Back in the’70s, the original Range Rover was the first off-roader to combine outright luxury and extreme rock-crawling ability. The characteristics of that car have now spread to become an entire range, which, in descending order, includes the Sport, the Discovery and, the Freelander 2.
The Freelander here falls more into the soft-roader class. An ideal alternative to a luxury car, the Freelander has to match the more car-like Audi Q5’s on-road skills to be able to wrest the crown from it. The Audi, after all, rules the roost here, beating BMW’s X3 to become the best compact SUV as recently as this June.
STYLE FILE
There’s no mistaking the Freelander 2 for anything other than a Land Rover product. A scaled-down version of a full-size Range Rover from the front, with its distinctive design cues and silhouette, this looks like a chip off the old block. It has that square-rigged, serious, off-roader stance. The detailing is attractive — it has deep cut-crystal like headlamps, a cliff-like bonnet, the intricate grille, big front wheel arch and that Range Rover Sport-like vent behind the front wheels.
The Audi, on the other hand, may look like a cross between an over-inflated hatch and a modern SUV, but its attractive lines and excellent detailing make it stand out. It gets a host of Audi details like the big Bulgarian beard-like grille, smooth shoulders and LED lamps at the front and rear. It also looks a lot like a scaled-down Q7.
Under the skin, this pair is just as different. Based on Ford’s C1 big-car platform, the Freelander uses a transversely located motor and has independent suspension all round for better on-road handling. The Audi, too, uses an all-independent suspension but its motor is located longitudinally. and it’s built on the same platform as the new A4. The Q5 also boasts of Audi’s fast-reacting Quattro FWD system, which provides fierce on-road grip.
The Freelander’s 4WD system is more biased towards off-roading. It sports a very effective and unique Terrain Response control that has four settings — General’, ‘Grass/Gravel and Snow’ for firm but slippery conditions, ‘Mud and Ruts’ when some amount of wheelspin is needed, and ‘Sand’ where it’s essential to maintain momentum — just what the doctor ordered for novice off-roaders. Terrain Response adjusts not just the FWD system, but the throttle and the gearbox as well. It also gets Hill Descent Control and a host of other safety systems like Roll Stability Control (courtesy Volvo).
Dimension-wise, the Audi is longer and lower slung but the Land Rover has plenty more ground clearance, along with impressive approach and departure angles. This Freelander is also lighter by 90kg.
INSIDE STORY
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| High on the highway: The Audi Q5 has a more comfortable cabin than that of the Land Rover Freelander 2, but the latter is a force to reckon with |
The interiors of the Freelander sport the scaled-down Range Rover look. There’s the plush feel of a luxury car, along with some high-quality bits and unique features that feel lively. The design of the dash is traditional but visually pleasing and the materials used for the dash, steering wheel and seats are of good quality. Features like window controls on top of the door pads and metallic bars in place of the horn button further enhance the looks. The seats are comfortable, and the armrests for front-seat passengers is a nice touch.
However, the Q5’s fantastic interiors make the LR look like it’s from the days of yore. It has that Audi touch of restrained cool and feels high-tech. The front seats are more comfortable than the Freelander’s and it comes loaded with features like a reversing camera, paddle shifts and an MMI interface. But these bump up the price of this SUV. Also while the detailing is more intricate than the Freelander’s, especially with the chrome accents, some of the plastics don’t feel up to the mark.
The Q5 is the more comfortable of the two. But while the Freelander has less space than the Q5, its more spacious on the inside than its looks suggest. Also, though the Q5’s low loading bay makes it more practical, the LR has more boot space.
UNDER THE HOOD
The Audi’s 240bhp diesel V6 possesses enough grunt to swallow the Freelander. And with only 158bhp, there isn’t a lot the LR can do about it. In isolation, however, the Freelander’s Peugeot-derived DW12 motor performs impressively. Idle is smooth, there’s little turbo lag and it moves effortlessly. It’s also reasonably quick, getting from 0-100kph in 11.20 seconds.
With a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox and massive power, the Q5 shoots off the line delivering its best impression of a dragster. Its 0-100kph time is a performance saloon-matching 7.5 seconds, and the thrust is so strong that you’re pushed back into your seat as the car lunges forward. It’s super-refined and smooth, both at idle or when being wrung out. The gearbox however is a bit slow at times.
DRIVER’S DEAL
The Freelander is one of the best-riding SUVs around. The combination of its pliant tall springs and stiff chassis delivers a comfortable ride over almost everything. Ruts, potholes, and even speedbreakers at times are taken in its stride. Also impressive are the strong brakes that allow you the luxury of bleeding speed painlessly.
The Audi Q5 has a stiffer suspension set-up to provide it additional agility. It has none of the suppleness of the Freelander and gets fidgety over poor patches of road. A stretch of winding road is where it feels more at home. Like all Audis, the steering is light but accurate and there is almost no SUV-like body roll.
The Freelander is nowhere near as nice over a winding road. The steering offers little feedback while cornering, the car rolls before attaining a fixed attitude and the steering feels too quick while speeding. But it’s not a bad handler. Of course, it’s off the road where this car shows its mettle. And as soon as the terrain gets challenging enough for the Freelander, the Q5 is almost out of depth.
FINAL VERDICT
If you’re looking for real off-road skills, compact dimensions and some luxury, the Freelander is the car for you. It has the ‘go-anywhere’ conduct of a mountain goat and will take you way off the beaten track in comfort and style. And it has a very comfortable ride, a well-appointed cabin and a good diesel motor. But drop the need for serious off-roading, something most Indian customers do, and the advantage swings the other way.
The Audi Q5 may cost a whopping Rs 8 lakh more but then, it’s a winning blend of luxury car and sporting hatch with some amount of SUV appeal and dirt-road ability thrown in. It probably has the best large-capacity diesel motor sold in India, is genuinely sports-saloon-rapid and has something for everyone. As long as you can live with the unsettled ride, here is a car to jot down on your wish-list.
spec check
Land Rover Freelander 2
Price: Rs 57.44 lakh
(on-road, Mumbai)
Top speed: 181kph
L/W/H: 4500/2180/
1740mm
Kerb weight: 1775kg
Engine: 2179cc, 4 cyls in-line, common-rail direct injection, turbodiesel/ front, transverse AWD
Power: 158bhp at 4000rpm
Torque: 40.78kgm at 2000rpm
Gearbox: 6-speed automatic
AUDI Q5
Price: Rs 65.02 lakh
(on-road, Mumbai)
Top speed: 225kph
L/W/H: 4629/1880/1653
mm
Kerb weight: 1865kg
Engine: 2967cc, 6 cyls in-Vee, common-rail direct injection, turbodiesel/ front, longitudinal, AWD
Power: 240bhp at 4000rpm
Torque: 51kgm at 1500-3000rpm
Gearbox: 7-speed DSG
Pix: Abhijeet Anand
