2021 Land Rover Defender Review

　　

2021 Land Rover Defender Review

byReese CountsVehicle Test Editor

　　Reese Counts has worked in the automotive industry since he started as an intern at zzdcar in 2015. He has written or edited thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Reese is a vehicle test editor at zzdcar and has also contributed to Autoblog. Reese has also been featured on Yahoo! Finance, Engadget and AOL reviewing cars and covering automotive technology, auto shows and more. Reese learned to drive in his father's C4 Chevrolet Corvette and now owns his grandfather's 1999 Mercedes-Benz C43 AMG. A love for cars runs deep in his family.

　　The Land Rover Defender returned last year to revive one of the biggest SUV icons in automotive history. While there's still a bit of a throwback feel with the design, the new Defender is a much more modern and comfortable vehicle than its forebearer. It still has plenty of off-road capability, however. For 2021, the new two-door Defender 90 — delayed from 2020 due to the pandemic — joins the lineup.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2021 Land Rover Defender 90 P300 2dr 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

　　$244/mo  for Defender 90 P300

　　Defender 90 P300

　　90 P300 2dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) - $46,100 MSRP90 P300 S 2dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) - $49,400 MSRP110 P300 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) - $50,500 MSRP110 P300 S 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) (Most Popular) - $53,800 MSRP90 P400 X-Dynamic S 2dr SUV AWD (3.0L 6cyl Twincharger gas/electric mild hybrid 8A) - $57,800 MSRP110 P400 SE 4dr SUV AWD (3.0L 6cyl Twincharger gas/electric mild hybrid 8A) - $62,700 MSRP90 P400 First Edition 2dr SUV AWD (3.0L 6cyl Twincharger gas/electric mild hybrid 8A) - $64,100 MSRP110 P400 X-Dynamic SE 4dr SUV AWD (3.0L 6cyl Twincharger gas/electric mild hybrid 8A) - $65,500 MSRP110 P400 X-Dynamic HSE 4dr SUV AWD (3.0L 6cyl Twincharger gas/electric mild hybrid 8A) - $71,600 MSRP90 P400 X 2dr SUV AWD (3.0L 6cyl Twincharger gas/electric mild hybrid 8A) - $80,500 MSRP110 P400 X 4dr SUV AWD (3.0L 6cyl Twincharger gas/electric mild hybrid 8A) - $83,000 MSRP

　　vs

　　$183/mo

　　Avg. Midsize SUV

　　Few automakers have come out with an SUV that can match the Defender's distinctive combination of capability, size and luxury. The Jeep Wrangler could be an option; it has evolved over the decades from a workhorse to a vehicle capable of carrying a family in relative comfort, all without giving up any off-road capabilities. There's also the Mercedes-Benz G-Class. It's another premium off-roader, but the G-Class is much pricier. Oddly enough, Land Rover's Discovery does much of the same stuff as the Defender, albeit more subtly. So is the 2021 Defender the best fit for you? Check out our Expert Rating below to help you decide.

　　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

　　7.8

　　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 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 the Defender 110 and 6.2 seconds for the Defender 90 when equipped with the inline six-cylinder engine. 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 Defenders weighed in at a portly 5,207 and 5,571 pounds for the two-door 90 and four-door 110, respectively.

　　

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 relatively free from road vibrations even when 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 larger, heavier 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 dial in a slightly lower target temperature and fiddle with the vents to get the airflow you want.

　　

Interior

8.0/10

　　How’s the interior? The Defender's massive second row and tall roof give the cabin a very roomy feel. It's worth noting that passenger space remains the same whether you choose the 110 or the 90. Headroom, legroom and shoulder room are plentiful, though the steering column can get in the way of some drivers' knees when they get in. We'd recommend against the front center jump seat since its usefulness is minimal and it removes a good amount of otherwise convenient storage.

　　The height-adjusting air suspension, numerous grab handles and large doors make access easy in the 110, but climbing into the back of the two-door 90 will be a chore for most.

