Land Rover's off-road legend, the Defender, returned to the US marked in 2020 with a modernized chassis and engine. Though both 2- and 4-door body styles were shown, the 4-door hit the market first. The 2-door arrived a year later and, then for 2022, Land Rover added a powerful supercharged V8 engine option. Riding an all-new chassis, the Defender does battle with Jeep Wrangler, Ford Bronco and Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon.
The 2-door is dubbed Defender 90 and the 4-door the Defender 110. Size wise, the Defender 90 is 12 inches longer than a 2-door Wrangler and the Defender 110 is 10 inches longer than a Wrangler Unlimited. The 90 seats five or six passengers while the 110 offers an available 3rd- row jump seat, allowing five, six or seven passenger capacity. Unlike Wrangler and Bronco, Defender doesn't' have removable roof panels or doors.
Trim levels include the P300, P400 and P525 P300 models get a turbocharged a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder that makes 296 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. P400 models utilize a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline 6-cylinder that makes 395 horsepower and 406 lb-ft of torque. Six-cylinder models also get a mild hybrid system that's designed to improve city MPG. P525 models get the new-for-2022 supercharged 5.0-liter V8 that makes 518 horsepower and 461 ft-lb of torque. All Defenders come standard with an 8-speed automatic transmission, a two-speed transfer case and all-wheel drive. Maximum towing capacity is 8200 pounds on all models.
All Defender trims come standard with forward-collision warning and mitigation, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitor and a 360-degree camera system. Also include are air suspension, LED headlights, 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple Car Play support. Pricing for the Defender 90 starts at $49,100, while Defender 110 pricing starts at $52,000.
The base 2.0-liter turbo should prove to be a suitable powertrain for the 5,000-lound Defender. Land Rover claims that it will propel the Defender 110 from 0 to 60 MPH in just under 8 seconds. Not impressive, but also not unacceptable. More than likely, most Defender models will drive off the showroom floor with the innovative and powerful 3.0-liter inline six.
In addition to turbocharging, this engine adds an electric supercharger and a 48-volt hybrid system. All together the advanced powertrain makes 395 horsepower and, more importantly, 406 lb-ft of torque at a lower 2000 RPM. The 3.0-liter engine is S-M-O-O-T-H and plenty powerful. There are no peaks or valleys in power delivery and it provides ample passing punch. Stomp on the gas the a 3.0-liter equipped Defender will run from 0-60 MPH in a tic under 6 seconds.
Topping the range this year is the new supercharged V8. Like the V8 in the Wrangler 392, this engine is a bit of overkill - some might call it gloriously excessive, but who is going to complain about more horsepower. Simply stomp on the gas and the engine makes wonderful noises as it propels the Defender from 0 to 60 MPH in about 5 seconds.
All engines mate well to the buttery smooth 8-speed automatic. In addition, Land Rover has equipped with the Defender with all of the necessary hardware to make it extremely capable off road. There's a 2-speed transfer case, locking center differential, optional locking rear differential, Land wizardly Rover's Terrain Response system and optional adjustable air suspension system. In addition, the Defender has class leading approach and departure angles, 34.4-inch wading ability and 11.5 inches of ground clearance.
Thanks to all of its high-tech engineering, the 3.0-liter six scores an EPA city rating of 17 MPG and a highway rating of 22 MPG. The 2.0-liter four nets similar ratings. The new V8 scores 15/19 MPG ratings. All engines require premium-grade fuel. At least the Defender has a large 23.4-gallon fuel tank to help limit trips to the gas station. Indeed, real-world resting reveals the EPA numbers to be reasonably accurate, with high-teens being the norm in routine suburban commuting.
Oftentimes a vehicle that is extremely capable off-road struggles with civility when driven around town or on the highway. The Defender's secret surprise is that it sports a ride that's very comfortable and controlled and can even be hustled a bit through the twisty bits. Making all of this possible is the sophisticated air suspension that allows a soft and complaint ride off road and a firm and controlled ride on. Of course, the Defender isn't nearly as sporty or athletic as a BMW X5 or Audi A7 -- the sluggish steering and obscene ground clearance make sure of that. And while the brakes provide ample stopping power the pedal is more an on-off switch than a dimmer. Thankfully, there's very little body motion in extreme maneuvers.
Just as it works off-road to give the Defender plenty of wheel travel and on-road to control the ride, the air suspension allows enough compliance to maintain a smooth ride over even the roughest pavement. In addition, the tall-sidewall tires soak up minor pavement imperfections with aplomb. All told, the Defender defies the odds and truly proves to be a Jack-of-all-trades when is comes to drivability.
Unlike some off-road competitors, the Defender is extremely quiet inside. Not quite rivaling true luxury crossovers, but close, with the biggest culprit being wind noise on the highway.
Land Rover designers tried to capture a bit of the "charm" of the original Defender when sculpting the interior of the reborn model. Thankfully they only mildly succeeded as the original was positively dreadful both aesthetically and ergonomically. While maintaining the original's Spartan appeal, modern conveniences, logical design and thoughtful touches abound this time around. Materials are both sturdy and upscale. Land Rover seems to even have a handle on the fit-and-finish as assembly quality and tolerances are greatly improved.
Drivers face an elegant, if somewhat confusing, all digital instrument cluster. Thankfully, it's programmable and can be dumbed down to provide the basics without much trouble.
The infotainment system is controlled by a 10-inch touchscreen that's arranged horizontally and divided into dedicated tiles. There's definitely a learning curve and some functions never seem to come easy. Still, the screen is large and most functions can be handled without a trip through the owner's manual. Controls for the HVAC and Terrain Response System are jumbled together in a pod below. Though the design is elegant and simple, operation can be confusing and takes time to master even simple things like changing the fan speed. Android Auto and Apple Car Play are integrated, but since the screen controls so much, there's a fair bit of swapping in and out of systems, and that grows tiresome
Beyond the muddled controls, the rest of Defender's interior is simply brilliant. The front and second-row seats are thickly padded and offer great support and long-haul comfort. There is ample head and leg room as well. Even the available third-row seat in the 110 is nicely appointed, though it's best suited for children. The tall and airy greenhouse provide an ample view of the road and surroundings and the adjustable ride height help soften the step-in height.
Seating configurations are worth noting. Both the 90 and 110 offer either front buckets or a three-place bench seat. All models get a 3-person second-row bench seat. Available on the Defender 110 is a 2-place third-row seat. However, it cannot be combined with the front bench seat.
Cargo capacity is good but not class leading. On Defender 90 there is 15.6 cu. ft. behind the rear seats and 58.3 cu. ft. overall. Similarly, Defender 110 models measure out at 70/34/10/7 cu. ft. In addition, because of the rear-mounted spare, Defender has a swing-open tailgate. This is a feature shared with the Jeep Wrangler and new Ford Bronco. While not as convenient as a pop-up tailgate, it shouldn't be a deal breaker for most. It does mean that there's a bit extra carrying when loading from the curb. On the flip side, interior storage is great with lots of open and covered bins throughout.
Bottom Line - Defender shines for how it remains an off-road champ without diminishing any on-road prowess. Despite the high price tag, you'd be hard pressed to find a vehicle that is so balanced in its virtues. The new V8 is superfluous, but a wonderful addition to an already polished luxury off-roader.
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