For folks with a penchant for brutal off-roading, crunching rocks, straddling ravines, fording rivers, two brands consistently pop into one’s mind, Land Rover and Jeep.
Oh, there are others that qualify, it’s just that Jeep and Land Rover were the early adopters, the early experts of crushing it in the savannah, mud flats, swamps, and outback that qualifies as serious off-roading terrain.
Certainly, if one wants to bound about in luxury and still ford 35 inches of water Land Rover’s Defender seems a logical choice. Plus, there’s the panache of the Rover name and the notoriety of its boxy exterior. Sorry Mercedes G Wagon, but Rover got to the party before you.
So, this week’s test of a Santorini Black (sparkly black and $950 extra) Rover Defender 110 S was one that allowed for splashing around a bit, but mainly tooling down I-94 to Chicago and back in a leather-clad interior with enough grab handles to satisfy any off-road rally competitor. Even the dash is designed with a crevice-like shelf that one could grasp easily in an emergency. Just sayin’.
The Defender really is a nice mix of tough off-road capability merged with luxury and more than a wee bit of style.
The 110 S is the entry-level four-door model, the Defender 90 being a two-door and the Defender 130 being a three-row four-door SUV.
The base S with a 296-horsepower 4-cylinder turbo engine lists at $62,075, what is now low-end luxury. But this black beauty was equipped with a turbo and supercharged 3.0-liter six-cylinder creating 396 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque. There’s also a mild 48-volt hybrid system to aid on startup and mildly improve fuel economy. Starting price here was $68,475.
This is a strong engine and coupled with a smooth-shifting 8-speed automatic transmission delivers smooth linear power. There’s a feeling of strength and confidence and some pretty fair giddy up when powering up to highway speeds. This tall SUV will tow a bit, more than 7,700 pounds too.
Handling is quick and easy with some top-heavy feel, but even in a strong wind there was only a little buffeting, no tippy feel.
Amazing to me was the ride quality. On the highway, this felt as calm and composed as any luxury truck costing even more. Plus, the interior was quiet, no road rumble or echo like you get in some big boxy vehicles, especially minivans.
This Defender S added an overwhelming 20 options, but a few aided its ride and handling, such as the $1,550 Off-Road Pack including off-road tires (usually noisy but not so much here), a bevy of domestic plug sockets inside, and electronic active differential to help when off-roading, naturally.
A $750 Advanced Off-Road Capability Pack upgrades the electronic terrain features with All-Terrain Progress Control, Terrain Response 2, and Configurable Terrain Response. Much of this is adjusted through the small touchscreen mid-dash, so not as quick and easy as console dials, but still a help if off-roading.
There was even an Air Suspension Pack for $1,800 that adds an adaptive air suspension system. That can aid when rock-crawling, or when pounding down a crumbling Midwest freeway.
Along with the off-roading traction from the 4-wheel-drive system is a full 8.9-inches of ground clearance. Rover also is noted for designing its body work and suspensions for good approach and departure angles as to not snag the nose or tail when crawling on uneven terrain.
One of the biggest pluses for any Land Rover though is the retro styling that remains with its round lights and squared off bodywork. Yet still this looks modern and fresh. I love the dual skylight style windows over the second row and cargo area to let light in, even if you keep the giant panoramic sunroof’s power shade closed.
And it wouldn’t be a Rover without the exposed rivet look of the door panels, or the rear-opening back hatch, really a fifth door with a giant off-road tire hanging on the heavy hinged tailgate. That partially blocks the rear view, but you do get used to it, plus there’s the 360-camera to help when backing up.
Front seats are heated/cooled and all are perforated grained leather, black here, so easy to sponge off dirt. The seats were all comfy on my highway drive and there’s plenty of cargo space, 34 cubic feet when the rear seats are up and 78.8 when they are down. Another plus, all the floor and cargo mats are heavy rubber for easy cleaning after off-road duty.
The dash is simple and utilitarian with a trough across its width that can be used for phone storage or gripping as you trundle down a steep incline. Gray grab handles are at its edges.
The touchscreen is small by industry standards. Rover says 10 inches, but it seemed smaller. Also, adjusting the radio stations is clumsy, becoming easier once you’ve got your favorites dialed in. Oddly, it doesn’t tell what song or artist is playing which is something most digital systems do now. Also, one day the screen was blank for two separate drives, but it came back to life for the rest of my daily romps.
