Land Rover Defender Range Car Review

Facts At A Glance
Car: Land Rover Defender range
Prices: £21,875-£25,450 - on the road
Insurance Group: 10
Emissions: 270-290g/km [est]
Performance: [90 Station Wagon] Max Speed 82mph / 0-60mph 15s [est]
Fuel Consumption: [90 Station Wagon] [combined] 28mpg [est]
Dimensions: [90] Station Wagon Length/Width/Height mm 3922/1992/2018mm

THE DEFENDER GOES ON THE OFFENSIVE

Our Rating: 4.1 / 10

With an uprated diesel engine, the latest Defender is even more capable. Andy Enright reports

Land Rover customers are some of the most demanding and knowledgeable of any car marque. Most will put up with any kind of lifestyle stylings applied to the Freelander, Discovery and Range Rover lines as long as nobody messes with the Defender, the vehicle better known to most as the definitive ‘Land Rover.’ That wish has been granted but it hasn’t stopped Land Rover from making substantial upgrades to the vehicle over the years. The latest Defender features a superior diesel engine and gearbox and a whole host of detail improvements.

Only a Luddite would claim that the changes are a retrograde step. There can certainly be no complaints about ditching the old Td5 powerplant in favour of a 2.4-litre four-cylinder diesel that offers a similar 122bhp power output but which trounces the old powerplant when it comes to torque. Where the Td5 managed a peak of 221lb/ft, the latest engine is significantly brawnier, offering up a full 265lb/ft serving. What’s more, that figure is delivered at a mere 2,000rpm, with at least 232lb/ft available in a broad sweep from 1,500rpm to 2,700rpm. This means that the lugging power of your Land Rover has been markedly improved. You won’t need to snatch a gear change when trying to accelerate away when towing and climbing up steep off-road inclines will require less of a run up.

The boost in off-road performance is reason enough for the fitment of this engine but even the most leathery backcountry diehards won’t begrudge a little more on-road refinement and driveability. The six-speed gearbox offers an even lower first ratio which can really capitalise on the improved torque while sixth gear has been stretched out to offer cruising ability which doesn’t require passengers to converse via loud hailers.

There’s even an improvement to the Defender’s notoriously utilitarian facia, this model now featuring a single large moulding supported on a robust steel rail. It’s still not something you’d mistake for an Audi Q7 part but it is a lot better at eliminating the sort of twitters and squeaks that made the old Defender’s interior sound like an audio track for Bill Oddie’s Wildwatch. Instruments have been filched from the Discovery3 production line and there are numerous ergonomic advantages. A passenger side grab handle offers two-handed support during gnarly off-road manoeuvres, while there is also a lot more useable stowage. Two console options are offered: a practical open tray design that keeps contents handy or a lidded design that offers 14-litres of storage out of harms way. I’ll just be hopeful that Land Rover has built a Defender that I can get in and out of without tearing a hole in my trousers on some sharp edge or catch.

Improved front seats and ventilation are fitted, as well as upgraded audio systems. The in-car entertainment systems have been augmented to take advantage of Defender’s improved refinement. For the first time, high-mounted tweeters are available in Defender and work in conjunction with the revised speaker installation for significantly improved clarity and sound reproduction. An auxiliary/MP3 audio input socket is also available. The facia now houses a beefed up heating and ventilation system that warms the cabin 40 per cent quicker than before and can achieve cabin temperatures a full 12°C higher. The air-conditioning system can cool the cabin in half the time of the old unit, and achieve cabin temperatures 7°C lower too. The addition of side window demist vents helps maintain visibility whatever the weather.

As before, the chassis is available in three wheelbases - 90, 110 and 130 - and in both standard and heavy duty guises. A total of fourteen different body styles, including pick-ups, soft tops, crew cabs and station wagons, are avail