Her ladyship has MY2010 which I occasionally drive. I wear varifocal lensed spectacles.

All elements of her FL2's instrument display are in clear view unhindered by any of the vehicles other dashboard/fascia features. Have you for example, fully explored the relationship variables between the seating position and the steering wheel adjustment to gain a better field of vision.

With regard to the brightness of the display; this I would agree is limited when I compare the instrumentation's luminosity with that of the other vehicles (cars n motorbikes - British/Italian) in the garage. However I'd regard the FL2's range as acceptable if not restricted. Therefore, have your vehicle's performance compared with that of other new FL2's at a LR dealership to assess if there is a fault with yours.

Finally regarding strong sunlight; last July we drove to Spain (4,005kms round trip) and there were a few occasions when we did experience reduced clarity of instrument data due to bright sunlight. And, a couple of times the sun reflected off the silver colured plastic frame that surrounds TR & Gear Lever unit. Irritating - yes, room for improvement - absolutely, but I would not say the instrumentation presented a "considerable safety hazard" or that it was "virtually unreadable".

Overall a lack of legibility has not been our experience, so a dealer visit is probably a sensible course of action.

Many thanks to all who commented.

I still feel that in the best of conditions, the display is only just about acceptable. In the medium to worst of conditions, it is not. Nevertheless I do appreciate that in an emergency there is nothing on the display you require to see to take avoiding action.

However some of the read-outs such as the current driving mpg and miles left in the tank are of interest while you are driving otherwise why are they they there. I find them difficult to read even though as a 'young' pensioner my eyes with glasses, are, according to a recent consultant appraisal, very good.

I think I will write a letter to Land Rover to get their views. I'll keep you posted.

The instrument display on my 08 SE was quite dim on starting up in the recent cold weather but brightened to the normal level after about 5 miles or so as the car warmed up.

I am however now quite hacked off about the lack of information displayed after having a ride in my daughter's Skoda Yeti with auto box,which shows which gear is actually selected even when being used in the fully automatic mode.

Seem to remember a thread on here asking about this (but could not find it using the Search option which I have never had any success with) and I for one would appreciate this facility as in my opinion it would help economic driving.

If Skoda can manage to include it if a car costing some £10k less than a FL2 so should land Rover.

Bill Turner Life Honorary Member of Wallasey Motor Club.
Licenced MSA Radio Operator for 35+ years.
Rallying is the only sport.

I can't see a lot of point knowing which gear you are in in an automatic - wife's astra has it but it doesn't affect my driving - I put it in D and it goes. As a former auto driver though, I would appreciate a gear display in my manual freely - the ratios are quite close and a couple of times I've left it in fifth when it should have been in sixth.

I like the fact that the new MY 2011 _e version has instant MPG read out and tells you when to change gear for optimal frugality

I'm not overly pleased with the inst pack display. But i can live with it.
What i find most annoying is upon the rare case i use the fog lamps, i can never find the switches. I have to briefly take my eyes off the road to find them.
Not very clever  Another member of the failed FL2 clutch/DMF club, twice.

I also wear Varifocals, the only problem that I have is that I can't see if the auto headlights sign is on, but if I raise the seat I can (dn't want to do that though).
As for a nasty shade of Green !!!!!!!! Green is LandRover colour, and suits me fine.
As for the brightness....just travel 6 hours at night with aglowing screen and you get light pollution fatigue.
Very rarely look at my screen though, I know what speed I'm doing at any time and I drive to conserve the fuel that I cant afford to waste.
Mine is an Auto and I have never looked to see what gear it's in, why would you want to know if its in Auto mode anyway?
. Offset your Carbon emissions by boycotting Baked Beans and all Green Vegitables.

New ploy to stop old farts driving them?  I was only wrong once and thats when I thought I was but wasnt.

2010 Freelander 2 XS Stornaway Grey
2010 Aston DBS Morning Frost
2010 Bentley Continental Brooklands Green

Mona Geeza wrote:

New ploy to stop old farts driving them?

dont fart as I've stopped eating Sprouts & Baked beans  Offset your Carbon emissions by boycotting Baked Beans and all Green Vegitables.

Agree with pegleg. Placement of the foglight switches is annoying, dangerous even. And the switches don't seem to be illuminated.
As regards green instrumentation, green is supposed to be more restful than red. I find the illumination perfectly adequate, except when I have the lights on during the day, when the auto-dim can make it hard to read.
At the risk of being obvious, there is a dimmer switch for the panel lights - you have tried turningthem up???

I prefere the red / orange displays of german cars but I dont have any problems with the green - I think it just looks a bit dated. I've noticed that the D4 has got a little LCD display now which looks much nicer.

As for seeing what gear you are in - thats what sport mode is for Otherwise, its an auto and so you should not need to know...

If your a half decent driver and you feel the need to know what gear you are in you should be able to tell just by the speed & revs anyhow Freelander 2 TD4 Auto, SE, Narvik Black, Alpaca full leather, Rear Headrest Entertainment System, 6 CD, 18 HSE Wheels, Privicy tints

First thing I did, and I'm entering the realm of needing adult diapers, is turn down the brightness of the dash. I don't believe it to be good vision practice to have something within the vehicle, which is brighter than that which is outside. I feel that a brighter dash lighting distracts the view of what is important (anything outside the windscreen).

I'm ambivalent regarding the green color. I agree that there are probably better colors to use though. I also think that the "dot matrix" lettering of the message center cheapens the vehicle. My 10 year old cellular phone has a better screen.

As a new FL2 owner I think the display is poorly lit and straight away I was looking for the brightness control (as per my old beemer) but I suppose you can see the display but I would just prefer it to be a little brighter.

I agree with the fog light switches being a bit fiddly to find too but only minor niggles in otherwise a great car  FL2 07 HSE Zermatt Silver

I don't like a bright display in the car so it's fine for me but yeah, the fog switches are an after thought.
Why car manufacturers haven't embraced multi coloured LED's yet I do not know, then by a flick of a switch we could personalise our own dash lighting colour.

Get the lighting pack on the new mini and you can change the colour of your interior mood lighting - looks cool!

As for fog lights - I agree they are a bit awkward but I dont see that they are any different to any other car i've ever driven... accept maybe SWMBO's old toyota where they were on the stalk Freelander 2 TD4 Auto, SE, Narvik Black, Alpaca full leather, Rear Headrest Entertainment System, 6 CD, 18 HSE Wheels, Privicy tints