Looking for a Bargain 4x4? Why The Freelander 2 Could Be The Safest Land Rover To Buy

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Today I drive one of the few cars in the Land Rover/Range Rover lineup that I have never driven - the Freelander 2. The entry level Land Rover of its day, the Freelander 2 is often forgotten but I think it's a much better buy than its successor - the stylish but rather useless Evoque.
#LandRover #RangeRover #freelander2
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[@JayEmmOnCars]

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[@MadMaxRoadFury]

Carvertical is a scam.

[@christopher9727]

Jesus Christ is the only hope in this world no other gods will lead you to heaven There is no security or hope with out Jesus Christ in this world come and repent of all sins today Today is the day of salvation come to the loving savior Today repent and do not go to hell Come to Jesus Christ today Jesus Christ is only way to heaven Repent and follow him today seek his heart Jesus Christ can fill the emptiness he can fill the void Heaven and hell is real cone to the loving savior today Today is the day of salvation tomorrow might be to late come to the loving savior today Holy Spirit Can give you peace guidance and purpose and the Lord will John 3:16-21 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. Mark 1.15 15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Hebrews 11:6 6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Jesus

[@user-pz1wy7rf6b]

Best car I’ve ever had it’s done 198,000 miles very tuff and practical

[@deaks25]

A neighbor had a Freelander 2 HSE and it was rather nice inside, and when it snowed, because I live on a large hill, only he and another neighbor with a big old Shogun could go anywhere. I also think the Freelander 2 has aged rather well styling-wise

[@MrAirsoftmodz]

We've had two pajeros and a shogun v6 the shogun had went through snow as high as the top of the bull bar like it was nothing. Shame they rotted away so badly. I can still hear our cat back v6s exhaust 😂

[@zog97xy]

NEIGHBOUR.

[@christopher9727]

.. Do you know Jesus Christ can set you free from sins and save you from hell today Jesus Christ is the only hope in this world no other gods will lead you to heaven There is no security or hope with out Jesus Christ in this world come and repent of all sins today Today is the day of salvation come to the loving savior Today repent and do not go to hell Come to Jesus Christ today Jesus Christ is only way to heaven Repent and follow him today seek his heart Jesus Christ can fill the emptiness he can fill the void Heaven and hell is real cone to the loving savior today Today is the day of salvation tomorrow might be to late come to the loving savior today Romans 6.23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. John 3:16-21 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. Mark 1.15 15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Hebrews 11:6 6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Jesus

[@blacktiger955i]

@@zog97xy must be a septic.....

[@simonsaunt4321]

35 year Land Rover master tech here, FL2 is the best car LR has ever made.

[@benzinapaul7416]

I concur with your review and would even go on to say that the 2010 onward FL2s are the best Land Rovers ever made. I've sold over 300 used FL2s over the last 10 years. They do have their issues as all LRs do. The rear diff bearings wear resulting in a drony rear end, allow around £600 to rectify and there can be issues with the Haldex unit and the front transfer box but much rarer, and costly to rectify I must add. The rear diff oil change is not a service item with LR but highly recommended. The engine is bulletproof, cambelt due at around 110k miles or 9/10 years old but only a £350 to £400 job, we've never known one fail prematurely. Other common failures but cheap to fix are door latches and tailgate release buttons. I'd always go for the auto box unless you can see recent evidence of a new clutch/flywheel on a manual, changing the auto gearbox fluid will massively improve a car with slightly notchy changes. The difference in power in the real world between the TD4, TD4e and SD4 is negligible although most but not all autos are SD4s. Beware there are a few 2wd models on the market badged ed4, these have very limited demand, there was also a commercial version but very rare. They can corrode on the leading edge of the rear wheel arches and on the underside of the rear doors but more common on the first series FL2s. The V6, not a turbo btw, was only on sale in the UK up to 2010, they are mega thirsty and cost a fortune to tax so best avoided. Lastly the Evoque in my opinion was never meant to be a successor to the FL2, they ran alongside for 3 to 4 years, it was the Disco Sport - if you check the market the last FL2s are now valued way more than the 2015 to 2017 Disco Sports, and Evoque values are in freefall. The Evoque as said in this review is not a practical replacement to the FL2 and apart from the early Disco Sports with the 2.2 Duratorque engine which are sought after, the market knows how bad the Ingenium engine is in the majority of Disco Sports hence the low values in relation to the late FL2s. Overall they are a great all rounder and I can see them holding their value well unless the govt decides to punish them and their ilk with exhorbitant taxation.

[@paulds65]

The 6 cylinder is NOT a V6 but an inline 6 shared with Volvo models. In the US very common. Dont think they even sold the Diesel in the US.

[@benzinapaul7416]

@@paulds65 you are correct my ignorance is due to their rarity here in the UK, I always assumed it was the V6 out of the Jag S-Type/XJ but yes, that was a 3.0, not a 3.2. Hence why it was called the i6 but I never realised why.

[@muskreality]

@benzinapaul7416 please tell me more about the Evoque because I'm on the market looking for one

[@benzinapaul7416]

@@muskreality Same applies as I've already mentioned. Go for a late 2.2 with the 9 speed Auto rather than the later 2.0, the manuals are horrible. The SE's need to have the Tech Pack or whatever it was called later on which is Nav, Heated Seats, Rear Camera etc. Pan Roof is nice to have but check its not cracked

[@muskreality]

@@benzinapaul7416 thanks for the reply and what about the diesel

[@Thanos.m]

My dads Friends a MG Rover and JLR specialist has one of those and absolutely swears by them his own freelander has over 250k miles so the freelander 2 has my upvote

[@peterbrown8325]

My daily driver is a Porsche, but I've also got a manual 2011 TD4, bought when it was 6 months old. I have a love-hate relationship with it; on the one hand it feels positively agricultural, on the other hand it just keeps plodding on year after year. Only failures have been an engine hose and the tailgate lock; it's never left me stranded at the roadside. The bodywork is immaculate, with no evidence of rust. It tows a trailer very competently. And, unlike the Porsche, I have no qualms about leaving it parked anywhere. All in all, I can see myself keeping it unless something catastrophic happens.

[@monzarace]

And in the hopefully unlikely event of one such catastrophic happening, you'll be glad you have that Land Rover. Cheers.

[@francobanzini665]

Had 2 of them and now a Disco Sport - one of the last with the 2.2 diesels and a 9 speed auto. Averages 36mpg driven enthusiastically but will do 40+ on a run 35k miles in the last 2 years and the only issue has been a parking sensor. Even used the 3rd row of seats and off road! Great car

[@clfield2]

Freelander2 had the Volvo 3.2 NA straight six, 1st gen Volvo XC60 had the 3.0 turbo six 👍🏻

[@monzarace]

And I just recently bought that model, and it's real pleasure to drive. Far more capable that I would have thought. Cheers.

[@lawsonium]

Basically all of the complaints or down-sides you list are the things I love about mine. Big chunky buttons, low tech, buttons for everything (no fiddling with a stupid touch screen). There's no regular function that can't be achieved with a button on either the dashboard or the steering wheel (in most cases, both). I have very, very few gripes with it. Litterally a couple of minor points I'd alter slightly if I could imagine the perfect car. It's excellent.

[@jamesdaly2629]

Had my Freelander for 12 years. Lucky enough to have a few cars and won’t sell it. It’s so versatile and practical - epic in the snow, due to short wheelbase and weight (compared to bigger Land Rovers). On snow tyres it will scamper anywhere. Looks ageing well, too.

[@993bluezones9]

Shit this car was full of issues. My father bought it new and after 6 months everything started to fall apart, specially from the electronics. We had to buy extra warranty.Constsntly visiting the mechanic

[@jamesdaly2629]

@@993bluezones9 Freelander II? Are you sure it wasn't a 1. Updated the rear diff (great aftermarket robust one) and it's never given me a major issue. No electrical issues.

[@993bluezones9]

@@jamesdaly2629 I think it was the first Freelander, yes

[@jamesdaly2629]

No worries. They were tricky. Probably a future classic for a sorted one, tho@@993bluezones9

[@18_rabbit]

@@993bluezones9 yeah they were trash junky

[@macherooni]

This was my dream vehicle back when it was still available before the discovery sport came out, underrated IMO..

[@9parasqn656]

Ive had 10 years and still love it. Took me through floods and ice with barely a worry. Great presentation.

[@pirikaty]

I love my F2 sd4…. Bought at 100k with lost service history but 3 month garage warranty. All belts and gearbox haldex/ diffs serviced immediately. 30k later and drivers door lock mechanism failed, thats it...auto gearbox is excellent and sd4 190 bhp engine makes it quite quick. Safely tuneable to 230 bhp (max 240) apparently... Visibility superb but be prepared to catch the large door mirrors on hedges!

[@RickRolling-tc7vb]

Good job on this one JM. I've got one, and you summed it up pretty well. I knew I was on to something when I found a sizeable population of reasonably critical owners that were not shy to list thier faults but then kept repairing them and buying more. Rear differential bearings are weak and most have been replaced by now. Split boost hoses are common but easy to replace. Oil filter is a pain to get to until you get the right 27mm ratcheteing ring spanner, then it's easy. Brakes are a bit underpowered but Volvo ones bolt straight on. The body is incredibly strong and stiff: I've never had a car on axle stands hghlight the low spot in my garage before! The boot floor is double sided: carpet or hard facing, depending on your load and it's a fibreglass honeycomb composite so it's light and stiff, and the rear seats fold flat so if you're of a moderate size you can sleep there. It's a comfortable, sure-footed car on Australian gravel and is pretty unflappable off road and through rough stuff. Great visibility, as you mentioned, and easy to place each wheel. I'm taking mine away for a few days next week, going to explore some back roads and bush tracks, and it will be in it's element. 1500km, maybe a third of that on gravel, to add to the 220,000 already on the clock. Quite good cars.

[@Dark_Starr2030]

Fitted Evoque wheels to my 2nd FL2…they have a 10mm greater offset that increases the track width of the car by 20mm giving it better cornering, turning circle and an athletically improved stance. My 1st was a manual GS and now I’ve the SD4 HSE. It is a great 4x4 with solid engine though it did need rear differential & front transfer box replacing after 90k miles. Got recon units with uprated bearings from Bell Engineering. Also had gearbox service done so no reason it won’t go onto 200k miles without any major problems.

[@monzarace]

Thanks for that hint about the upgraded bearings from Bell. I'll have a look into that. Cheers.

[@RussellSmithOmegaW]

Thanks. Been looking at these on and off for ages :)

[@ronylauwers8140]

The LR Freelander2 is a fantastic car, we had one and sold him when he had 255000 KM. Very reliable and great to drive!!!

[@stuchly1]

Thanks for the review! I don't think these were ever sold where I'm from but I've always been a fan of the design!

[@steverogers2369]

I'm on my second Freelander 2 now and for all the reasons Jay has mentioned in the video. My advise for anyone considering buying one, make sure it has a cast iron service history backed up with a full paper trail.

[@rjfb973]

Do you know much about them in regards to what years got DPFs, interested in getting one but hate DPFs, did hear the TD4 engines up to around 2009/10 are DPF free

[@steverogers2369]

I'm not up to speed on when DPF's were fitted. If you are really interested in buying a Freelander then I would join the Freelander 2 Forum, where there are some amazing people with the knowledge.@@rjfb973

[@missuscam]

@@rjfb973 I have the 07 td4 and no dpf I think the 10 brought the dpf in. Make sure the haldex is looked after and fit a silicone turbo hose asap as they the rubber ones are a known fault.

[@hanf022]

It's very important to change the transmission oil every 60-70k kilometers too. I hope you all people have changed it.

[@steverogers2369]

@@hanf022 That's a Defo!

[@popsbubbles1242]

I have owned an SE manual diesel since 2008, the most frustrating thing was the drain plugs from the sunroof that can get clogged, no tells you, so that water builds up and gets in through the roof, for me this stopped the heated windscreen working. Ooops Recently spent £2100 to get all the little niggles sorted but very happy to get it back on the road. We have used it for camping trips all over, its been through streams wading 2ft, helped out people in the snow, mounts curbs perfectly lol. Its the right size right everything, just wished it had more power, but I think its fast enough nowadays. Since I bought a different car for speed as advised by my garage when asking can i fit a bigger turbo. LOL Only 77 000 miles on mine. Lovely car.

[@TheJoeT81]

We had one of these and remember it very fondly. It’s always the car I start searching for when winter kicks in and I start considering a winter hack.

[@ForgingMyLife]

I'm on my third Freelander and love them... Great car.

[@flyinghedgehog3833]

Great review!

[@alexmelli8253]

Great car, great review as always. The powertrain from the Freelander 12MY went straight into the first Evoque. PSA 2.2 with 2nd generation Aisin F21++ 6 speed. Nice pairing.

[@user-ei4wk8yw3v]

I live near you, so have no need of a 4x4. However I am looking to move to rural Scotland, so this could work. Thanks very much.

[@Senior_Mustard]

I'm on my second FL2 over about 8 years and they've both been great, very few problems or expenses apart from normal servicing. It simply does everything I need it to do and reliably too, It's left me wondering what to get next if I should replace it, more for the sake of change rather than because of any problems. The 2.2 engine is a PSA unit, Peugeot / Citroen in collaboration with Ford.

[@arthurbates1167]

I’ve had one of these since 2008! Great car, taken us to italy, the pyrenees, the alps and loads of other places. Reasonably refined too. Most reliable car we’ve ever had! Except from when the alternator fell out 100 miles from home. These last couple of years it’s really started to play up though. Boost hose cracked in the middle of rural france on the way to italy. Gearbox doesn’t kick down very smoothly under load. All windscreen wiper motors have gone and been replaced at some point. AM radio doesn’t work. It’s a cracking car, but if you’re buying one, get a later one than my ‘57 plate!!

[@peterd4011]

16 year old car do be 16 years old

[@pistonburner6448]

You must be glad you chose the Land Rover Freelander as no other car would probably be able to take you (von Trapp family?) to Italy, the Pyrenees, the Alps, and still be able to take you other places after that.

[@alpinab14]

Boost hose cracked in the middle of rural france on the way to italy. Gearbox doesn’t kick down very smoothly under load. All windscreen wiper motors have gone and been replaced at some point. AM radio doesn’t work , and this is the most reliable car you have ever owned ? , literally any other car on the road thats not a jlr product will be more reliable , but appreciate your comment of coarse its just after having had my 1st jlr car i will always be left with a bad taste in my mouth

[@ludosys4903]

AM Radio doesn't work hahaha, we're 2024 dude, not 1974 🤣

[@KartsAgainstHumanity]

@@alpinab14 57 reg Jazz here, same as his freelander. Everything works except the aircon 😂

[@hughM9]

In answer to your comment about the petrol version. The Volvo derived i6 was available in the earlier years but didn’t sell in big numbers so they’re now sought after. Following the 2nd update the i6 was dropped in favour of a Ford based 2.0T. That engine was never offered in the UK.

[@grishkazumba]

I've had one from 2009, diesel 160hp, had a catastrophic engine failure. Required full rebuild that cost me half the purchase price. Never touching LR again, probably. At least out of warranty. But it was the most comfortable car I've ever had.

[@bm7760]

'Probably'. That was me after my first Range Rover. But some time with a Shogun and I knew what compromise was. The RR is an event each time you drive one. Scaled-down to a Freelander but it's still preferable to other offerings I've had. I think they get under your skin.

[@macpdm]

Top advice here Thankyou James. We had a 2018 Evoque TD4 HSE and we were perfectly happy with it for the year we had it. But we were forced to get rid due to sudden massive insurance costs. And dropping like a stone in value. So I can see the merits of getting a nicely specified FL2 like this one. And you should avoid all of that nonsense we endured too.

[@flyme195]

I’ve had a lot of cars over the years and I’ve had a Freelander 2. It was a 2012 SD4 HSE. Of all these cars, this is the only one I actually regret selling! I had it for almost 5 years and covered almost 80k miles in it. It never once left me stranded and was an absolute joy. Yes, I did take it off road, as often as I could. At the Drumclog off road centre near Glasgow, I was once told that “you’re brave bringing that here”. No, I didn’t get stuck and that same person that gave that comment, later told me that they were genuinely surprised how well it performed. Engines. The SD4 engine, as in your video and as with mine, was not a Ford engine but a PSA engine. The gearbox was actually a Ford unit. Auto only in the SD4. With a decent set of tyres, the Freelander 2 will go (almost) anywhere an original Defender 90 will go, it even has the same wading depth of 500mm. My Freelander 2 did absolutely everything I asked of it with no complaints. I’d have absolutely no problem recommending it to anyone on the proviso that they service it properly and look after it, if they do that, it will be utterly and completely dependable

[@gwizz9175]

Great review, ive had sn Sd4 Freelander 2 for 6 years and 100k miles. I like it a lot and plan to keep it for maybe another 5 years. As a family car and caravan tug it is ideal. Decent off road capability helps in the winter too. Struggling to find any fault with it really.

[@hunchanchoc8418]

I know one that for 90% of the past 9 years does nothing but a 2 mile run at the start and end of office hours. I'm utterly astonished that it has NEVER had any DPF issues.

[@krazyhartin]

Its an interesting car that does get overlooked. Thanks for the video.

[@richardsmith6224]

Thank you for a very informative video. I have been considering a Freelander for some time but had not done any serious research. Your vid has honestly given me more confidence in searching for one. They are not particularly common in NZ but I think I may have found one relatively close to where I live. Here's hoping. I sold my Ser. 2 Disco two years ago and have missed it ever since, but I think a Freelander will be a good compromise.

[@AlexTenThousand]

The Freelander 2 is the BEST modern Land Rover. Plenty of room inside without being a pain in the butt to park, no obnoxiously huge and heavy engines, looks that marry modern and classic, AND it's a proper, capable off-roader, unlike the vast majority of the dreadful footballer cars that the company dumps onto the market today.

[@glennsheppard3320]

Bought one about 6 months ago, 2.2 sd4 hse, low mileage full history and never towed, love it. The 2.2 is definitely a much better option than the 2.0 found in later evokes and disco sports, which were actually the successor for these. Have a similar era l322 and defender as well for comparison, and your review is spot on in my view.

[@CarsofGlasgow]

Great video, I do like the Freelander. The Mk1 2 door freelander with that cabrio rear is my fav

[@user-qh2fl4wr2y]

Central Diff started whining on mine at 34,000 miles had to have it replaced . Told by the AA chap it was a common occurrence with them. Managed to get a reconditioned one fitted for under £500 . Landrover dealer was quoting £1500 plus labour ,that was 5 years ago . Kept the Freelander for 2 more years and traded it for a Mitsubushi Shogun had no issues with the Shogun. Freelander 2 was much quieter but the Mitsubushi was a better workhorse loved it.

[@marksmith762]

Drove one on Sunday and was impressed

[@struanrobertson3417]

I've got 2011XS manual. Best car I've owned. Super comfortable and practical and on a run I do get 45 plus mpg. The FL2 is a keeper.

[@davidk7262]

Bought one on 55k with a full history. Absolutely adored it, lovely to drive, comfy, stylish and well equipped. I happen to think they look significantly better than the Disco Sport but that is personal taste of course. Only problem was it wasn't very reliable at all, there was normally always something wrong with despite me having it looked after by a Freelander specialist and doing all the preventative maintenance suggested. Got rid in the end for CRV, yes it is dull but it has cost me probably one tenth of the cost in maintenance and I have owned it nearly 3 times longer than I had the Freelander.

[@keithwaller4545]

We have 2011 HSE been a fantastic car road trip to south of France. Doubles up as Van to do big tip runs. I use Michelin X climate good all round tyre. But if you get just road SUV tyre does improve handling. Would recommend getting haldex oil and filter done sooner than landrover recommend . Plus our auto box changed oil smoother change. Will in future will change every 3rd engine oil change easy to do. Only faults had intercooler pipe split . Fitted silicone hoses in the end. And parking sensor control unit . Don't do silly stop start runs in it which helps diesel. Has 109k on clock. Love the arm rests on long trip. No idea what we would replace it with.👍

[@georgerogers5954]

Although LR recommend Haldex oil and filter change around 80K I think? But there is no actual printed service interval in the handbook, I've been told and also read in a couple of places so it quite often gets ignored and left until the oil sludges up and the filter falls to bits and possible damage to the pump. I think you're right though, I've heard 50k is a better mileage limit for service. I have a 12 plate TD4 and I love the car. It's been totally reliable, never needed anything for MOT and even survives with my wife driving it. I also have a series one Range Rover with a VM TD engine and that is like driving a truck in comparison to the FL2 The only thing on my FL is the stop/start system has only ever worked about 3 times in 8 years of ownership although this doesn't bother me too much.

[@paulkilroy1014]

I've got a 2010 HSE which I've had from new and the old girl has never let me down. At the moment I have no interest in changing it for anything else.

[@spnracing]

Yep, we’ve also had a 2010 HSE from new. ULEZ might now kill it but it has been a great family car.

[@NigelLateLifeCrisis]

Had a 2009 3.2 ltr petrol since 2013, had one rear door lock replaced, and just had the rear diff pinion bearing done (they were overtightened from new). We've put 85, 000 klms on it, Main thing is to keep the maint/ servicing up to date. Be aware it uses 0w-30 for engine oil, and you should get the transfer box, haldex and Diff serviced on a regular basis

[@pad3357]

My dad bought a FL2 and it had a lovely feeling when your in it, so much I swapped my 3 series, did many trips in it , got it over 100k never had a problem. I should have kept it. Nether the less we have a disco 4 now, hoping for same luck.

[@thedrivechannel83]

Love my US LR2. The US only got the volvo 6 but its a great engine. 155k and very strong. Also the off road capabilities are excellent. They say it can go anywhere a Defender can go, only slower.

[@MrAirsoftmodz]

Jay, I felt the same about the freelander 2. I've got one now a hand me down. With 239k on the clock and despite paint and body work it's runs like a Swiss watch. My 07 6speed manual with my not so light right foot achieves around 27mpg and I have found if you throw it around a corner keep your foot in it. It will pull you around like it's on rails. It's not as boat like when you load the suspension up on corner entry. Egr delete made a massive difference in how clean it ran, I get no smoke when driving it hard up a Steep hill. Some parts are hard to source and replacement body panels and patch panels vary from cheap to silly money. I will keep this truck for many years I just love it. Other than my f30 it's the best car I've ever owned.

[@thepyntehet]

I've had a freelander 2 (2010 so the prep facelift) for 2 years now on the sd4 engine (190hp automatic diesel) it's canny mint! Living up in the hills I get about 26-28mpg so way short of the 40 landrover promised there. It's comfortable and really easy to drive. I'd say you are more sitting atop and vaguely gesturing where to go, this makes it very easy to drive in traffic on a commute. The mud mode on it is pretty decent at getting you through a field, hill decent is slow but works reasonably in the snow (you can spedd it up a little with the cruise controls) but not tried anything more than that. In the time I've had it I've changed the cam belt which wasn't too expensive, replaced the water neck (which is plastic) along side a hose going back to the reservoir which was easy and grabbing ford parts is way cheaper than landrover, good luck getting the correct antifreeze, I just flushed it and put new in which was a breeze to do. Only faults I have at the moment are electric, the push to start is a bit annoying and cranks wipe the battery out quick, a common fault is bad glow plugs which is a 5-6hr job (I have a scrap of paper from the previous owner promising they are not bad in mine) you'll see this as the car being reluctant to start below about 5°. All in all a decent car, you don't get issues with rust, comfortable and easy to thrive but not massive amounts of fun! Pulling away from junctions is the weak spot of the auto, pulling away it rolls then asks if you are sure you want to accelerate. Giving a wee run up or holding it in first and using the classic break and accelerate helps a little here

[@jackkruese4258]

I’ve owned loads of cars C classes Audi A4s etc but I owned a Freelander 2 for 3 years and it’s the only car I REALLY miss. God it was so nice to drive and no I never had any issues. Miss it

[@johnshaw8481]

I had a freelander 1 , with the bmw diesel motor and auto box , loved it , great off road and on

[@captainblack1021]

We’ve had a black fr2 gs for 10 years and have done 140k miles. Only thing other than services have been a few suspension arms, rods etc. Had the cam belt service. It’s the 2.2 TD and we get 38 mpg on the trip computer as long term average. Ours is the standard 150 bhp and it’s more than enough. Best car we have every owned, kept the longest etc. Whilst basic inside, hole where the sat nav should be, it’s still been the best all round car. I’ve got a l322 Range Rover and whilst amazing that thing has cost a fortune to maintain.

[@pincermovement72]

Had one of these from work in 2016 for a week on an 80 mile round trip and was looking at buying a nearly new car and absolutely loved it . After much deliberation and 5k cheaper for same spec I bought a Rav 4 awd for 20k although I could have easily afforded it but I was being cheap . Now on 86k and other than usual stuff it has never let me down but every time I see a Freelander 2 and a neighbour has had one for years with no trouble , same year and spec as I was going to have I do, I miss the higher ride , a much better awd system that doesn’t turn off at 30 mph and those arm rest were just heaven and the soft tops to rest your arms on by the window controls . My Toyota is rock hard and puts my arm to sleep on long journeys, has side mirrors that retract but only when you are in the car so it’s dangerous on main roads whereas the Freelander closed them when you locked the car , an arm rest that is too low and makes my side ache , loads of controls not lit up so you cannot find them in the dark , a steering wheel with peeling leather , paint chipped bumpers , Bluetooth that continually drops out and the windows when retracted do not clear the windows of outside condensation. I am now considering buying a new car a couple of years old in the 25 to 30k price range and if it had the arm rests of the Freelander I would buy a Land Rover discovery sport tomorrow and I don’t know why they stopped this as an option. I may though just stick with my Rav again being tight so I don’t have to pay the ridiculous £500 tax for 5 years and worry about the battery going in the mild hybrid and giving me a £2000 bill when out of warranty. I did look at a new deal on a Volvo XC 60 that was under that stupid 40k tax rip off but when I checked the tax for that it was £860 a year tax , does this government hate people bettering themselves?

[@glennramsdale3657]

I currently own a 2013 LR2 HSE LUX here in Canada. I've put approximately 150,000 kms on this vehicle so I'm quite familiar with both benefits and issues. The Land Rover portions of the vehicle work well, other than some niggling electronic gremlins, not dissimilar to those in my 2009 XKR. The drive train (Ford ecoboost 2 liter turbo) and other components ie. air conditioning are at issue. The turbo had to be replaced at 101,000 kms at a cost of $ 3200 Cad. The air conditioning condenser and compressor failed shortly thereafter and required replacement at a cost of nearly $ 2000 Cad. At 130,000 kms the cam position sensor failed causing a catastrophic engine failure which cost nearly $ 7000 to repair. All scheduled maintenance and repairs were completed by the JLR main dealer. I love the style and practicality of the vehicle and when operating properly, drives beautifully. The Ford portion of the vehicle has, quite frankly, been a disaster. The worrying issue still remains...timing chain rattle on cold starts. This seems to be a precursor to more engine issues. The JLR dealer has been made aware however they seem to be throwing up their hands in frustration, as am I.

[@tibbey01]

My Dad has one of the reasonably uncommon van models, where there are only two seats up front! Been a good car, a few issues but proved a good workhorse- once towed a tractor for a few miles too!

[@RobsonRoverRepair]

They are very cool. You can often find them 2nd hand in Ireland due to tax benefits of them

[@timwilkes2110]

The petrol version was the i6, which had the normally aspirated, Volvo derived transverse 6 cylinder engine. Only 564 were sold in the UK, from launch until 2008, the vast majority of which were in HSE specification. It is, in effect, a mini Range Rover. The engine not only makes a nice noise, but cruises in the most relaxed way, yet can accelerate smoothly and effectively. Of course, there is not quite the same amount of torque as the diesel versions, but certainly enough for most drivers. Fuel consumption is charmingly thirsty; I recently managed 25mpg on a motorway cruise at 70mph in mine. When the FL2 was launched my late father bought an early SD4 HSE and got a Land Rover Experience day at Rockingham Castle thrown in. I joined him on that day and the FL2 performed all sections with remarkable aplomb. It was capable on all surfaces and especially impressive on wet grass. He had a second FL2, the facelift version and then went to an F-Pace when they were introduced. He always rated his FL2s, as much as his previous three Range Rovers. They are wonderful cars, with the brilliant command driving position, relaxing to drive and bought well, excellent value still.

[@mwahahaha]

We have a 2010 HSE, it’s been a great car for the past 4 ish years we’ve owned it. In that time it’s needed a new rear diff (refurb unit was around £700 ish) and more recently the entertainment unit has started to cause a battery drain so will need replacing. Mechanically she’s doing great and is a pleasure to drive. I’ve looked at changing it but honestly I don’t know what I would change it for that wouldn’t have similar issues or be as nice to live with and not cost a fortune. We don’t take this car into cities so diesel isn’t an issue. Highly recommend them is people want a 4x4 that as you say James, won’t ruin them to maintain (touch wood!!)

[@spnracing]

We also have a 2010 HSE and the rear diff has got noisy again, it was replaced by LR at 35k and car is now on 75k. But other than that, it has been a great car and awesome in the snow. Video didn’t really cover the off-road ability - sump guards, 500mm wading depth, raised suspension etc. FL2 is a really capable 4x4.

[@turbolevo8703]

My Freelander 2 has been 100% reliable in 90,000 miles and 14 years of ownership. My bosses £150k Range Rover not so much. It’s an excellent vehicle and those in the know, know.

[@mg7021]

Bought my 2013 SD4 HSE Lux in 2017 and still haven’t found anything worth replacing it with. The only issue I’ve had is a blocked Haldex filter which cost me a Sunday afternoon to strip it down and clean it. Cam belt change is pretty easy on these due to the amount of room under the bonnet. Visibility is spot on and despite the size and it’s very easy to figure out where all four corners of the vehicle are. Meridian 17 speaker stereo is amazing and it’s great on long journeys. Heated steering wheel is a winner in winter. If I had to pick some negatives, the 2.2 engine sounds like it should be in a farm vehicle and the mpg ranges from 29 local to 35 on a run. Currently at 148k and still going strong.

[@Gibson408]

I bought one as a second car to keep the miles off my M2 and use as a dog car. I’ve genuinely grown to love it although it hasn’t been without its issues. I’ve had to repair a rusty rear sill, replace the steering rack and I’m currently replacing a snapped camshaft. All common problems on early FL2’s! Nevertheless given its simplicity compared to bigger land rovers I’ve been able to teach myself how to fix it all and genuinely enjoyed most of it. They’ve got a great driving position and just generally a relaxing car to drive. With an Xtrons head unit for apple car play it’s also as well equipped as my M2!

[@john1703]

In their beginnings, Evoques and Freelander 2s shared the same floorpans and engines at Halewood. They were related to the Mondeo (3) and Jaguar X-type, which also used the 2.2 litre Ford diesel engine.

[@hamster639]

I had a FL2 HSE, absolutely loved it, owned it for 4 years. But I traded it in due to constant costs to repair it (and I'm a vehicle technician). I had the haldex repaired, PTU replaced. It had new callipers all round, new shoes. It used to eat tyres. It also nearly caught fire on the M5 when a fuel popped off the injector. I found out that there was a recall for that fault but my car wasn't in the VIN range annoyingly. The engine itself was fantastic though, plenty of grunt, quiet and smooth. It was one of my favourite cars I've owned but also the most expensive to run 🤣

[@timbo3917]

Had a 3.2 litre i6 2007 Freelander 2 for about 5 years. Lovely car - very smooth and powerful engine, fairly reliable too. 18mpg and £695 annual road fund licence made it expensive to run though.

[@ewanturner4381]

We bought a '14 plate about 7 years ago as a family car and to tow our large 6 birth caravan (which it does very well). My wife loves it and the kids love being high up. I find the turning circle pretty terrible though. It's not exactly been trouble free (passenger lock, replacement transfer box and EGR valve issue mentioned here) and have been thinking about replacing it with a discovery sport but the reliability stories have scared me off. Think I'll keep the Freelander for a while longer yet.

[@MrJumpyJ]

Watching this while being in the passenger seat of my mates Freelander 2. On a trip from 30mins north of Amsterdam to Bournemouth and back, within 24hrs. Towing a trailer with an MR2 on it. I'll admit, JLR cars aren't my cup of tea but this is a fantastic workhorse.

[@Elwooddudes]

My dad has one for work, do love the look!

[@mesco8200]

Good cars, my mothers 2008 ran to 150k miles with no massive issues. One clutch nothing else major. In the end however it was done

[@Grim_Nerd]

I had almost the exact same sentiment as you did about the Freelander, but having found myself needing something a bit bigger than a hatchback I found myself looking at these on AutoTrader and genuinely pining after one.

[@janstaes2172]

nice vid, my cousin bought a fully specd evoque from new!, it was a terreble car. i think he had everything replaced (all nearly all electronic modules gearbox and engine etc). and when that was done it just started all over again. He just got rid of it after 4 years of owner ship. i can ashure anyone that he will never by anything from this brand again.

[@tommy28183]

I have the 3.2 and had the 2.2 diesel before that and the 3.2 is a rocket in comparison. Can't Fault it for is age and it's a lovely comfortable drive.

[@petermorris3665]

I've had a RR Classic and an FL1 and still have my FL2 and the wife's Evoque. The FL2 is a fantastic car, bought at 15,000 miles and now on 125,000 miles. I take the family out in it on a Saturday to the Cotswold and visit Burford, Daylesford etc and then on Sunday put the seats down, fill it with toot and visit Swindon tip! Its a 2010, so a bit lacking in tech but I'm at a loss as to what to replace it with.

[@WhiteMouse77]

Nice family hauler...socker mooms must love it! I would prefer Ford version because Dexter drove silver one. BTW the windshield defroster can be substituted with unfreezing washing liquid in a spray bottle. Melting effect Is immediate as you spray it over the ice.

[@Scisca1a2a]

That soft top Freelander looks so cool :)

[@r7coo]

I've had 3 FL'2s over the last 14 years, I only sold ours to get a car for my young son. During that time the cars were pretty much faultless, one of the best products LR ever made imho.

[@Golo1949]

Just a bit of info, I have a yr 10 focus zetec 1.6 tdci and the front screen does not have the noticeable heated screen wiring to distract your vision, although it is fitted. I do recall the yr 08 version I had at work did have the zigzag wiring, glad they changed it.

[@robgw]

The owner my local Land Rover Specialist in Sydney runs these as their family cars. Super relaiable as long as the Driff and driveline oils get changed every 40,000km or 3 years. Left unserviced they tend to whine and sometimes fail. Only other commin fault door locks shared with the D3 and D4

[@neilmarshment2910]

I had one for almost 2-years, loved it and wish I still owned it - ULEZ would have been an issue though. The reason I sold it was a lot of my driving was local and it felt a little unwieldy through town. But it was great at wading through floods, one of which half a meter deep 🙂

[@skylark-sd9ic]

I’ve had a FL2 and moved to a 2.2 diesel Disco Sport. The DS is leagues above the FL2 in refinement, tech, etc. Just steer clear of the Ingenium engined DS.

[@markmoore6264]

Great cars these, we've had three and now own a Disco sport with the proven 2.2 diesel. Really miss the FL2 though.

[@christrump7946]

Just for info the Freelander 2 shared its platform with Volvo and the Ford Mondeo and S-Max not the focus.

[@daltonsikhosana8275]

James you’re a bad man I was just thinking of these now I’ll have to bite the jayemm tax

[@user-nu4ig7dp4c]

Best kept secret ,best 2.2 Peugeot/Citroen engine , I’ve got the Auto Evogue , and a manual Freelander with great mpg , very happy with both .

[@JN-fu5gd]

We had one of these and I loved it but you had to drive it with your fingers crossed, it had two replacement steering racks and a new Haldex 4WD unit before it had done 40000 miles.

[@myep74]

I used to deliver jlr car parts and the rumour was that the Freelander had the least problems or recalls of any jlr car

[@AntDi167]

We’ve got a freelander 2 hse lux since 2017 it’s on 178000 miles and drives like new apart from a bit of the typical rust to sort out and normal maintenance stuff it’s great and we don’t want to sell it anytime soon. It averages about 34mpg for us and will do mid 40mpg easily on a long run

[@Batesandrw]

Was nice to see you at Rustival.

[@polotenchik23]

It's a pity it's not ULEZ complaint, I was thinking of buying one of these. A great car! Thank you for the review.

