Our test car had the Td4 diesel engine. It’s as quiet at idle as any in the class, low-rev response is quick and the drivetrain’s impeccably smooth. The six-speed gearbox is tight and notch-free, the pedal action progressive.
The urban ride is reasonable. The light steering is very direct (just over 2.5 turns lock to lock), which makes it a doddle to thread around town.
Up the pace and the engine and drivetrain continue to impress. Power builds smoothly to a maximum of 158bhp at 4000rpm, before running out of puff at 5000rpm. Maximum torque is 295lb ft at just 2000rpm and, because of the good low-rev response, the Td4 has a wide powerband for a diesel.
It even feels reasonably fast, despite the fact that our test Freelander weighed 1938kg. At the test track it posted a 0-60mph time of 10.5sec. The good visibility and broad powerband make overtaking simple, and in-gear flexibility is better than expected, given the 0-60mph time. In fourth gear, the 50-70mph sprint takes a respectable 7.0sec. In third, 30-50mph takes 4.5sec. Test economy was 27.9mpg.
On twisty roads the suspension is convincing and this car corners well. At higher speeds, the fast steering causes sharp reactions just off the straight-ahead – too sharp for some – so the Freelander turns in very rapidly, and feels more agile than you might imagine. If you’re concentrating and the road’s bendy, this is good. When you’re less committed, stringing corners together in a series of small bites can be tiresome.
It almost feels harsh to say that a CR-V is a more rewarding drive, because the Honda’s such a road-biased machine. The Freelander's steering’s sharpness is a bind on the motorway, too. Even the tiniest input elicits a sharp reaction from the initially soft springs, so motorway driving, despite leggy gearing and low noise levels, is less relaxing than it should be. Both CR-V and X3 are more comfortable over long distances.
