The original Land Rover Freelander arrived in 1997 and instantly became very popular. Slotting in below its bigger brother, the Discovery, this mid-range 4X4 offered much. Capable off road, practical and featured a few nifty toys. This was all well and good but reliability was a real issue. The following generation ticked all the boxes with modern looks and a much better track record for not falling apart. It is time for Land Rover to update this successful model and their new direction is much more premium.

Beginning with what meets the eye, this Freelander instantly confronts you with much more defined design characteristics. The new chrome grill and lights give it a fresh face that work with a more brutish bumper allowing for a muscular overall appearance. A few new lights and grills end the exterior changes, but inside something of a revolution has come about. It would be fair to call the new innards “Range Rover inspired” as their quality and detailing is a significant upgrade when compared with its predecessor. A 7-inch colour touchscreen now dominates the dashboard which is also garnished with some gloss trim. Audio comes curtsy of 17, yes 17, speakers forming a 825W surround sound system. Your usual range of drivetrains and engines are still available, but the front wheel drive model now boasts 47.1MPG.