Driven

Back to Library >
ti icon

Driven

Land Rover Defender review

4 years ago

not bookmarked

Writer:

Andrew Frankel | Ti co-founder

Date:

14 April 2021

There’s probably not a car launched in the last decade I’ve worried about or looked forward to driving more than this. How could Land Rover resolve the conflicting desires of fashion victims wanting comfort and refinement and only the image of a Defender, with those of die-hard traditionalists like me who consider electric windows as something of a cop out when it comes to such cars?

Well now I know. I’ve only driven one Defender, a long wheelbase D240 with the more powerful diesel engine, but I’ve spent an entire day in it in the UK, on country roads, motorways and negotiating off-road tracks a billy goat might think twice about traversing. And I can tell you there is nothing remotely similar in concept available for anything near this money that gets close to it.

It does the daily stuff you need any fifty grand family car to do: it is practical, spacious, comfortable and connected. But off-road it is phenomenal: its raw stats are better than any other Landie, but it is the speed at which it apportions torque before the car has had a chance to slow or slide that most boggled my brain, at least on all terrain tyres. Yet it handles pleasantly on road too.

There’s stuff I don’t like: no separate chunky controller for its myriad off-road modes, TFT screens that don’t belong in a Defender and I’d like a manual. But it’s still a brilliantly judged car: the crustiest Defender lags will carp, but many more will be wowed by it. But it is those who lament the passing of not the old Defender, but the Discovery 4 who will love it most. And that includes me, too.

Land Rover Defender 110 D240 S
Engine: 1999cc, 4-cyl, turbodiesel
Transmission: 8-speed auto, 4WD
Power: 237bhp @ 2400rpm
Torque: 368lb ft @ 2400rpm
Weight: 2323kg
Power-to-weight ratio: 102bhp/tonne
0-62mph: 7.7 seconds
Top speed: 140mph
Price: £51,750
Ti rating: 9/10
More DrivenDriven Archive
Back to Stories >
ti icon

Library

Saving Jaguar – Part one

In the 1980s many thought Jaguar doomed. John Egan begged to differ. In an exclusive two-part interview, he tells Mel Nichols how he did it and how he’d do it again today

not bookmarked

Has Lewis peaked?

We’ve seen a fantastic wave of talent arrive into Formula 1 in the past few seasons and although Lewis Hamilton has emerged as the champion in every season bar one since 2014...

not bookmarked

Bentley’s dozen – Part two

How the W12 turned Crewe into the global capital for 12-cylinder engine production, by Dr Ulrich Eichhorn, who was in charge of its development

not bookmarked

Almost Great: M100 Lotus Elan

It was light, innovative, fast and great looking – all the things a Lotus should be – yet the 1990s Elan reboot still failed. David Twohig thinks he knows why

not bookmarked

Overrated: Lancia Delta HF Integrale

It was the Italian hot hatch icon of its era, the darling of the motoring media. But was it really all it was cracked up to be? Steve Sutcliffe begs to differ

not bookmarked

Over and out

Twenty five years after it was introduced, there is nothing new to be written about the Lotus Elise. Except this: goodbye and thank you for the memories...

not bookmarked