Land Rover Defender 2020 Review

This is familiar territory for the Land Rover Defender, yet in many ways it is also unmistakably foreign.

We’re sitting at the base of a snotty hill climb at the Marrangaroo National Park, about 2.5 hours north-west of Sydney. Navigating the swish 10-inch centre display and underlying buttons in the new Defender’s sleek dashboard, we raise its air suspension to its maximum 291mm height, engage low-range four-wheel drive and select the ‘Mud Ruts’ setting of its Terrain Response software.

This, we’re told, is four-wheel driving in the 21st century. And as the born-again Land Rover Defender nonchalantly scales the rutted and wet (from recent snow) ascent before it, it’s clear the famous British off-roader has shown up to the party.

For the past 72 years, the Defender has created a legacy based on proven off-road ability and a tough utilitarian premise.

The latest presents a vastly different equation: a proficient off-roader but also a machine fit for the Eastern Suburbs set.

Can the new Defender truly be all things to all people?

If you wanted evidence of the new positioning of the new Land Rover Defender, simply take a look at the price guide.

Entry into the 2021 Defender 110 now starts at $69,990 (plus on-road costs) – a fair old hike from the $54,290 sticker price applied to its predecessor before it was discontinued in 2016, but one that is reflective of an all-new SUV with a huge suite of added equipment.

You’d be safe to expect the forthcoming short-wheelbase Defender 90 two-door to bring that figure below $60,000, though that won’t lob locally until early 2021.

In the meantime, the Defender 110 is available in a choice of nine grades, including six trims levels and three powertrain choices – two 2.0-litre four-cylinder twin-turbo diesels and a 3.0-litre turbo-petrol inline six.

Such is the demand for the new model, the local allocation of the two diesels has been completely exhausted for MY20 cars. Land Rover says if you order one today, it will arrive in 2021.

In any case, all variants will come standard with four-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic transmission with two-speed transfer case and Terrain Response.

Standard equipment for Australia’s entry-level Defender 110 includes electronic air suspension, 18-inch wheels, a full-size spare, tyre pressure monitoring, hill start assist, hill decent control and LED headlights.

Safety equipment is equally generous, including autonomous emergency braking, surround-view monitor, cruise control with speed limiter, driver attention alert, lane-keep assist, traffic sign recognition and wade sensing. Officially, the Defender has not yet been crash tested, but a five-star rating is anticipated.

Inside, there’s rubber flooring, dual-zone climate control, black fabric trim, eight-way power-adjustable and heated front seats, push-button start, 12V boot outlet and a 10.0-inch infotainment touch-screen with digital radio, satellite navigation, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

Since there’s not a diesel Defender within sight just yet, we’ll focus here on the P400 S inline six-cylinder petrol grade, which commences at $95,335 (plus ORCs).

Over and above the entry car, S grades gain extras including 19-inch wheels, automatic high-beam, interactive instrument cluster, front and rear centre armrests and a leather-clad steering wheel, while SE grades add a powered steering column and ClearSight digital rear-view mirror.

There are 170 different optional accessories for the new Defender, including a bulbar and side-mounted gear carriers, or equipment packs which accentuate its urban or explorer themes, among others.

All Defender variants are backed by a five-year/unlimited kilometre factory warranty and there’s also the option of a five-year servicing plan, which costs $1950 for diesel variants and $2650 for the petrol, using condition-based intervals (generally every 24 months, according to the car-maker).

The Defender range offers a 3500kg towing capacity with 350kg downball rating regardless of engine, making it one of the best SUVs tow tugs in the business.

There’s a decidedly 21st century shape to the new Land Rover Defender, yet one that still harks back to the original in its style and signature cues.

Sitting on a new aluminium monocoque architecture, the aluminium body design is square, chunky and high in person, pronounced with minimal front and rear overhangs.

The tailgate itself is side-hinged and mounted with a spare tyre, as with old Land Rovers, and there are traditional ‘alpine light’ angular windows in the roof.

For its part Land Rover says the Defender’s D7x architecture is three times stronger than traditional body-on-frame designs familiar with predecessor models.

Other underbody changes include independent double wishbone (SLA) front and integral link rear suspension that is complemented by electronic air suspension as standard.

The P400 drivetrain comprises a 297kW/550Nm 3.0-litre twin-scroll turbocharged petrol straight-six with 48-volt mild-hybrid technology, which uses a permanent magnet electric motor that draws power from a separate lithium ion battery.

It drives all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission, offering up a claimed nought to 100km/h time of 6.1 seconds, and a fuel efficiency average of 9.9L/100km.

The Defender’s off-road credentials are underlined by locking centre and rear differentials, a low-range function and a configurable Terrain Response software with six different modes (Normal, Mud and Ruts, Wade, Grass/Gravel/Snow, Rock Crawl and Sand), plus an tailorable individual setting.

