Gavin Foster Because it lacked a low-range transmission option and ground clearance wasn’t really adequate for serious off-road use, Land Rover’s Freelander has always been more of a shopping mall scout than an all-African adventurer. But although some other not-so-macho four-wheel drive vehicles are similarly handicapped, the 1,8 litre petrol-engined Freelander is further disadvantaged by its lack of power and torque at low revs, meaning the engine has to be worked hard to keep it in its power-band and obstacles have to be taken either at a gallop or with a slipping clutch, which is the worst possible way to traverse even slightly rough terrain. On tarmac, too, the four-cylinder 1 796cc unit feels underpowered its 86kW at 5 550rpm just isn’t enough to get the nearly 1,5 ton vehicle (unladen) rolling along in an impressive fashion. The torquey two-litre turbo-diesel is a better bet off-road but then not everybody likes oilburners. But now the new petrol-engined Freelander 2,5 litre V6 is here and its aluminium DOHC engine derived from the Rover 75 saloon is more like what we think should have been slotted under the Freelander’s bonnet in the first place. With a claimed 130kW at 6 250rpm and 240Nm torque at 4 000rpm the Freelander can now claim its rightful place in the 4×4 hierarchy, as a reasonably brisk and comfortable road vehicle with fair off-road capability. Apart from the V6 engine option the Freelander range has undergone a minor facelift for 2001, with clear front indicators now integrated with the headlights and revised bumper and grille mouldings. Prices start at R211 000 for the 1,8 litre three door and extend to R271 500 for the range-topping five-door V6 supplied to us for this evaluation. The Freelander comes with pretty well everything that opens and closes. Electric windows front and rear, a sound system with remote CD shuttle, aircon, twin airbags, remote central locking and alarm and locknuts on the alloy wheels. A height-adjustable steering wheel and adjustable lumbar support in the driver’s seat, a heated rear window with a washer, an electric tilt and slide sunroof and steering wheel-mounted remote control paddles for the sound system are all standard. The test vehicle was also fitted with the optional cruise control, featuring a dash switch and steering wheel-mounted operation paddles. The Freelander is well-endowed with stowage compartments and nets to secure loose items. There are twin front cubbies and bottle holders in the front doors, as well as various nooks and crannies including a roof-mounted sunglasses holder for all the odds and sods that invariably end up cluttering the passenger compartment on a long trip. One nifty touch is the electric rear drop glass that opens slightly when the tailgate is opened. Why? To allow the hatch to be properly closed without a sudden pressure build-up inside the passenger compartment. Once the hatch is closed the glass automatically closes from the ”venting” position, but if it’s been opened fully and forgotten, the hooter lets off a beep to remind you of that fact when you lock the doors with the remote. Neat. On and off-road the V6 Freelander is more competent than it’s four-cylinder petrol sibling. The extra torque and power mean it can cope better with tricky situations and the electronic HDC (hill descent control) and traction control go some way towards making up for the lack of a low-range option in the transmission. Of course, the limited ground clearance also limits performance over rough terrain, as does the fully independent suspension. However, comfort and roadholding are good thanks to the same two factors. The V6 Freelander is available only with a five-speed automatic gearbox. Top speed is in the vicinity of 175kph and the 0-100kph dash takes about 12,5 seconds. Where the V6 Freelander will lose out to its smaller-engined siblings is in economy expect to swallow about 15 litres of the refineries’ finest, on average, for every 100km you travel. Now that it has enough power to enable it to be driven quickly on the road and slowly off the tarmac without revving it to death, the Freelander is a much more satisfying vehicle than its smaller engined sibling. It’s not the ultimate off-roader, but in the market for which it’s intended it’s capable of holding its own.