2020 Land Rover Defender Review

　　

2020 Land Rover Defender Review

byMark TakahashiCorrespondent

　　Mark Takahashi has worked in the automotive industry since 2001. He has written thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Mark has also contributed to Motor Trend, Auto Aficionado, Chevy High Performance and several motorcycle magazines in various roles. Mark is also a juror on the North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year Awards and can be seen regularly on the zzdcar YouTube channel and sometimes representing the company in media interviews.

　　The Land Rover Defender has been cast as forbidden fruit for a lot of off-road enthusiasts. There was a brief moment in the 1990s when Land Rover officially sold them in the U.S., but crash test standards quickly put an end to importation. Either despite — or because of — its rarity, the Defender has enjoyed cult-like status here. Now it's been reborn with the arrival of the 2020 Defender. But will the faithful like this kinder, gentler Defender?

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2020 Land Rover Defender 110 P300 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.78 per gallon for premium unleaded in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$257/mo  for Defender 110 P300

　　Defender 110 P300

　　110 P300 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) - $49,900 MSRP110 P300 S 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) - $53,350 MSRP110 P400 SE 4dr SUV AWD (3.0L 6cyl Twincharger gas/electric mild hybrid 8A) - $62,250 MSRP90 P400 First Edition 2dr SUV AWD (3.0L 6cyl Twincharger gas/electric mild hybrid 8A) - $65,100 MSRP110 P400 HSE 4dr SUV AWD (3.0L 6cyl Twincharger gas/electric mild hybrid 8A) (Most Popular) - $68,350 MSRP110 P400 First Edition 4dr SUV AWD (3.0L 6cyl Twincharger gas/electric mild hybrid 8A) - $68,650 MSRP110 P400 X 4dr SUV AWD (3.0L 6cyl Twincharger gas/electric mild hybrid 8A) - $80,900 MSRP

　　vs

　　$229/mo

　　Avg. Large SUV

　　Underpinned by a new chassis, the 2020 Defender is meant to compete in the new world of rugged but luxurious SUVs. The styling is more rounded and smoothed over and is missing some of the brawny, no-nonsense utilitarian looks of its forebear. But short overhangs and an impressive maximum ground clearance of 11.5 inches hints at the Defender's off-road capability. The new Defender is initially available as a four-door, and a two-door model will be available for the 2021 model year.

　　The midsize luxury SUV class is full of strong offerings from Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz. Many of these models offer packages to enhance off-road capability, but the new Land Rover Defender looks to be unmatched in this regard. Its modern technology and ample luxury should also satisfy. We think this newest incarnation of an icon is worth a look.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Good

　　7.9

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

8.0/10

　　How does the Defender drive? Strong off-road capability typically comes at the expense of on-road handling and steering precision. But that isn't the case here. The Defender 110 drives just like a luxury SUV should, and its transmission provides smooth and often imperceptible gear changes. The brakes are easy to control for smooth stops around town.

　　As for acceleration, we clocked a 0-60 mph sprint of 6.7 seconds for our V6-equipped Defender test vehicle. That's plenty quick for an off-road-oriented SUV. Still, with 395 hp, you might expect a little more. Weight might be a culprit; our test Defender weighed a portly 5,571 pounds.

　　

Comfort

8.0/10

　　How comfortable is the Defender? The Defender travels down the road with the refinement you'd expect of a luxury-priced Land Rover. The interior remains quiet and free from road vibrations, even when the Defender's riding on the optional 20-inch wheels and all-terrain tires. In terms of ride quality, our test vehicle was on the firm side when going over bumps and road imperfections, but it was likely the result of those wheels (18-inch wheels are standard).

　　The driver's seat provides a wide range of adjustment. Heating and ventilation are optional. The climate system is able to maintain a comfortable temperature, though you might need to fiddle with the vents to get the airflow you want.

　　

Interior

8.0/10

　　How’s the interior? The four-door Defender's massive second row and tall roof give the cabin a very roomy feel. Head-, legroom and shoulder room are plentiful, though the steering column can get in the way of some drivers' knees on entry. The height-adjusting air suspension, numerous grab handles and large doors make access easy.

　　A few interior controls have steep learning curves. The climate control dials, for example, double as drive mode selectors and seat heating/ventilation adjustment. Large windows and appropriately sized mirrors make outward visibility a non-issue. On the downside, the leather, fabric and other materials in our test SUV showed early signs of wear, including stains and scuffs.

　　

Technology

8.0/10

　　How’s the tech? The wide entertainment touchscreen and available digital gauge cluster are attractive and generally respond quickly to inputs. The native voice command system was a bit hit-or-miss in our tests. We had no difficulty changing stereo stations using natural language, but it couldn't decipher basic navigation requests. Fortunately you can use your phone's voice controls on Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, which are standard. Numerous connectivity options include wireless charging and multiple USB ports.

　　As for driving aids, the surround-view camera system helps both in parking lots and going off-road, and it provides a comprehensive view of whatever obstacle you're approaching. Adaptive cruise control is pleasant as well and makes appropriate speed corrections smoothly.

　　

Storage

8.0/10

　　How’s the storage? The four-door Defender has a generous amount of storage space, both with the rear seats up or lowered for maximum capacity. The rear seats are heavy, and it can take some oomph to push them back in place.

