By Paul Gover.
The born-again Land Rover Defender is already a huge hit in Australia.
Reviving the spirit of the tough-as-teak original, but with Range Rover-style comfort, the 21st century ‘Landie’ is selling big in suburbs where owners will never tackle anything tougher than their driveway.
Now comes the Defender 90, the short-wheelbase model that really will do conquer anything you can throw it into.
It even comes with no-nonsense steel wheels, although they are optional …
The Defender 90 that arrives for testing has the shiny white steels, as well as the very latest six-cylinder diesel from the Jaguar Land Rover Defender.
Sadly, it is also loaded with all sorts of options – sunroof, painted highlights in the cabin, air ionisation and so much more – that means the starting price of $90,326 has blown out all the way to $108,388.
And that’s a lot of money …
I do like the front bench seat, which means it can be a practical six-seater, but I could live without the rest.
That’s because the basics of the two-door Defender tick the boxes for someone who wants a practical workhorse that can also be dressy for a special occasion or a trip to town.
It will wade through water up to 850 millimetres deep, can tow up to 3.5 tonnes, will deliver fuel economy as good as 7.9 litres/100km, and comes with a 5-year/unlimited kilometre warranty.
The ’shorty’ is officially the Defender 90, a history name based on inches in the wheelbase, and comes after the four-door 110 which was one of my favourite cars of 2020.
This one is same-same but slightly different, mostly in the suspension feel and the almost total absence of a boot. There is a nook inside the rear door, but carrying anything more substantial than the weekly shopping will mean folding the rear seats flat.
The 90 has a little more pitch over suburban humps and bumps, where the 110 has a longer chassis that doesn’t pivot as much if the front end hits a dip, and it’s also a little more tipsy in corners. It’s nothing to worry about, and the Defender always feels more composed and complaint than cheaper four-wheel drives, but it is something you notice after a 110 or a Nissan Patrol.
The new diesel engine, a twin-turbo inline six, is brilliant. It’s so quiet and refined when idling that a good friend tried to start it when it was already running …
The performance is great, and 570 Newton-metres of torque means there will be no drama when towing, and the combination with an eight-speed automatic means it’s always eager.
The off-road ability of the shorty is beyond question, with great ground clearance and Land Rover’s latest computer-controlled off-road programming. You will give up long before it quits.
But most Defenders will spend most of their time in the city, even if the 90 is for people who really ’need’ a four-wheel drive, and that’s where you appreciate the quietness in the cabin, the plush ride and the space.
Mind you, access to the rear seat is not easy, even if the shorty has long doors.
There is a lot to like and even love in the new Defender, as the 110 is more like a Range Rover than anything Land Rover has built in the past.
The shorty has a few quirks but it’s a great thing and will continue to top a lot of shopping lists in Australia.
THE BASICS
Land Rover Defender
Price: from $90,326
Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo diesel
Power: 183kW/570Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto, four-wheel drive
Position: solid four-wheel drive
Plus: capability with comfort
Minus: awful boot, rear-seat access, price
THE TICK: a definite yes
Score: 8.5/10
