Around the world: Land Rover Defender

In the first of our regular series, we pick a recently launched vehicle and find opinions on it from global experts.

Land Rover headed to Namibia for the global launch of the Defender. Photo: Land Rover

After it was ‘retired’ four years ago by Land Rover, the iconic Defender is back and better than ever.

It will soon be launched in New Zealand and is priced from $89,90 plus comes as a three or five-door.

Land Rover invited members of the press to a three-day long road trip in Namibia, where the new Defender wanted to prove its mettle away from paved roads and on some of the most challenging off-road conditions.

Here are opinions from around the world about the Defender.

Top Gear

The all-new Defender faced three-day tests by each journalist, including rugged off-roading. Photo: Land Rover

With a 9/10 rating, the Defender impressed the British reviewer.

“The new one has to be as capable off-road as the old one. And it has to evoke the old one’s heritage, which is why it looks the way it does. Those two things were probably quite difficult, but if anyone could succeed, Land Rover’s engineers and designers would.

The exterior design is, we think, masterful. It invokes the old one yet it’s completely modern. The boxiness is just right for a hardcore SUV.

The bodywork is structural. The whole shell is immensely strong. So is the suspension it rides on. It shares principles with the Discovery’s, but few parts. Almost everything is stronger. The Defender 110 has air suspension as standard, which adds to off-road ground clearance and wading ability.”

Carwow

There was plenty of sand to test the Land Rover Defender. Photo: Land Rover.

AutoMuse favourite Mat Watson has plenty of compliments for the Defender and gave it 9/10.

“There is a decent amount of room in the back of the three-door 90 model, but if you regularly use your Defender for family transport you’ll want the bigger five-door 110 car. You can choose between five, six and seven-seat options. 

Yes, you can seat six – by speccing a third seat in the front, called a jump seat. If you regularly need to use all seven seats, a Land Rover Discovery is probably a better bet. The boot is pretty decent too, bigger than you’ll find in comparable Land Cruiser and Wrangler models.

The Defender comes with a choice of two diesel engines and two petrol engines (one of which comes with a fuel-saving mild-hybrid system), an eight-speed automatic gearbox and four-wheel drive as standard. The D240 diesel is probably the sweet spot in terms of price, performance, pulling power and fuel economy.

All this means the Land Rover Defender can tow a 3500kg trailer and wade through water 90cm deep – that’s more than even the uber-rugged Jeep Wrangler can manage.”

CarAdvice

There were three- and five-door models to test drive at the launch. Photo: Land Rover

The Aussies were at the launch too and gave it 8.5/10.

“Regardless of how good it was off-road, the original model was an acquired taste on-road. Along with being unsafe for occupants and pedestrians alike, the Defender also ranked low in terms of technology, comfort and refinement.

After a four-year sales hiatus, the Defender is back. And after such a long history of stasis, the 2020 Defender has been comprehensively re-imagined.

The new Defender needs to grow its overall appeal – attack the mainstream and fight its way onto the consideration list beyond rusted-on Roverphiles. That means those things it once laughed at – refinement, comfort and safety – need to be taken seriously.”

Car and Driver

Reviews commented on the refinement of the Defender, and its create comforts now. Photo: Land Rover

The American reviewer compared it to the Jeep and gave it 8/10.

“It's boxy shape and retro details recall the 1950's original and combine with modern  Land Rover design language to create an appearance that's both sophisticated and nostalgic.

While the 2020 Defender looks like an ordinary crossover, it has serious off-road capabilities and rugged components that help it live up to its go-anywhere heritage. The Defender boasts durable cabin furnishings, but also upscale materials and numerous luxury features.

Some may say it's England's answer to America's Jeep, but the 2020 Land Rover Defender offers its own sense of style and functionality.”