| First Drive | Gaydon, England | 2011 Land Rover Freelander 2 |

Land Rover's Freelander 2 gets a light visual refresh and upgraded powerplants, making up the 2011 model year changes.

In the Metal

The gradual evolution of the Freelander 2 into a smaller amalgam of the Land Rover Discovery and Range Rover is nearly complete. Slight tweaks to the head- and tail lamps, revised fog lamp bezels, re-profiled bumpers and a new front mesh grille mark out this 2011 model. It all looks very smart, though you'll be hard pushed to spot the differences alongside the 2010 version.

Inside it's more of the same, with a Range Rover Sport aping fascia being an odd mix of chunky dials, plentiful buttons and touch-screen modernity with ancient looking LCD black and green displays. The overall feeling is one of solidity, but although improved inside some of the plastics still feel a bit low rent.

What you get for your Money

For the £35,510 this range-topping SD4 HSE model costs, you get a standard automatic transmission, leather trim, satnav, climate control and all the off-road ability you could possibly need. The SD4 badge denotes the higher power 2.2-litre turbodiesel, which produces up to 187bhp.

Driving it

The 2.2-litre SD4 turbodiesel gives the Freelander all the pace it needs, with plenty of low down grunt meaning you don't need to use all its revs. That's good, as push up towards the redline and it's not the quietest diesels out there. The six-speed automatic gearbox shifts quickly and cleanly: it does such a good job you're unlikely to ever want to take control yourself.

The steering is surprisingly sharp for a 4x4, with the Freelander surprisingly keen to corner. Despite this it still feels like a proper off-roader rather than a lofty estate car like Audi's Q5 or BMW's X3. Ultimately, either of those German cars are better day-to-day drivers, though the Freelander does come with a real feeling that it'll get you absolutely anywhere should you ever need it to. Finally, the brakes are strong and the body control is good. The Freelander remains an impressive package despite its advancing years.

Worth Noting

The SD4 turbodiesel engine is only offered with a six-speed automatic transmission, which costs £1,515 on other models. The new Freelander 2 - with improved economy and emissions across the line-up - will be on sale from September 2010. However, if you're interested in Land Rover's first front-wheel drive model, the eD4, you will have to wait until January 2011. All manual Freelanders come with an improved stop-start system with these mid-life changes, too.

Summary

Land Rover's Freelander retains its core off-road appeal mixed with impressive on-road ability. Improvements inside and out are subtle, but effective enough to ensure the Freelander remains a very compelling choice among its rivals.