All told, the Defender offers a generous 291mm of ground clearance, and equally handy approach, breakover and departure angles of 38, 28 and 40 degrees respectively. Water wading depth in the new model is 900mm, compared with the 500mm rating for the predecessor.

Stepping up into the high-set driver’s chair greets you with a light, airy and contemporary cabin space, complete with excellent oddment storage, open cubbies and myriad USB and charging points.

The different interior panels are well put together – some tastefully affixed with traditional hex bolts in a throwback to ancestor models – and the various screens and switchgear are integrated in a way that feels cohesive and well presented.

Front-row occupants are well facilitated by soft, supportive seats and soft-touch materials, while the second row brings equally amenable proportions fit for two full-size adults (or the occasional three-up in relative comfort).

We didn’t get a chance to sample the 5+2-seating layout on test, but the ordinary 1075 litres of cargo space is hugely accommodating and accessed via a big rear tailgate opening and 40:20:40-split folding rear seats.

There’s a distinct luxury vibe to the Defender’s interior, but happily it still features a hose-out rubber floor: a positive portent to its off-road pretensions.

The recently snow-covered slopes outside of Lithgow this week were simply no match for the off-road prowess of the new Land Rover Defender.

Creek crossings, slippery hill climbs, rock faces and steep descents hardly raised a sweat for the vehicle or its driver, such is the proficiency of its electronics and hardware, not to mention its giant 291mm clearance with the air suspension at its maximum height.

Our test vehicle, fitted with the optional $2210 Terrain Response 2 suite, easily kept its underbody parts well away from anything presented before it. Choosing any one of the six preconfigured settings allows you alter throttle/engine response, differential control and traction sensitivity to suit the Terra Firma underneath. You can even preconfigure your own individual settings.

External cameras are available and act as remote off-road spotters. Using unique virtual imaging tech, they can also allow you effectively to see through the bonnet – a big boon when the going gets tough.

Light steering, steady throttle response and modulation, an incredible amount of control and strength from the monocoque chassis and that well sorted, long-travel suspension mean you also traverse trails with less of the uncomfortable head toss and jiggling than anything this correspondent has driven off-road. Jeep Wrangler Rubicon included.

This trait extends to dirt roads at 60km/h, where the Defender spares occupants from jarring over big potholes and washouts. The level of suspension and body control is quite astonishing.

It’s one thing for the new Land Rover Defender to be proficient off-road – its entire lineage is capable of that.

Instead, the biggest delight in the new model transpires on the black-top, where the same independent suspension imbues the 2380kg SUV with surprisingly civilised manners and a controlled, almost-pillowy ride.

First of all, the cabin is serene at speed, suppressing most road and wind noise to a light background hum and eliminating drivetrain vibration altogether.

As it is during off-road duty, the steering is light in yours hands in car parks and tight spaces, helping to mitigate the Defender’s sheer five-metre length. On 19-inch wheels, our test car also soaked up pitter-patter bumps and larger hits alike with excellent control, resisting any tendency to crash.

Picking up the pace, there is meaningful weighting and feedback to the controls, along with surefooted grip from the standard-fitment Goodyear Wrangler rubber.

In fact, on a backroad outside of Oberon, the Defender delivered hugely satisfying dynamics for a vehicle with this degree of off-road pedigree. Its body moves almost gracefully through quick changes in direction, and the chassis communicates what’s happening underneath proficiently. Even the brakes have little trouble arresting speed, with no sign of fade.

The kerb weight of the Defender is not infallible, but even when pushed beyond its limit of adhesion, there’s a quick-witted electronics suite there to catch you out.

It’s a similar story with the engine, which does an excellent job of shifting the Defender’s mass, offering generous reserves of low-down torque and a spritely top-end – even when exploring its 7000rpm cut-out.

The engine reaches peak torque between just 2000rpm and 5000rpm, while maximum power arrives at 5000rpm. Its larger 3.0-litre capacity avoids any low-speed hesitation, too.

The matching eight-speed automatic is a key conduit here, making use of the engine’s natural mid-range cadence in heady driving or pedalling through the gears to promote efficiency. On a highway run, the engine spins at a miserly 1700rpm, and it kicks down gears either under braking or when overtaking.

For all of its refinement and enthusiasm, the obvious downside with the engine is fuel use; we averaged 11.0L/100km during a mix of conditions but quickly spiked to 15.0L/100km during a backroad blast, mild-hybrid tech and all.

This is a brave new world for the Land Rover Defender, but irrespective of your viewpoint, it’s clear the new generation future-proofs the iconic off-roader for years to come.

Our half-day foray with the new model suggests it successfully keeps apace with the latest safety, efficiency and technological standards, yet it does so without diluting the inherent character of the original.

That is something we can all be happy about, and given its newfound breadth of capability, it’s something equally worth celebrating.

How much does the 2020 Land Rover Defender P400 S cost?
Price: $95,335 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 294kW/550Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 9.9L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 220g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Not yet rated