　　A few interior controls have steep learning curves. The climate control dials, for example, double as drive mode selectors and seat heating/ventilation adjustment. If they were touchscreen controls, they'd be a lot simpler and more intuitive. Large windows and appropriately sized mirrors make outward visibility a non-issue, and the cabin is far quieter than we'd expect of any off-road vehicle.

　　

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 smartphone'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

7.5/10

　　How’s the storage? The four-door Defender has a generous amount of storage space (34 cubic feet), 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. That all changes if you opt for the shorter 90. Cargo capacity is cut by more than half, and folding the rear seatbacks is a huge hassle because it requires you remove the bottom seat cushion. If you need to carry cargo, don't get the 90.

　　When the Defender is equipped with the air suspension, you can lower the ride height from the cargo area to make loading heavy objects a little 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 due to 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-size handbag. The sheer size of the second row makes car seat installation easy with the 110, but you'll struggle to get a seat by the front pass-through with the 90. Once back there, however, the access to of the attachment points is decent.

　　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? Both the Defender 110 and 90 equipped with the 3.0-liter turbo six-cylinder get an EPA-estimated 19 mpg combined (17 city/22 highway). 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. Still, it's hard to argue with the seamlessness of the Defender's approach.

　　

Which Defender does zzdcar recommend?

We suggest going with the Defender 110 SE. You get the more powerful six-cylinder engine than the base Defender as well as an appealing mix of features. As a midtier trim, you can also customize it with a few extra features without paying for the full-boat X-Dynamic HSE or X.

　　

2021 Land Rover Defender models

The 2021 Defender is available in two body styles: the two-door Land Rover Defender 90 and four-door Land Rover Defender 110. There are a variety of trim levels depending what basic model you choose. The Defender 90 is available in base, S, X-Dynamic S, First Edition and X. The Defender 110 is offered in base, S, SE, X-Dynamic SE, X-Dynamic HSE and X.

　　Power comes from one of two engines:

　　P300: turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine (296 horsepower, 295 lb-ft of torque) P400: turbocharged 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine (395 hp, 406 lb-ft) All Defenders come standard with an eight-speed automatic transmission, a two-speed transfer case (with low-range gearing) and all-wheel drive.

　　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.

　　Base

　　Standard feature highlights include:

　　Adjustable air suspension (can raise or lower the Defender's ride height; standard on Defender 110 and optional on the 90) 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 integration All 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 monitoring (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 seats X-Dynamic S (Defender 90 only)

　　The X-Dynamic package is new for 2021, adding some of the top-level X's looks without the added cost that comes along with its list of features. All X-Dynamic models come with:

　　Six-cylinder engine Silver and gloss black exterior trim Dark-painted wheels Illuminated scuff plates Black headliner Two-tone seats SE (Defender 110 only)

　　Adds on to the S with:

　　Six-cylinder engine 20-inch wheels Driver's seat memory settings 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 (Defender 90 only)

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

　　Special paint and trim All-terrain tires Folding fabric roof 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 X-Dynamic SE (Defender 110 only)

　　Adds the features of the Defender 90 X-Dynamic S package on top of 110 SE's features.

　　X-Dynamic HSE (Defender 110 only)

　　Compared to the X-Dynamic SE, the HSE version 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 Other significant options for the Defender include:

　　Towing Pack (extra off-road drive modes, tow hitch, electronic towing assist) Family Pack (third-row seat, three-zone climate control) Front jump seat 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.

　　

2021 Defender Highlights

Trim: 90 P30090 P300 S110 P300110 P300 S90 P400 X-Dynamic S110 P400 SE90 P400 First Edition110 P400 X-Dynamic SE110 P400 X-Dynamic HSE90 P400 X110 P400 X90 P300

　　

Base MSRP	$46,100
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	19 MPG
Cost to Drive	$244/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	15.6 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	all wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles