Land Rover Freelander
The small Land Rover that became Europe's favourite 4x4.
The story
The Freelander was built like a car, with a one-piece body and independent suspension, not like a traditional Land Rover. It was easy to drive and still better off-road than its rivals. It was Europe's best-selling 4x4 for five years.
Inside
Chunky, cheerful plastics and a high seating position. The three-door had a removable roof section at the back.
In period colours
Tap a colour to respray the drawing.
It introduced Hill Descent Control, which eases the car down steep slopes by itself. Almost every 4x4 has it now.
Meanwhile, in 1997
Tony Blair became Prime Minister, and the first Harry Potter book was published.
Best-selling single of 1997: Candle in the Wind 1997 by Elton John
Before you buy a 1990s car
- On petrol engines, check the cooling system and any sign of head gasket trouble.
- Ask when the timing belt was last changed, where fitted.
- Parts for mass-market cars are widely available; specialist and low-volume models can be hard to find.
General notes, not specific to this model. Check the model's own history before buying.
Rivals of its day
Picked automatically: cars on sale at the same time with similar size, speed and price.
See the real thing
These open in a new tab: the car on Wikimedia Commons, the interior and the badge as Google image searches.
Today's money: the launch price adjusted for inflation to 2026, using the Office for National Statistics price index.