats, sunroof, and a reversing camera.

Overall, the inside of the Freelander is a pleasing family package. It’s well-designed, well constructed, and comes with plenty of kit as standard. If you’re after a practical family used SUV, the Freelander should be near the top of your shortlist when it comes to interior quality.

Comfortable ride, with superb off-road ability.

Land Rovers have throughout their history been the best off-roaders on the market. The Freelander is no different. It’s one of the few cars in its class that’s genuinely capable once you’re off the straight and narrow. Most buyers of Freelanders won’t ever take their car off the roads however. The Freelander is decent enough on the road, but it’s not exactly fun. The steering is a little light, offers little feel, and doesn’t provide a great deal of feedback. It’s easy enough to drive around town however..

Suspension and Chassis

What the Freelander lacks in driving dynamism, it more than makes up for with comfort. The soft suspension easily copes with even the worst British roads. Whether in town, or at speed, the Freelander irons out potholes and loose road surfaces without too much of a fuss. Refinement isn’t the best in class however. The Freelander’s boxy shape creates quite a bit of wind noise on the motorway, so it’s not the best long-distance cruiser in its class.

Transmission

Gearbox options in the Freelander come in two guises. Entry-level models come fitted as standard with a six-speed manual transmission. It’s actually pretty good, with a slick gear change, and a short throw. On higher-spec models you’ll get a six speed automatic. It’s a pretty good box, offering a smooth gear change, whilst still offering enough responsiveness for when you need a quick burst of acceleration.

A solid range of diesel engines.

When it comes to deciding how you want to power your Freelander, you’ve only got one option: diesel. There are two varieties of the same 2.2 litre diesel engine, with each having its own benefits. The more powerful is better suited to towing, whilst the entry-level diesel is better for money savers..

Best Performance

If it’s power that you want from your Freelander, the best option to go for is the more powerful 2.2 litre SD4 turbo diesel engine. It produces 188bhp, and 310lb/ft of torque, accelerating from 0-62 mph in 8.4 seconds. It doesn’t sound the quickest, but it offers more than enough power for if you want to tow a small caravan. On the motorway the increased power output over the standard model will make overtaking that little bit easier as well.

Best Efficiency

Eco-friendly buyers are usually critical of luxury SUVs, and the Freelander isn’t the car to change their mind. However, the greenest engine in the range is the 148bhp eD4 diesel engine. It produces 158g/km of CO2 emissions, which whilst decent, isn’t the best in class. Money-savers will want to go for this money however, as it’s easily the lightest on fuel. Fuel economy of 47.1mpg is average for the class, though the £185 tax bill is more expensive than some rivals.

Whether you go for the more economical ed4, or the more powerful SD4 Freelander, you’ll be impressed with the power that it packs. No model is especially cheap to run however, and eco-friendly buyers will be best served considering other options.

Full marks in NCAP safety tests, with decent safety kit as standard.

Like nearly every other car in its class, the Land Rover Freelander easily achieved the highest possible 5-star NCAP safety rating. Back in 2007 when the Freelander was tested, results were published in stars, rather than the percentages we’re now used to. It achieved five stars in adult protection, four stars in child protection, but disappointed in pedestrian protection, scoring just one star. The Freelander comes equipped with electronic stability control, and front, side, and curtain airbags all fitted as standard. The added security of four wheel drive will also make the Freelander a safe car to drive in poor weather conditions.

Not cheap to buy or run, but will hold its value well.

The Land Rover Freelander when it was still in production was not an especially cheap car to buy. Today though, there are some great used cars on the market, that let you own a Freelander, without the excessive initial purchase price. Running costs are high compared to more modern rivals, with only the eD4 model really impressing. Even that will cost £185 in road tax each year.

Insurance

Insurance groups for the Freelander depend on which model you choose to go for. Generally speaking, you won’t be paying any more than you would for an equivalent rival. The cheapest Freelander to insure is the entry-level 2.2 Td4 S, which is in group 19, whilst the most expensive is the range-topping 2.2 SD4 Metropolis, which is in group 30.

Depreciation

Depreciation was one area that particularly affected the Freelander, but only for the first year. With first year depreciation as high as 40%, you’re far better off today, especially with so many great inspected used equivalents on the market. The Freelander will hold its value well going forward as well.

The Land Rover Freelander was one of the very best luxury SUVs on the market. Today, you can access the quality, without paying the new car premium. It’s comfortable, practical, and features a high-end interior. It’s not especially great to drive on the road, nor is it refined, but it’s one of the few cars on offer in this class that you can truly take off-road. And even if you don’t ever leave the tarmac, you’ll be well covered if the roads ever get wet or icy.

Buying a used Land Rover Freelander online with Carspring

If you’re after a used Land Rover Freelander for sale, it can all feel like a bit of an ordeal. What, with long days spent around gigantic car supermarkets, or time spent trawling through classified websites, looking for that ideal used Freelander. Carspring makes it simple. Buy your next used Land Rover Freelander online with the touch of a button. Simply decide on the model you want and choose how you want to pay.

Looking to finance your used Freelander? Not a problem, we work with our carefully selected finance partners to ensure that, if you’re paying monthly for your used Land Rover Freelander, you know you’re getting the best rates. What’s more, with any Carspring used Freelander, you also get our 14-day money-back guarantee and 6 months’ free Warranty. Plus, you don’t have to leave your home. We’ll deliver your used Land Rover to you at a time and place of your choice.

*This is an approximate figure based on the range of the car’s list price and the AA’s average 1st-year depreciation cost of 40%.