2004 Land Rover Freelander Review

For 2004, the Freelander's exterior has been revamped with a redesigned front bumper and grille; also added are new clear lens headlamps similar to those on the Range Rover. Front and rear bumpers are now body-colored, and in back, the taillamps assume a higher position. In the cabin, the Freelander gets a revised dash, along with new instrumentation, switchgear, door trim panels and front seats. The sport-ute's list of standard equipment grows to include roof rails, tinted windows and an in-dash six-disc CD changer, while the number of available four-door trims shrinks from three to two: SE and HSE. The Freelander's five-speed automatic transmission has also been recalibrated for smoother shifting.

With less capability than true dirt runners and less of a prestige factor than BMW's X3, it's hard to make much of a case for the Freelander.