Land Rover Defender review

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