The Freelander is a great car to drive and great fun overall. However, my personal experience is of numerous serious breakdowns and problems. The most scary was when the steering wheel came loose in my hands as I was going round a roundabout (they hadn't tightened the nut in the factory).
I was lucky - all my problems were fixed under warranty without quibble.
I would advise anyone to steer clear of anything without a good warranty.