It's a 65 plate ambience. I really like it actually, I would say that the reviews of it in general are very fair although a lot of it is down to personal opinion, eg. how much you care about exterior/interior styling/toys or lack of! I like the rugged look of the car, although I think it's got an ugly rear end

The 1.5 diesel has good guts for what it is, and it copes with the extreme hills/gradients/bends up here with ease. It does lean on corners, but I've got used to adapting to it, and it's improved dramatically after putting all terrain tyres on. The short gear ratio is annoying but you get used to it. The 1st gear pretty much seems to be a cheap way of using a low ratio for if you get stuck in something I guess. So you use 2nd gear to start off, which you get used to, and shift through the gears very fast as you run out of revs quick. It is a bit crap in that respect for normal driving, but again you get used to shifting up fast. In a flat 30mph zone 4th gear is ok but it sounds a bit like it could do with going up - it's fine in 5th at 30 on a flat as well, it's just an odd inbetween the lines sort of gearbox. But you do adapt to it.

I've had it on rough tracks a few times (although one of them you'd never get an average clearance 2WD down, it's a pretty serous rock/cobble track with lots of steep gradients, ruts), but I've never taken it truly off road, as up here you need an argo cat to make it through much of the bog/heather/ditches etc. The working estates up here use Hilux and Defenders, but never take them into the hills, it's always argo or quad. The duster seems to cope well in the snow, although I take it easy when it's snowy/icy anyway...

It's had a few silly niggles in 27K and 21 months but nothing major...

Sorry if my comments about the GS sound system appeared frivolous, I know it's not supposed to be a boom bus! But I'm surprised that a car's sound system sounds like that on such an expensive car, particularly when the cheapest of them all (Duster) has a much better one, that's all. It's the sort of thing I would have expected on a work horse like the Defender or something. I was just genuinely surprised. Apologies again!

In a way I maybe should just stick with Dusters as it's all I need here and I do like them. But I really like the Freelander 2 and want to try one. Apparently there is a new generation re-worked duster coming out next summer, so perhaps if I get a freelander in the mean time and run that until they've ironed out any niggles with the 1st facelift of the new duster then I can switch back to them if the Freelander isn't for me. Although I'd be surprised if I'd want to go back to anything else after owning one. You only live once though...

Thanks for that Adam, know what you mean about quads and hi lux, that all i seem to see when I'm up Loch Arkaig.
Waiting for local garage by me to get an auto Duster in for me to try. head up north twice year so need a bit of comfort which my freelander had before a got shot because of trouble I had but having cooled down I in honesty would still have it if the local dealer had been any good ( or average even ) lol. or maybe if the AA man had told my to call the dealer I bought it from rather than tow me to nearest I would have been ok. Got a Tiguan at moment lovely car but not a patch of Freelander comfort apart from common problem which is the driver seat going down but have been assured that the cause is pressing on it whilst getting in and out. If it wasn't so bad it'd be funny.

�
Freelander 2 HSE auto 2014 ( Florrie ) ..... Try again.
Freelander 2 GS 2012...... Gone.

Drove a 1.5dci Duster myself and they really are great vehicles for the money , give the Frelander a go you really won't regret it , the Alpine 9 speaker system in my Fl2 sounds pretty good for a factory system .

Mark 2009 FL2 TD4 SE (Sadly gone)
2007 FL2 TD4 GS (The wifes , gone after 8 great years)
2012 FL2 SD4 SPORT LE(Gone and missing it)
2015 DISCOVERY SPORT 2.2SD4 HSE (Now gone)
2014 Ford Bmax 1.0 ecoboost ( Gone but what next )
2014 Ford Focus 2.0tdci Zetec S (Gone,but what a car)
2020 Ford Fiesta ActiveX 1.0 Ecoboost
2024 Skoda Kodiaq 1.5 Tsi SEL

Cheers guys...

Duster certainly won't be anything close to the comforts of a freelander or as sturdy/tight on the road but it does the job. I drove a 2012 XS a wee while back and it seemed more sturdy/less wallowy on corners etc, and also a slightly higher up seating position although the ground clearance is very similar (except the freelander seems to have a higher rear axle clearance).

I've done plenty long journeys in the duster and it's been ok for me, although I haven't ever owned any high end cars to be able to compare for comfort, so I may just be blissfully ignorant to it all

We don't have Dacia down under. I think they would sell truck loads of them, for city use, where all the SUVs are. In the outback everyone is driving dual cab 4WD these days. Procrastination, mankind's greatest labour saving device!