[@huwjones5879]

I've only had one experience of the Freelander 2 which was when our usual Range Rover decided its rear seat was in fact an electric hob. the Dealer provided a delivery miles Freelander 2 while they fixed it. We took it on a video shoot in North Wales and while it took all the gear OK, the "new car" smell made us nauseous and I've not experienced a car with so much body roll since. I also had an acquaintance who bought one new but returned it after a few months as it was so unreliable.

[@ianross04]

I have one and love it. On a seperate note, Spooky...i recognise most of those roads used on your testdrive as i am local!!

[@JayEmmOnCars]

Make sure to wave if you see me

[@user-ey8dl9mf1v]

I’ve had my second HSE for 10 years now, only 27000 miles but I’ve had the haldex unit and the Turbo fail, having said that it’s the most comfortable car I’ve ever driven, I’m 6’ 4” so have always found it difficult to find a comfortable vehicle. It’s not particularly economical but I will keep it as long as it keeps working, nothing I’ve had before is as comfortable, it ticks all the boxes for me I would recommend them to anyone.

[@Discovery_Dad]

The engine on the Discovery 4 you tested was also a Ford (in conjunction with PSA) unit called the Lion V6 which has an awful reputation for snapping cranks in Land Rover's where the higher torque demands expose a design weakness forced on the engine in order for it to fit in a Peugeot saloon car like the 406. The Land Rover units are the Ingenium's which were fitted to the Discovery Sport and Evoque from 2016. Unfortunately the timing chains and guides appear not to be up to the job, possibly made worse by a combination of stop/start, ridiculous 21k official service intervals, and oil dilution on the back of poor DPF placement... The weak chains also afflicted the new Jag XE/XF's which used the same engine. Replacement, if you can catch it before it grenades the engine, is about £2.5k as you have to remove the gearbox and about half the engine bay to get at it. So if you are looking for a Disco Sport pre-about 2018, make sure the timing chain is done and that the car has had interim oil changes between the official 21k/2yr services. In that case, assuming you don't just do short journeys, you should be ok if you keep changing the oil more regularly, and the newer engine is much quieter, stronger and more efficient. Fear of the above is usually what pushes most people to late FL2's or 2015 model year Disco Sports which still had the same Ford unit.

[@KeithMeredith-gb9so]

We have a full spec 2014 version, which we have owned from new and has 65k miles on it . I believe this is one of the very last built and its been very good. There are a couple of things that need to be done that aren't in the service schedule but need to be sorted. First is the Auto gear box oil JLR clam its last 85k, best to change at 50k or 8 years, the second is the Haldex pump, clean the filter at 60k as they have be known to play up. The only fault we had was a mysterious loss of water which turned out to be the EGV which was leaking and a pain to diagnose. We take it down to Portugal every year and its been a delight . The only other thing are the tyres get ride of the continentals there nosey and they don't last we fitted goodyear and its a different car. Hope this is of some help.

[@Div3r]

13:17 Nice use of a Hi-Viz jacket 🏁

[@tattttu9]

The evoque is not a freelander descendant, the discovery sport is

[@maz500]

Evoque came out before the discontinuation of the Freelander 2 (2011 & 2014)

[@tattttu9]

@@maz500 exactly, the successor of the freelander is the discovery sport. Idk why he said the evoque was

[@maz500]

@@tattttu9 just realised I replied, that was supposed to be a separate comment

[@pistonburner6448]

They both are. The Evoque and Discovery Sport are basically the same thing, just the Disco has even more horribly cheap materials with extreme cost-cutting (giving it an ambiance worse than a VW Polo or even a Dacia) and it's on the slightly stretched version of the same platform. They're the same car otherwise. Other cars on that same platform are Jaguar E-Pace, Tata Harrier and Tata Safari.

[@Coolcmsc]

@@pistonburner6448 This 😐👆

[@baronvonjo1929]

I agree a lot about the way a car is shaped and the feel of moving it. I drive a Honda Fit (Jazz) and its incredibly difficult to feel or see anything. Its really small and tunns fast and with a rear camera it works pretty fine. But I have more confidence in my dads 04 Suburban or my 2000 Toyota 4Runner. New cars are so incredibly hard to see out of. Its sad when I can back up a giant boat of a SUV but not a tiny hatchback.

[@KarelBeelaertsvanBlokland]

One of the few practical, economical to run LandRovers.

[@pistonburner6448]

Still less practical and more expensive to run than the same thing when it was fitted with a Ford-badge.

[@jonathanhicks140]

@@pistonburner6448but it never was, always sold as a Land Rover, the Ford’s of the same period were different vehicles & much less capable off road, although possibly better on it. I drive a Ford Kuga AWD, it suits me, but it won’t go where a Freelander 2 can go, if it does it may not get back out! But as mine is on road for 99% of the time then I like the better mpg & road handling, however if I lived in the highlands with a lot of winter snow & the need for better off road capability, then the Freelander 2 would be a better choice.

[@equaliser2265]

SD4 is perfect

[@heteroperplexual]

The 2.2 td from the F2 carried through to the first year of the Discovery Sport

[@praetorian65]

I do love my Freelander 2. It is a 14 year old TD4, but after a PTU replacement and a new upper engine insulator it is driving better than it has in quite some time. I do want to move to an auto at some point though and am dreading the replacement. I'm really not sure about the newer Disco Sport, and the insurance situation doesn't help.