It has been nearly two decades since the Defender was sold in the U.S., but in 2020, that was sure to change. And despite the evidence that Land Rover has gone soft, the new Defender is taking a page out of Range Rover’s book by introducing a touch of class and sophistication to a down and dirty world.  

Rugged Good Looks

While SUV designs have become more refined over time, it’s reassuring to see that some elements of Land Rover’s design ethos remain unchanged. The Defender’s upright roof and boxy styling evoke a nostalgic, rugged aesthetic. In a sea of hybrids and electric vehicles, it proudly exudes an indifference – a bold statement of SUV dominance. It didn’t take long for us to fall in love with its unapologetic charm. 

With the Defender’s new unibody construction, it has advanced significantly with features like an air suspension system and terrain management. Despite our 110 SE model being heavily outfitted to its $87,973 price tag, it boasted modern luxuries such as heated and cooled seats, a 3-zone climate control system, adaptive cruise control, and a panoramic sunroof. Additionally, the center console refrigerator, unlike other cool boxes that rely on their air conditioning, kept items so cold they developed a frosty exterior coating. 

Shopping Malls and School Zones and Less Off-Roading

In a typical scenario, when a media vehicle offers features like “wake” mode—which uses ultrasonic sensors to measure water depth and displays how deep we are getting to the maximum allotted 35-inch water depth—we would put it through its paces to test these capabilities. However, since the Defender has been in production for four years and already extensively tested by other media outlets, plus we wanted to avoid damaging our first Land Rover media loan, we opted to stay on the well paved path most travelled. 

Likes: Drives as good as it looks, premium interior fittings, competent off-road demeanor 

Therefore, we regret to report that we did not test the air springs that can increase the Defender’s ground clearance to 11.5 inches, nor did we experiment with its various terrain modes accessed through a somewhat complex knob that requires pressing the fan button to engage the drive modes. We also did not utilize the advanced 360-degree camera system. Instead, we used the Defender as any typical Land Rover owner might: for commuting to work, shopping, and transporting passengers. 

The sheer size of the Defender is hard to grasp; it is significantly larger than a BMW X5 or Mercedes-Benz GLE. To power this substantial vehicle, there are three engine options. The base S model comes with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 296 horsepower. A more sophisticated option is the 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine, which features a mild-hybrid 48-volt motor generator and an electrically driven supercharger, delivering a swift 395 horsepower and 406 lb-ft of torque. And if you really want something that drops your trousers and drains your wallet quicker than your third divorce, the 518-horsepower V8 might be just the punch in the gut you need.  

Oh, So Good Performance

Our example, the X-Dynamic SE, featured the mild-hybrid six-cylinder engine, which provided more than enough power for a vehicle of its considerable size and was able to scoot the Defender from 0 to 60 mph in just under six seconds. This is also in thanks to its expertly designed 8-speed automatic transmission that manages gear shifts with precision. 

Dislikes: Typical SUV fuel economy, wish it had easy entry/exit seat feature, complicated technology to navigate 

The Defender’s on-road performance is equally impressive. The steering is light and responsive, yet it gains the perfect amount of weight as speed increases. The air suspension system delivers a smooth ride on open roads, and the Defender remains remarkably stable at higher than recommended highway speeds. 

A Rugged Interior to Match

The Defender’s interior is thoughtfully designed, as befits a luxury SUV. The structural beam, which spans the length of the dashboard and extends into grab handles at each end, creates an open and cohesive aesthetic that enhances the cabin’s relaxing atmosphere and provides additional storage space. The exposed bolts on the door panels and center console add a distinctive, rugged charm, demonstrating that ruggedness can coexist with luxury.

The touchscreen infotainment system was smaller than anticipated, but Land Rover’s website indicates that a larger screen is now available. Navigating the system, however, proved to be as intricate as the engineering beneath the hood. The steering wheel controls operate various menus based on which button is pressed, and we found ourselves perplexed when attempting to reset the trip computer to track our mileage and fuel consumption. But that didn’t deter us from being completely smitten.  

The X-Dynamic SE starts at $72,000, and despite our heavily optioned example seeing $87,973, some would say that is a bit steep. However, when compared to non-luxury options like the Jeep Grand Cherokee or Toyota Sequoia TRD Pro, both of which can exceed $80,000, the Defender’s price gap starts to look more rewarding while getting a for a better premium experience, superior off-road capabilities, and comparable performance