The second-generation Land Rover Freelander may well be the car for the times.
It’s still a traditional SUV with a 3.2-litre engine, so eco-conscious buyers will probably stick with the Toyota Prius (or walking shoes), but come the day when our roads become canals, this chunky SUV with its genuine go-anywhere abilities will stomp over any hybrid car, save for the Lexus RX450h.
The Land Rover Freelander doesn’t look all that lofty or capable from the outside (at 1740mm it’s just a bit taller than something like the Toyota RAV4), but the driver gets a confidence-bolstering vantage.
This sense of being in command is further accentuated by the relatively low window sill that lines up perfectly with the driver’s right elbow.
It almost feels as if you’re sitting on the vehicle instead of in it. This is usually a criticism, but not in something like the Land Rover Freelander where you would need the view to thread it along narrow country lanes – should you stumble upon them in our concrete jungle.
Fortunately for the poor souls in regular rides, there were no opportunities to show off the Land Rover Freelander’s abilities since it barely rained during our time with the car.
No luck with off-roading either, because construction sites won’t let it in without a hard hat on its roof.
But the excellent all-round visibility is still very helpful for negotiating the urban grid.
Combined with the big wing mirrors, there’s no way of missing out on an opportunity to overtake unless you happen to be visually impaired or lost.
The 3.2-litre engine proves to be adequately responsive, and despite its towering perch, the Land Rover Freelander actually grips in the corners.
Terrain Response lets the driver dictate the Land Rover Freelander 2’s off-road characteristics.
The blind should never be allowed behind the wheel, but help is on the way for those who have the navigational nous of an intoxicated lab mouse in a maze. Malayan Motors, Land Rover’s new local representative since April this year, is working to put a customised GPS system in the dash.
While development of that gadget continues, the Land Rover Freelander has also received some factory upgrades.
These include full leather upholstery (in place of the part-fabric one offered by the previous dealer), a glass roof (all the better to look at the raindrops) and bi-xenon headlamps.
These are hardly revolutionary or even class-leading, of course, but they do put the Land Rover Freelander in good stead against other luxurious SUVs and crossovers.
The proof of this pudding is probably in the muddy waters of Singapore after a monsoon storm.
Land Rover Freelander 2 3.2 (A)
ENGINE 3192cc, 24-valves, inline-6
MAX POWER 233bhp at 6300rpm
MAX TORQUE 317Nm at 3200rpm
GEARBOX 6-speed automatic with manual select
0-100KM/H 8.9 seconds
TOP SPEED 200km/h
CONSUMPTION 9.3km/L (combined)
PRICE INCL. COE $183,000 (as of August 2010)
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