LAND Rover has announced that Freelander prices will range from £15,995 to £20,995 when it hits the showrooms on New Year's Day 1998. Even the entry-level Freelander 1.8 3-door Softback carries a £1,500 premium over the Toyota RAV4 and is only £125 cheaper than the well-specified 2.0 5-door Honda CR-V.

The hard-top versions start at £16,495 and user-choosers wanting a five-door car to fit in with restricted fleet policies will have to pay at least £17,995. All but the most basic of creature comforts are optional extras with such luxuries as mudflaps, a fifth seat, ABS and a passenger airbag all extra on the entry models.

The flagship Freelander Station Wagon XEdi will cost £20,995, but air conditioning is still a £695 extra. On the plus side, a comprehensive anti-theft system makes the Freelander extremely cost-effective to insure. To create more space for the Freelander at the bottom of its model range, Land Rover has axed the entry-level Discovery Mpi models and improved the specification of the remainder of the range.