Land Rover Freelander Metropolis revealed

With a new Land Rover Freelander on the way, the firm hopes to keep us interested in the current one, with the launch of the Land Rover Freelander 2 Metropolis. It gets a long list of standard kit, but is cheaper than the current top-of-the-range model, and is just one of a number of changes to the range that take effect from June.

The Land Rover Freelander Metropolis uses the already generously equipped Land Rover Freelander HSE Lux as a base and adds to it with electric front seats, a Windsor leather interior, touchscreen sat-nav, a powerful 825W Meridian stereo, panoramic sunroof, heated steering wheel, luxury carpet mats, and glossy black interior trim.

Outside, the flagship’s status is assured thanks to unique 19-inch alloy wheels Xenon headlights, a reversing camera, and premium metallic paint. That lot means the Metropolis will sell for £35,995, but that’s about £2,000 less than the current HSE Lux.

If you can’t afford the top-of-the-range model don’t worry, the company has given similar treatment to the lesser versions, so both the GS and XS have been replaced by better specced models – called SE and SE Tech

The SE is now the cheapest way to get the keys to a new Freelander, but you wouldn’t know it from looking at the spec list. It adds to the old GS’ equipment (heated leather seats, climate control, Bluetooth, rear parking sensors, and power-folding door mirrors) with a heated windscreen, front fog lights, armrests front and rear, 18-inch alloy wheels and colour-matched bumpers and sills.

SE Tech, meanwhile, replaces the XS and gets a 380W Meridian audio system, sat-nav, auto headlights and wipers, plus 19-inch alloy wheels.

As with the Freelander Metropolis, the new models represent decent savings over the old cars and are priced from £27,765, for the SE TD4 manual, to £32,270 for the SE Tech SD4 automatic.

Other changes pencilled in for June include the TD4 diesel engine being made available as a manual in SE and SE Tech, while the SD4 diesel will be offered as an automatic with any trim level.

Read our news story for all the info on the Freelander’s replacement – the Land Rover Discovery Sport – or for reviews of all of company’s current range, visit the Carbuyer Land Rover reviews page.