Land Rover Freelander 2 2.2 eD4 S (2WD) 5dr Car Review - February 2012

Performance credentials for this 2WD model are the same as for the 4WD models. The 2.2 litre diesel engine produces 150bhp at 4000rpm and 309 lb-ft of torque. A top speed of 112 mph and a 0-62 mph time of 11.7 seconds mean the car is a solid performer.

This is thanks to accurate steering and good suspension which manages to be firm without being uncomfortable. Body roll is kept to a minimum and the car performs well on the road. Don't expect the eD4 to be as impressive off-road though as this is the front wheel drive version and can't match its 4WD brethren when the going gets tough.

The car is easy to manoeuvre and park thanks to good visibility and the cabin offers an elevated driving position which offers a good view of the road ahead.

Equipment fitted to the eD4 as standard includes keyless ignition, eight-speaker stereo with MP3 connectivity, power steering, central locking, electric mirrors and windows, alloy wheels and air conditioning. For an extra £305 you can have climate control added with a metallic paint finish costing an extra £550 and rear parking sensors available for an extra £270.

The appearance of the car is characterised by a distinctive front grille, wheel arch air vents and tailgate. The only real disadvantage is a cluttered dashboard which is difficult to navigate and something of an eye sore within the car's otherwise stylish cabin.

The front seats offer great leg and headroom for occupants but rear passengers are left to suffer. Although the rear bench seat has been raised to give a better view of the road ahead, the legroom on offer is a little cramped and this means long journeys will not be comfortable.

The practicality of the boot is impressive, however, and the Freelander has virtually no rivals when it comes to storage capacity. Even with all the seats in place there is an impressive 755 litres on offer - much more than the 540 litre capacity of the Audi Q5 and the 480 litre capacity of the BMW X3. A total capacity of 1,670 litres is on offer when the seats are folded down and plenty of additional storage spaces are found throughout the cabin, offering high levels of practicality.

Unfortunately, reliability is expected to be an issue with the Freelander as Land Rover are known for their poor performance in this area. Electrical faults in particular are common for the brand and this means buyers should be prepared for expensive maintenance or repair costs if considering long term ownership.

Despite this, safety levels are high thanks to a good standard of safety kit and the Freelander received a full five stars for occupant safety in the NCAP crash tests.

The £22,005 price tag makes the eD4 the most affordable car in the Freelander range and, indeed, the cheapest car made by the entire brand.

For a 4x4 - even if it is only a 2x4 - efficiency levels are decent with the car achieving 47.1 mpg on the combined cycle. Road tax falls under tax band G - the same as the TD4 - although carbon emissions are marginally lower at 158g/km. This makes it a good rival for the BMW X3, Audi Q5 and Volvo X60 but the poor reliability record of Land Rover could prove to be a major disadvantage.