The Freelander is a compact crossover SUV from Land Rover. Introduced in 1998 in the UK market and 2002 in the US, it is a "mini" model to compete with the Jeep Liberty, Toyota RAV4 and similar vehicles.
There is a variety of models on the market, 3-door and 5-door versions, diesel and petrol engines.
While the Freelander is quite suitable for rugged terrain, it misses a low gear to master serious inclines. It's ABS, traction control, hill descent control features however make driving off-road a pleasant experience.
Sales of the Freelander in the United States have been slow. Just 5,430 were sold in 2004, adding up to just over 33,000 sold in the three years the truck was offered in that market.
2006
A new Freelander will debut in 2006, sharing the Ford C1 platform with many other Ford vehicles, and sharing substantial components with the Volvo XC60.
