Ironic
that this most British of SUVs is named after the Free Land, eh? Because the Freelander
doesn't come with any land, and at $25-$32K, it's certainly not free. However,
consider the name to be evocative of freedom of movement and traversing land;
suddenly you have two concepts that more than describe the nimble and charismatic
Freelander. After all, being a Land Rover means that it wouldn't get out the factory
door without everything it takes bound across terra firma and terra not-so-firma
alike. Being a Land Rover also means that it simply must deliver the kind of luxury
accoutrements that we have come to expect from any automobile from the Motherland.
And finally, being a Land Rover means that it will feature a generous helping
of good ol' British eccentricity, as evidenced by its eensy taillights, stack-o-boxes
dashboard and ergonomics that, um, take a little learning. But what are
the British if not learned? Certainly, they've learned something about passenger-coddling
and off-road athletics. Do they have any new tricks? Well, not in the engine compartment,
where the old 175-hp V6 still does its best to move the heavy little Brit around
over the river and through the woods. Opting for a manual shifter help both fuel
economy and performance. But something that is new this year is the addition of
a soft top, two-door model, with a rear roof section that folds back behind the
rear seats in much the same way as the Suzuki Vitara or old ragtop Isuzu Amigo.
A generous helping of fun, to be sure. Such cards, those Brits.
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