Freelander Sport Td4 3dr

The idea of a sporty Land Rover may seem strange, but the suspension changes make sense because of its on-road handling improvement. It's also still good enough in the rough for all but hardened mud-pluggers. What a shame the Sport is an expensive range-topper, limiting its appeal.

It could be a page borrowed from a sports car brochure. A new model with lowered suspension, 18-inch wheels and a BMW engine linked to all-wheel drive. It even has a Sport badge stuck to the doors.

But in this case, the nameplate is on the side of a diesel Land Rover. Disappointed? The firm thinks it's just what many people have been looking for. The reasoning is that a lot of prospective Freelander buyers like the idea of owning a 4x4, but are put off by the wallowy driving dynamics.

This new Sport model is an attempt to tighten it all up. The suspension has been stiffened and dropped in height by 30mm to give a lower centre of gravity. The result is noticeable, with far less float through corners. The steering is better too, with a positive feel which might even be too heavy for some.

There are trade-offs for this handling improvement, though. Firstly the ride is firmer and tyre noise greater, to the point where both can become irritating. The second is less ground clearance off-road. Our purpose-built test course proved the Sport is still competent, but ruts and rocks could be a problem in the real world. To give the Sport name credibility, the model is only available with the two most powerful engines in the line-up; the Td4 diesel and the 2.5-litre petrol V6.

We tried both, and much prefer the oil-burner. The V6 is mated to an auto box which saps most of the 175bhp away, and fuel economy of 22.7mpg is hard to accept. The diesel makes more sense. It might be an older version of the BMW 3-Series' 2.0-litre common-rail engine, and produces only 110bhp, but it performs well enough and returns 37.2mpg. The only real gripe is a sticky gearbox and heavy clutch, both of which should loosen up with time.

The interior is a bigger problem. While the five-door cars have received a substantial makeover, the three-door only gets a few dashboard upgrades. The bare painted metal on the insides of the doors, lack of climate control and shiny plastic trim are a joke on a car costing around £21,500. But as long as you steer clear of the three-door body, V6 engine and any big rocks in your path, the Freelander Sport is a fine alternative to a more mainstream car.