Other benefits include a 400-watt Meridian sound system with a volume roller control on the steering wheel hub, a heated steering wheel, rain-sensing wipers and a rear wiper. There’s also a heated 40-20-40 split rear seat ($950 extra) to extend the cargo area, roof rails, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Annoyances were fewer than I’ve had on many past Rovers. Here the power adjustable steering wheel simply wouldn’t come down as far as I’d like so my arms could be more comfortable. Also getting to the off-road settings is awkward on the touchscreen. There’s also a bit of a tall step-up height. Short folks will notice.
Even gas mileage was better than expected in the Nitra, Slovakia-built Defender. I got 19.7 mpg while the EPA rates this at 17 mpg city and 20 mph highway. More than half my miles were on the freeway.
To keep this a bit more affordable a buyer would be wise not to tack 20 options on as that raised the out-the-door price to $82,053. There are four more Defender 110 models above this, including two V8-powered versions with 493 and 518 horsepower. Those go for about $118,000 to $120 grand.
I’d definitely add the $500 Cold Climate package with heated windshield, heated washer jets and power light washers, all needed in Wisconsin.
If you have the cash, the $1,200 20-inch Style 9013 gloss white wheels gave the test truck a sporty Hot Wheels look that made it stand out on the road and in parking lots. And for $600, the County exterior pack adds retro side stripe graphics and the cool contrasting roof and unique wheels. This one said the Tasman Blue (blue-gray) roof cost $1,000 extra so guess that color is a premium and also bathed the tailgate. Stylish!
But that’s the thing, Land Rover appeals to a person’s stylistic senses, both for luxury and retro fun. Cost is high, but not as high as a G-wagon for instance. Yet the competition from more refined looking vehicles is steep. The recently tested BMW X5 is one, but costs more, yet offers more power that this test model. The Genesis GV80 is another at a good price point though.
Others to consider would be a Lexus GX, Ford Bronco or, naturally, a decked-out Jeep Wrangler Unlimited!
Fast Stats: 2024 Land Rover Defender 110 S
Hits: Strong power, good ride, retro looks, off-roading ability in spades, easy handling. Panoramic sunroof, overhead rear skylight window, heated/cooled seats, radio volume roller on wheel, Meridian sound system, heated steering wheel, rubber mats throughout, a lot of grab handles.
Misses: Rear hatch opens out like door, tire on door makes it heavy and partially blocks rear view, small clumsy touchscreen, steering wheel won’t power down quite far enough, awkward screen access to off-road settings and fairly high step-up height. Some top-heaviness in turns.
Made in: Nitra, Slovakia
Engine: 3.0-liter turbo/supercharged 6-cylinder w/48v hybrid, 395 hp/406 torque
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Weight: 4,815 lbs.
Wheelbase: 119 in.
Length: 197.5 in.
Ground clearance: 8.9 in.
Cargo: 34-78.8 cu.ft.
Tow: 7,716 lbs.
MPG: 17/20
MPG: 19.7 (tested)
Base Price: $68,475 (includes delivery)
Invoice: $66,659
Major Options:
Cold Climate pkg. (heated windshield, heated washer jets, power headlight wash), $500
Advanced Off-Road pkg. (all-terrain progress control, Terrain Response 2, configurable terrain response), $750
Off-Road pkg. (electronic active differential, domestic plug sockets, off-road tires), $1,550
Air Suspension pkg. (electronic air suspension, adaptive dynamics), $1,600
Santorini Black paint, $950
40-20-40 folding, heated rear seats w/central armrest, $950
ClearSight interior rearview mirror, $570
Ebony Morzine headliner, $400
20-inch full-size spare wheel, $100
Air quality sensor, $100
Emergency pack, $75
20-inch style 9013, gloss white wheels, $1,200
Tasman blue contrast roof, $1,000
Premium interior protection and storage pkg., $1,000
Robustic veneer, $600
County exterior pack, $600
Three-zone climate control, $400
Cabin air purification, $375
Wheel protection pack, $230
Handover pack, $28
Test vehicle: $82,053
Sources: Land Rover, www.kbb.com
