Land Rover Freelander I – an affordable ticket to the world of British SUVs

Almost every Russian driver has probably dreamed of owning a Land Rover at least once in their life. But they are expensive, and, according to rumors, they break down all the time.


In general, typical cars for rich British aristocrats. Only those can afford not to take care of their cars. For this purpose, they have "specially trained people" on staff.

But there are plenty of used Land Rover SUVs on the Russian market now. And many of them can be purchased inexpensively. And if you think about it, you can even find simple and, in theory, reliable models. Such as, for example, the first generation Land Rover Freelander.


You can buy such a crossover, and the car belongs to this class, on the used market now for only 250 thousand rubles. For the most expensive example they want 1,2 million. In principle, it is affordable. So let's take a closer look at this model.

Why Freelander?

When looking for a simple crossover, it is difficult to explain the choice of the Land Rover brand. It is one thing when these are large SUVs, like the Range Rover – they are still considered prestigious. And it is quite another if you need a compact model.

Yes, the Freelander is exactly that, but for the money they ask for it, you can get a lot of things that are more popular in our latitudes. For example:

✅ Honda CR-V
✅ Ford Escape
✅ Toyota RAV4

Moreover, the latest model will even look familiar, unlike the above-mentioned and the Land Rover Freelander itself. And if you are not chasing crossovers, you can take a closer look at the Subaru Forester.


However, choosing the old one car, it is recommended in any case to consider not only the model you like, but also a number of "classmates" in the same price category. It may happen that a car of another brand will be in perfect condition. Not buying one is a mistake.

Features of the model

The first generation Land Rover Freelander appeared in 1996. Initially, the British brand did not even plan to offer it outside the country. Therefore, the cars were right-hand drive.


The model was offered in several body types. Of these, two three-door versions. In one case, it is a convertible. In the second, it is a hardtop, but its roof is removable. In general, such beach options are more popular in the USA than in England.


The most common was the "correct" five-door crossover. What is noteworthy is that the wheelbase is the same for all modifications. So there is enough "living space" for second-row passengers everywhere. If it is not essential, you can take a hardtop - it has a higher body rigidity. And such a car will attract attention. It is a pity that they are rarely found in Russia.

But all first-generation Land Rover Freelanders, unlike many of their "classmates", are all-wheel drive. They just don't have any other nuances typical of the British brand's SUVs. No frame, no axles, no full-fledged transfer case. And they've abandoned the V8 in the engine range.

Appearance and body

There is a feeling that Land Rover saved on designers when creating the Freelander. Of course, this model has the characteristic features of British SUVs, but they are somehow inexpressive.


The Land Rover Freelander is just right for the role of a family car in appearance. This car is very simple. Only the nameplates can save the situation when the owner proudly says that this is a real British crossover, and not a Ford.


The Land Rover Freelander body is galvanized and had no problems with corrosion at one time. Now there are plenty of rusty cars, but something critical, like gaping holes, is hard to find. At the price at the bottom of the market, cars have standard issues with thresholds, arches, doors.

Salon

It is severe and ascetic, as befits a mid-size SUV. Nothing outstanding in terms of materials, but the latter are far from budget. Everything seems to be made reliably – and so it is. The wear resistance of the Freelander interior deserves all praise. But everything is square and inexpressive.


But there is enough space both in the front and in the back. For this, we even had to sacrifice the volume of the trunk. The latter is 370 liters - some modern hatchbacks have more space. But if you fold the back row, the "living space" increases to 1 liters.

Of the nuances that are worth paying attention to when inspecting the interior, everything is as usual for old cars. General condition, no sagging ceiling, buttons working. And, of course, no broken plastic, handles or latches.

If the panels are not evenly placed, there may be problems with the electrics in the future. They were obviously tampered with, and not by professionals. The latter would have assembled everything so that nothing would be noticeable.

Motors

The first generation Land Rover Freelander engines were, one might say, unlucky. Although, if you look at them from the fuel economy perspective, the choice of engines is justified. This is a compact crossover, striving to conquer the niche of middle-class family models.

The first to be installed under the hood was a 1,8-liter gasoline engine. This is an atmospheric power unit with a capacity of 117-120 hp. An even more economical diesel engine debuted alongside it. This is a turbocharged engine with a capacity of 2,0 liters and 98 hp.


A more powerful engine appeared a little later - this is the optimally suited for Land Rover V6 power unit with a volume of 2,5 liters and 177 hp. The engine is considered the most reliable in the line, but its fuel consumption in the city is declared at 17,2 liters per 100 km.


Despite the fact that the 2,5 engine is considered the most reliable, it is difficult to repair. And not because of the unusual design - it just has little space under the hood. Therefore, even minor work on dismantling attachments can be accompanied by disassembling half of the engine. Or even hanging it up.


The 1,8-liter gasoline engine does not like overheating. Of course, every engine reacts negatively to this, but here the cylinder head immediately bursts or warps.

Other performance characteristics

The first generation Land Rover Freelander gearboxes were mostly mechanical. Automatic transmissions were installed without alternative with the V6 petrol power unit. Diesel engines from BMW also appeared in this combination. But the base engines from Rover came only with manual transmissions.

The transfer case in the Land Rover Freelander is called IRD. It is not a model of reliability. The clutch can also fail, especially in off-road enthusiasts. Stories about the rear-wheel drive being disabled to save fuel should not be taken seriously.


Many units on the Land Rover Freelander chassis are not disassembled, but replaced entirely. The same problem with the clutch hydraulic drive. Before buying a car, it is necessary to carefully diagnose it in terms of technical part.

The first generation Land Rover Freelander is far from being the ideal of reliability. But this is primarily due to the owners who do not take care of them. A crossover in good condition will be no worse than its "classmates", and better in terms of bodywork.

And if you need something problem-free, then go to Japanese brands. However, in the case of buying a used car, there is still a chance to get a copy with serious issues.