Acoustic insulation ARB TPMS 3xARB air compressors After cooler Air tank On-board OCD pressure air/water cleaning Additional 50L fuel Carpet in doors ABE 2x1kg Waeco 28L modified fridge Battery 4x26ah Solar 120w Victron MPPT 100/20 DC-DC 18amps 175amp jumper plug Awning 6x255/60R18

They would probably rust away whilst being transported to Aus  MY14 Kahn Converted Dynamic - Fuji White Ebony/Pimento Interior
MY15 Xenon Headlight Conversion

MY17 RRS SVR - Estoril Blue Cirrus/Ebony 🪣💺’s

Is that a known problem with Dusters ? thought all cars rust.  If it wasn't so bad it'd be funny.

�
Freelander 2 HSE auto 2014 ( Florrie ) ..... Try again.
Freelander 2 GS 2012...... Gone.

Early Dusters were made in India out of re-smelted scrap metal and have big corrosion issues. Later ones are made in Eastern Europe out of better steel. FL2 MY10 TD4 GS traded in at 2 years
FL2 MY13 TD4 GS Current

Adam83 wrote:

Cheers guys...

Duster certainly won't be anything close to the comforts of a freelander or as sturdy/tight on the road but it does the job. I drove a 2012 XS a wee while back and it seemed more sturdy/less wallowy on corners etc, and also a slightly higher up seating position although the ground clearance is very similar (except the freelander seems to have a higher rear axle clearance).

I've done plenty long journeys in the duster and it's been ok for me, although I haven't ever owned any high end cars to be able to compare for comfort, so I may just be blissfully ignorant to it all

At the risk of upsetting our resident N.Yorks poultry guru , go have a look at a Subaru Outback. It's an ideal multi-purpose estate car ( note not an SUV ). Same ground clearance as a Freelander. It's got much better driving characteristics than the Freelander due to having a low centre of gravity (flat boxer engine) less body roll, and more advanced electronics for stability and vector braking, plus the famous Subaru full time symmetrical AWD, none of this Haldex front wheel most of the time nonsense. Last year Subaru UK dropped the manual versions of the car from its range offering Auto only , so there are some real bargain ex demo and ex Subaru fleet cars about in that spec.

The Freelander is still a great and comfortable SUV and I use it every week, I'll be taking it to go fishing in Ireland because it has more aggressive tyres on for certain places we'll be going around my mates home . and at 8 years old I can drive it without worrying about a scratch affecting value , but normally on a long journey I'll always opt for the Scooby 2009 GS Auto Zermatt Silver - Sold June 21 after 10 years of ownership

2016 Subaru Outback SE 2.0 diesel SE Premium Lineartronic Sold 2024 after 8 years and 80k miles . Best Car I ever owned !

2023 Toyota Hilux invincible X 2.8 Auto .

Shame subaru didnt drop the auto versions also  At work
At home

"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

To be fair CG, the Lineartronic CVT is the nicest Autobox I've driven. Still we are all different : You continue to drive the latest incarnation of the Indian Ford soccer mums car I'll concede they do look good in Sainsbury's car park , and I'll stick with the Land of the Rising Sun's WRC heritage estate car : that's at least for the next 4 years when It will be downgraded to the role that the Freelander currently holds and I'll consider using my forecast state pension as a top to fund a nice Porsche Cayman, 5.0 Mustang, or RS4 estate as its replacement . 2009 GS Auto Zermatt Silver - Sold June 21 after 10 years of ownership

2016 Subaru Outback SE 2.0 diesel SE Premium Lineartronic Sold 2024 after 8 years and 80k miles . Best Car I ever owned !

2023 Toyota Hilux invincible X 2.8 Auto .

so there is hope for you yet, except the mustang At work
At home

"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

4 years ? Pension forecast.

Ask Iain what his views are now  FL2 MY10 TD4 GS traded in at 2 years
FL2 MY13 TD4 GS Current

Due to contracting out I'm about £1000 off of the maximum Bob, As im now retired , I can contribute for every year since April 16 (in arrears ) at roughly £700 per annum so say £4000 to get that extra , allowing for income tax the pay back will be well into my seventies. I'd rather put the 4 grand down as a deposit on a fast car for my 66th  2009 GS Auto Zermatt Silver - Sold June 21 after 10 years of ownership

2016 Subaru Outback SE 2.0 diesel SE Premium Lineartronic Sold 2024 after 8 years and 80k miles . Best Car I ever owned !

2023 Toyota Hilux invincible X 2.8 Auto .

Agreed, go for the car as buying in extra years is a farce currently. FL2 MY10 TD4 GS traded in at 2 years
FL2 MY13 TD4 GS Current