| Launch Report Land Rover Freelander |
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Worthy Little Sister It should have been a recipe for trouble - high temperatures, unforgiving rock and miles of gritty sand. But the wasteland that is Morocco's coastal desert was a perfect place to launch the Land Rover Freelander 2.
On the potholed surfaces that pass for Morocco's best roads the new 3.2-litre 230bhp i6 petrol automatic and big-hearted 2.2-litre 158bhp TD4 were quick, secure and great to drive, but it was the torturous off-road driving in those same road cars on standard road tyres that proved Freelander 2, with a useful 220mm ground clearance and 500mm wade depth, is the best compact permanent 4x4 SUV in the world. When it goes on sale on December 7 it will go straight to the top of the class. Longer, wider and taller than before it is more practical, better to drive and far more able on and off-road. It's not perfect, but it's as close as you will get to a capable all-round five-seat, coil-sprung family SUV that is exceptionally comfortable, brisk performing and meticulously built. The shortcomings are few. But here are two. Entry-level models look ridiculous on their standard 16" alloy wheels and the top-hinged tailgate has no opening window option. Thankfully, higher-spec models have 17" or 18" wheels and the options list allows for upgrades. A hinged glass function would have helped the Freelander's utility in crowded car parks, but Land Rover's Global managing director Phil Popham said it was a non-starter on engineering cost grounds.
He says: "There comes a point when you have to stop. We've put a huge amount into developing the Freelander as a world leader and although a double tailgate similar to the Range Rover Sport would have been desirable the tooling costs would have been colossal."
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