　　With the air suspension, you can also lower the Defender's ride height from the cargo area, which makes loading easier. Unlike like most SUVs, the Defender has a swing-out tailgate instead of a liftgate. It swings out toward the curb, which not everyone will like because it can impede access. It's also heavy because of the mounted spare tire.

　　Inside, the Defender has long shelves for the front seats and multilevel storage by the center console. There are numerous places to store small items, but none large enough to hold a medium handbag. The sheer size of the second row makes car seat installation easy, as does the obvious location of the attachment points. An available tow package allows the Defender to tow 8,200 pounds. But it doesn't include a trailer brake controller, which you'll want to help control and adjust a heavy trailer's brakes.

　　

Fuel Economy

8.0/10

　　How’s the fuel economy? The Defender 110 equipped with the 3.0-liter turbo six-cylinder is rated by the EPA at 19 mpg combined (17 city/22 highway mpg). That's higher than most off-road-oriented SUVs such as the Toyota Land Cruiser and 4Runner, as well as the pricier Mercedes-Benz G-Class. The Jeep Wrangler advertises higher figures with most of its engines.

　　

Value

7.0/10

　　Is the Defender a good value? The Defender has a comfortable entry price at around $50,000. When optioned sensibly, it marries off-road capability and on-road refinement in a way that justifies paying the premium for it over, say, the Jeep Wrangler or Toyota 4Runner. Even equipped with a fair number of options, it costs less than the Toyota Land Cruiser.

　　On the downside, our test vehicle had multiple misaligned body panels and a few interior rattles. The interior materials didn't quite seem to reflect the $72,000 as-tested price — they were already showing signs of wear, markings and stains. Our test vehicle was an early build version that was undoubtedly used hard, but hard use is what a Defender should be built to withstand.

　　

Wildcard

8.0/10

　　Personality is important to the Defender, and the new one gets the important parts of the classic Defender's proportions right. It looks cool from most angles, but we still think the front end looks a bit soft, and the optional plastic bits on the hood that are styled to look like diamond-plated metal elicit plenty of chuckles. We wish it looked a bit tougher.

　　The Defender drives with refinement and dignity whether you're on- or off-road. While the level of electronic control is nifty, we find it more satisfying to manually engage diff locks and low range with physical buttons and levers, but it's hard to argue with the seamlessness of the Defender's approach.

　　

Which Defender does zzdcar recommend?

Land Rover is rolling out the Defender slowly, starting with the Defender 110. The SE trim level is likely a good way to go since it comes with the more powerful six-cylinder engine and a useful collection of features. This midlevel trim is also highly customizable if you want to add even more features.

　　

2020 Land Rover Defender models

The 2020 Land Rover Defender is offered in six trim levels: base, S, SE, HSE, First Edition and X. Land Rover initially said both the four-door Defender 110 and two-door Defender 90 would be available. However, a pandemic-related delay pushed the Defender 90's debut to the 2021 model year. All 2020 Defenders are the 110.

　　Five-passenger seating is standard. An available jump seat that fits between the two front seats boosts capacity to six passengers. The Defender 110 can also be had with a two-person third-row seat, but it cannot be combined with the jump seat.

　　Power comes from either a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine (296 horsepower, 295 lb-ft) or a turbocharged 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine (395 hp, 406 lb-ft of torque) with mild hybrid capability. All Defenders come standard with an eight-speed automatic transmission, a two-speed transfer case and all-wheel drive.

　　Base

　　Standard feature highlights include:

　　Adjustable air suspension (can raise or lower the Defender's ride height) 18-inch steel wheels LED headlights Cloth seating with leather-wrapped steering wheel Power-adjustable front seats 10-inch touchscreen Six-speaker sound system Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integrationAll Defenders also come with

　　Forward collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios) Lane keeping system (makes minor steering corrections to help keep the vehicle centered in its lane) Blind-spot monitor (alerts you if a vehicle in the next lane over is in your blind spot) 360-degree camera system (gives you a top-down view of the Defender and its surroundings for parking or off-roading situations)S

　　Similar to the base but has:

　　19-inch wheels Leather and cloth upholstery Upgraded power-adjustable front seatsSE

　　Adds on to the S with:

　　V6 engine 20-inch wheels Power-adjustable steering column Premium sound system Digital rearview mirror (allows you to see out the back even with a fully loaded cargo area)First Edition

　　This limited-production trim is equipped similar to the SE but has:

　　Special paint and trim All-terrain tires Special off-road driving modes Torque-vectoring differential that can maximize available traction Heated front-row seats and heated steering wheel Refrigerator compartment in front center console HSE

　　Compared to the SE, the HSE adds:

　　Panoramic sunroof Heated and ventilated front seats Premium leather upholstery Adaptive cruise control (adjusts speed to maintain a constant distance between the Defender and the car in front)X

　　This top-of-the-line trim offers special styling and paint details. It also comes with just about everything that's otherwise optional on the lower trim levels, including:

　　Special off-road driving modes Torque-vectoring differential that can maximize available traction All-terrain tires Heated second-row seats Head-up display Upgraded 15-speaker sound system A variety of accessory packs are also available and include features such as wheel arch flares, a spare tire cover, a roof rack and even an integrated air compressor.

　　

2020 Defender Highlights

Trim: 110 P300110 P300 S110 P400 SE90 P400 First Edition110 P400 HSE110 P400 First Edition110 P400 X110 P300

　　

Base MSRP	$49,900
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	18 MPG
Cost to Drive	$257/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	34.0 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	all wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles