Hello, Land Rover Defender
Meet Your Heroes. It actually works out once in a while.
They say don’t meet your heroes. right? Through a stroke of luck, I got to drive one: the new-generation Land Rover Defender.
After waiting years for the model’s debut, my good friend let me take a spin in his new ride. The Defender had its fair share of critics about its looks when it debuted for the 2020 model year, which Land Rover surely knew came with the territory of reviving one of the most iconic product lines in history.
A year later, the fact that the British brand can’t build them fast enough is a referendum on whether or not they got it right. I was curious whether the 300-horsepower turbocharged 4-cylinder found in this 110 S P300 trim would be enough to move the surprisingly enormous machine around. I was curious if a buyer could spend their Defender money on kit and aesthetics instead of the bigger powertrains, which makes more sense when you think about this vehicle’s intended function. I was curious if my obsession with this gargantuan lux utility would be vindicated.
Yes it can, yes you should, and yes it was.
My friend and former colleague Alex handed me the keys with just under 700 miles on its odometer. We set off on a frigid northern New Jersey morning to one of the Defender’s many natural habitats: the Woodbury Common Premium Outlets in suburban Woodbury, New York.
While some purists might get mad that I didn’t seize the opportunity to hit the trails in nearby rural Bear Mountain area, I was more concerned about whether or not the Defender felt as special as I’d hoped running around town. Plus, let’s be honest - Defenders, on average, will spend more time at luxury outlet malls than they will on off-road trails.
An an added twist to the driving episode was that Alex opted for the modestly powered 4-cylinder engine and a higher level of equipment rather than the more powerful inline-6 cylinder. I was skeptical that a 2.0 liter, turbocharged 4-cylinder engine could enjoyably move what is, to be frank, an utterly enormous vehicle. Alex assured me that I was in for a pleasant surprise.
He wasn’t lying. The four-banger proved more than capable of hustling the 5,000-plus pound SUV around, and felt spectacularly refined doing so. It quickly dashed any reservations I had about spending this kind of money for this kind of car with a base-level turbo four early into our trip. The refinement was BMW-level good, with whom Land Rover oft collaborates on powertrain technology. It paired perfectly with the lux off-roader’s silky smooth 8-speed automatic transmission, shifting imperceptibly during normal driving and kicking down quickly when needed for highway merges.
Objectively, longer-term reliability concerns for this small of an engine in this ginormous of a car manufactured by Jaguar Land Rover - not exactly famous for bulletproof reliability - are probably valid. It’s just an impressive achievement in refinement and in no way a roadblock to getting a Defender at a more reasonable MSRP. If you don’t care about 0-60 times, don’t waste the money on the P400.
With that out of the way, how was the rest of it? Really, really good.
“A year later, the fact that the British brand can’t build them fast enough is a referendum on whether or not they got it right.”
Land Rover paid great homage to the classic Defender’s spartan interior with exposed riveting and bodywork, straight and blocky design elements, and materials selected for tactility and durability. The interior is rugged lux from top to bottom, with nearly every surface covered in coarse but supple fabrics, thick leathers, and functional cloths. Grab handles and interior trim covered in powder-coated metal complete the old-world-tough feel. None of this creates discomfort by any means - quite the opposite. The interior is enveloping rather than utilitarian, and the supple ride quality allows you to know there’s a road beneath you without any spine breaks.
Most buttons have a truly well-made feel upon press, and the upgraded Pivi Pro infotainment interface and screen are a huge step forward from Land Rover’s previous systems. Apple CarPlay, surround view cameras, and all the other modern luxury brand tech is here. Not all of it is standard, but the stuff you “need” is. The blend of classic toughness and modern tech is really nice, creating an experience authentic to the nameplate.
Alex’s personal car, as mentioned earlier, is finished in a stunning Gondwana Stone metallic paint finish, a dark smoky bronze that suits the Land Rover brand’s earth-tones aesthetic well. His example also has black wheels, trim and roof, adding to the overall “off-roader in elevated casual” vibe. Its massive greenhouse adds even more natural light through iconic safari windows, longitudinal glass panes running along the end of each side of the roof over the rear passenger area. Top it off with a crystal-clear Meridian audio system, and we really had a lovely mode of transport to and from the hordes of fellow shoppers.
The Defender 110, even with a turbo 4-cylinder, felt every bit of its $65,000-ish sticker. The smile on my face from discovering that one of my favorite cars in years is truly as enjoyable as I’d hoped?
Priceless.
Photography by Matthew Spadaro.