It also pulls with authority, making progress brisk and relaxed, especially since the gear change quality of the new five-speed transmission is very good. Couple all this with a soft, cushioning ride, and the lofty vantage point that you enjoy, and you have yourself a very pleasant way to get about. The diesel's thrust makes overtaking relatively stress-free, while the Freelander's cornering prowess provides more enjoyment than a keen driver might expect on twisty roads. The Freelander does lean in bends, and eventually it will run wide, but its behaviour never gets out of hand, the more accurate steering making light work of threading through corners. It also stops with greater conviction, thanks to those improved brakes.
Passengers enjoy the good view out, fairly decent seats, and in the rear, exceptional legroom.
The boot is a good size too, making the five-door Freelander at least, a very sensible family estate. Where it leaves family estates behind, of course, is in its off-road ability. The four-wheel drive system apportions most of the engine's effort to the front wheels most of the time, but if the going gets slippery, the rear wheels play a bigger role, aided by the car's traction control system, which prevents all four wheels from spinning excessively. In league with its excellent ground clearance, this means that the Freelander is able to play the mountain goat better than its rivals, if not as well as its big brother the Discovery, which benefits from a set of low gear ratios and other sophistications. In brief, most buyers will be more than happy with the excellent Td4, whose only significant flaw is a tendency to stall, off-road, if you don't give it enough throttle in certain circumstances.