Road test review: Land Rover Defender 110 SE D240

Friday, 21 August 2020

Meet the Land Rover Defender 110 SE D240

LAND ROVER DEFENDER 110 SE D240
Base price: $114,900
Powertrain and economy: 2.0-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder, 177kW/430Nm, 8-speed automatic, AWD, combined economy 7.7L/100km, CO2 201g/km (source: RightCar).

Retro-modern looks with hints of both the original Defender and the Discovery 4 make the new Defender a handsome and distinctive thing.

Vital statistics: 5018mm long, 2105mm wide, 1967mm high, 3022mm wheelbase, luggage capacity 857 litres, 20-inch alloy wheels.
We like: Looks fantastic, effortlessly capable off-road, fantastic on-road ride, brilliant interior.

The Defender’s back doors are weirdly long and require you to take a step back when opening them.

We don't like: It is very big, gets pricey when you start adding options, diesel engine a bit laggy.

It is not an understatement to say that the new Land Rover Defender has some mighty big shoes to fill. After all, words like ‘legend’ and ‘icon’ are liberally bandied about when mentioning its predecessor that can trace its roots right back to Land Rover’s origins in 1948 and carved itself an enduring reputation for utility, durability and sheer capability.

As expected, the new Defender is absolutely epic off-road.

So does the new one manage to fill those shoes?

It most certainly does. In fact, it would actually be fair to say that those shoes are somewhat too small for it.

‘Truly effortless’ is the best way to describe the Defender’s off-road abilities.

Clever software and cameras allow you to see ‘under’ the Defender at off-road speeds.

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Incredibly short overhangs give the Defender remarkable approach and departure angles. With that tow-bar removed, of course.

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Aside from looking fantastic, the Defender’s interior is also impressively comfortable and brutally functional.

That is because the new Defender actually makes the old one look rather one-dimensional – sure it was remarkably capable off-road, but honestly horrific on it. The new one? It is at least equally capable off-road (and even more so in some respects) and almost as good as a Range Rover on-road.

Combine that seemingly impossible blend of qualities with a fantastic looking package inside and out and you have a vehicle that is literally like no other on sale in New Zealand today.

Yeah, it really is that good.

The third row of seats is optional in the 110. The brilliantly rugged finish is standard.

So exactly how good is it off-road?

It is every bit as good as you would expect a modern off-roader from Land Rover to be. And then some.

The D240 diesel engine is beautifully smooth, but it does suffer from a degree of turbo lag.

Being based on a modified version of the D7u monocoque architecture that sits under the latest Discovery (as well as the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport) gives the Defender a handy head-start in the off-road capabilities department, with a basic mechanical competence that would be formidable by itself.

However, for the Defender, Land Rover has beefed up the D7u platform and renamed it D7x, with special steel subframes, stronger suspension components and multiple uprated driveline parts.

Fake plastic treadplate inserts in the bonnet are naff, but do serve a purpose...

With double-wishbone suspension up front and integral-link rear, the 110 get the cross-linked, height-adjustable air springs as standard in New Zealand, while steel coils are available in other markets.

The mechanical package is rounded out by permanent all-wheel drive, a two-speed transfer case and locking centre and rear differentials.

While the Disco already has impressive approach and departure angles of 34 degrees and 30 degrees respectively, the Defender ups the ante with its remarkably short front and rear overhangs to clock in at 38 degrees and 40 degrees.

Add in an updated version of Land Rover’s Terrain Response system and you have something that feels utterly unstoppable off-road and, most remarkably of all, is also remarkably refined and comfortable while doing it.

Off-road, the Defender approaches even the gnarliest of obstacles in a manner that is very reminiscent of the new Jeep Wrangler. And that is high praise indeed.

Alright, should’ve expected that really. What about on-road then?

This is where the new Defender really puts the boot into the old one (just to keep the laboured footwear motif going) as well as that aforementioned Jeep Wrangler – not only does it make the whole off-road thing utterly effortless, it brings a similar effortless refined arrogance to its on-road performance as well.

The old Defender was – and let’s be brutally honest here – utterly crap on the road. Harsh, uncomfortable and cramped, there was literally nothing pleasant about driving it on the road and it was only the lingering knowledge of its prodigious off-road capability that gave you any sense of satisfaction when behind the wheel.

The new 110 is a thoroughly superb thing on the road, however.

It feels tighter and firmer than a Discovery, but is ridiculously comfortable, with a deeply impressive ride that absorbs even the worst that New Zealand roads can throw at it with a total lack of drama.

This extends to its handling abilities as well, with tighter chassis control and less body roll than a Disco, feeling more in line with a Range Rover Sport through the corners. The front end responds predictable to mid-corner adjustments, while the rear tracks faithfully through and feels confidently planted at all times.

The Steering is light, but perfectly weighted and impressively accurate and responsive, with a surprising degree of communication as well.

So there’s nothing wrong with it then?

I didn’t say that. But most of it is pretty damn excellent.

However, there are niggles, some of them bigger than others. Irritatingly, there are no grab handles on the A-pillars – there are some integrated into the very cool dash, but they are too low for effective leverage when hauling yourself into the Defender at its normal height.

The transmission, while generally slick and excellent, can be clunky and abrupt when you catch it off guard, like when you have to come off the throttle quickly when it has just kicked down.

And while the diesel engine in the SE D240 is wonderfully smooth and excellent off-road, the slow roll on of power and turbo lag at part throttle (that are actually advantageous off-road, giving a more gradual delivery of power) combine badly with the slow and often flaky stop/start system to hamper low down response from a standing start.

While the Defender is good value for money in its basic guises, things start adding up quickly when you start adding options.

Oh, and while it looks awesome in general, those fake black plastic treadplate inserts on the bonnet are a bit naff…

Any other cars I should consider?

There really isn’t another SUV on the market that is like the Defender.

Will it steal sales from the Discovery? Yep, probably, but then it will also attract back former Disco buyers who didn’t appreciate the latest models move upmarket and divisive styling.

Probably the only thing in the market close to the Defender’s retro-cool-yet-super-modern approach is the Mercedes-Benz G Wagen, but seeing as it only comes to New Zealand in $275,000 AMG 63 form, it really isn’t a competitor.

In fact BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi don’t offer a large 5 or 7-seat diesel SUV for anywhere near the SE’s $114,900 (the 7-seat option adds $4,550), with the closest diesel-powered competitor being the excellent but ageing Volvo XC90 ($104,900 to $112,900 for the diesel models).

Appropriately enough, the closest thing to a direct competitor the D240 has is the Toyota Land Cruiser 200 VX at $115,990. While its mighty 200kW/650Nm diesel V8 out-muscles the SE D240 and it has equally impressive off-road chops, it doesn’t have anywhere near the levels of quality, refinement or sheer character of the Defender.