Whilst driving around in a sd4 recently I couldn't help but notice it didn't like reversing

Parked on a hill, and if I reversed but eased off reversing to check it was clear, put a of gas on the back on the throttle doesn't have it respond like my TD4 it just holds it position and requires what feels like a lot bigger press of the gas peddle To get a reaction

I thought it was just this loan car but it's been the same on all 3 I drove recently

If all SD4 are like this. I think I might have to think again, it's annoying, god knows what it would be like towing and reserving

Never noticed it to be honest, don't have a problem with it, used to I expect, haven't had a pitch yet that has been difficult to reverse the van on to

Perhaps the Kia Sprtage is more suitable, you could even download the advert on to your iphone

An overlay of the Torque graphs on the SD4 and TD4 will show if there is a lack of low down torque (as the symptoms suggest) on the SD4 compared to the TD4. If not, maybe new cars that aren't run in/at their best? Mine: 2012 Golf GTI Edition 35
Family's: 2009 Freelander 2 HSE TD4 Auto, Stornoway

Yorkshire - God's County

Must admit, mine needs a decent amount of revs to get it to shift, I dont tow so have no experience there, at home if I park out front on the kerb, driving on gently is fine it will pull itself up the kerb, in reverse it needs plent y of revs and gently too, otherwise it rises up the kerb and its off like a bolt.
Its fine once you are used to it but certainly a strange and unnerving experience.

Sounds like the exact thing I got, might get used to it eventually

Jumping up a kerb in reverse is quite normal for a front wheel drive car. When driven wheels are against the kerb it will have a lifting action rather than just moving forwards. The non-driven wheels are being pushed from the other end of the car and lack that lift action so don't rise over the kerb so well requiring more push to get up the kerb and so too much power when over it. I have seen front wheel drive cars spin up when trying to reverse up a high kerb yet rise OK forwards

According to sales blurb the Haldex should be pre-engaged to reduce wheelspin on takeoff but it sounds like there is no power to the back wheels. Prog rock is cool!
2012 XS SD4 Indus Silver

The guy at Halewood was demonstrating the Freelander and saying many people simply think its stuck or unable to get past an obstacle, something happens at around 1800 rpm, I think, where it will start to move, below this speed and it will just sit there revving and no moving? May be something similiar long on here?

I can't compare but my reversing hasn't given rise to a problem also with a van behind it behaves itself OK. I think it is a case of what you are use to and there may well be a different 'throttle mapping' between the TD4 and SD4.
The throttle does go a fair old way before something seems to happen but again it's electronic and the software may be programmed differently for whatever reason, probably if I jumped in a TD4 I would stand a great chance of shooting off and hitting whatever was behind me.

EYorkshire wrote:

probably if I jumped in a TD4 I would stand a great chance of shooting off and hitting whatever was behind me.

If that's what gets you excited - don't forget the cleaning products  2002 Honda VFR800
2002 Toyota Celica 140 Silver (mid life crisis - again!)
2007 FL2 GS Manual Army Reconnaissance Green + freel2.com sticker
2004 Toyota Celica 140 Black - Gone
2000 Toyota Celica 140 Silver - Gone
1998 Toyota Celica ST Pearl Green - Gone
1996 Nissan Primera 1.6 - Gone
1994 Rover Montego 1.6 Auto - Gone

maybe just relevant to the auto ?

when reversing with my TD4 manual I don't need to touch the throttle at all.

just let the clutch out gently and she goes nice and smooth, no matter what the terrain.

Iain

Quite probable Iain, the manual, with the clutch lifted has to put the torque through the wheels, or stall and I believe there is a device to prevent that, in the auto, the torque convertor happily absorbs it and the car just sits there.
There is also, I imagine, are marked difference in driving styles between Pinky and EY, one sensible and one one...well, not so sensible as his mpg would infer.

I dont find it a proble, quite the contrary, it makes for a very controlable vehicle if handled correctly, if however, your expecting it to shift and it sits there, giving it a big handful of revs sends it a signal that you want to overcome this obstacle, so it does and it can do it quite quickly and catch you out if not ready for it.

We are used to it now, and have never had a problem with reversing - although the trickiest type of reversing for us is parking bum in first.

Must admit, the first few times I used reverse it was quite unexpected and the lurch a little unnerving.