Land Rover’s Freelander had never been a 4×4 to excite the Editor’s interest. However, after a few days of freezing rain, heavy snow, ice roads and dropping temperatures, he’s ready to reconsider…
Words: Nigel Fryatt
It was not something that you do everyday. Edging out to overtake, the road ahead was completely clear; that wasn’t the issue. Edging out we moved across to a section of the road where the surface looked different. Was there more ice on the far side, under the snow covering? Pulling alongside the thunderous snowplough wasn’t the time to find out. Up close and personal to the massive machine’s enormous front blade, now was not the time for our vehicle to start snaking, wheels scrabbling with different levels of grip and traction. Heaven help a sideways slide into the unforgiving metal of the Canadian snowplough…
What happened, of course, was absolutely nothing. A smooth, simple, confident overtake and we moved back to our side of the road and continued. There was not the slightest shimmy from the vehicle; a safe, controlled, confidence-inspiring manoeuvre completed with the minimum of fuss. Back into the flow of driving on the bright white, snow covered, gloriously sinuous and undulating road, a quick glance at the facia confirmed my change of heart. The vehicle’s computer said the outside temperature was now minus 14degC. For this sun-loving, soft southerner, that’s cold. For the 2013 Freelander 2, that’s just another day in the office. For this disbeliever, there was no great epiphany; there was, however, a growing respect for what is an oft-ignored model in Land Rover’s range.
Personally, the Freelander 2 has always been a model very easy to ignore. After all, why would you pay it attention in a range that includes models of much more interest? You have the blind, some might say demented, support for the Defender, the industrious Discovery, rising to the omnipresence of the regal Range Rover, and then mixed with the flash, designer suited, youthfulness of the new Evoque. Who cares about the rather drab, almost bland, Freelander 2? It’s just the SUV of the range, lacking low range, character and a decent colour scheme.
To read the full report see the February 2013 issue of 4×4 Magazine. Buy the issue or subscribe here
