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2024 Land Rover Defender V8: Review, Specs & Price –The new Defender will look completely different from Land Rover’s old heads. Except for a couple of exterior style features like the round DRLs and tail light stacks as well as the toaster oven-like shape of the vehicle, this contemporary Defender has a distinct style from the original model. It’s a frizzy English farmer on wheels. What do we think of this leather-bound version of the Defender tale? It’s not a question of critique, but more of an inquiry.
The economics of ad-hoc SUVs seem to be a possibility; sloppy farming trucks can’t make a profit in the present (only those like the Mahindra Roxor offer truly no-frills transportation to those in the agriculture industry). The most lucrative market is the premium SUV segment and it gave Land Rover a tall task. In order to meet the demands set for any vehicle sporting a Defender badge, they’ll have to redesign their robust iconic, sturdy, and reliable symbol and have enough off-road capabilities to remain recognizable, and in the style and comfort customers would anticipate from the Land Rover badge.
Review
The first glimpse of the $100k+ Defender 90 brings 22-inch satin gray wheels, darkened rear lights, an air suspension featuring adaptive dynamics, four outlets for exhaust at the rear, and an electronic dynamic rear differential brake calipers in black with V8 badges on the exterior new 18-way adjustable power seats, leather-covered surfaces that extend and a leather-covered steering wheel with a digital rearview mirror as well as a refrigerator for the console and 3-zone climate control with monitors for air quality, as well as the head-up display. The 110 and 130 versions include 14-way power-adjustable seats, while the 130 variant is powered by the smaller P500 V8 engine.
This model comes with a stronger P525 eight-cylinder engine that is available with two models: the Defender 90, and the 110 and the Defender 130 gets the powerful 493-hp P500 engine. There are also plenty of luxurious features as well as towing options. This trim comes with Carpathian Edition, which is the Carpathian Edition that comes with distinct exterior styling accents. Other V8 options include:
- 22-inch wheels
- Dark exterior accents
- Tow hitch receiver
- Automatic steering system for turning using a trailer
- Automated climate control for tri-zones (four-zone at 130)
- A key to waterproof activity is waterproof
- A faux suede-wrapped steering handle and inserts for upholstery
- Heated windshield
- Thermo-heated jets for washing
- Washers for headlights
- Front console with refrigerator
- 110-volt AC outlet
- 15-speaker Meridian audio system
Numerous options (including the all-terrain tire, mud flaps Scuff plates as well as a side-mounted carrier for gear as well as an air compressor integrated) are included on the supporting trims that are part of bigger option packs.
The cabin’s stunning views are hampered due to the Defender’s tall but narrow side mirrors that don’t provide the best perspective for changing lanes. If you look up to see if the truck is in a blind spot, instead you’ll be looking straight into a solid piece of glass that’s located on the next row of windows for passengers. The panel could serve as the home for various off-road accessories, including an anchor to support a roof ladder, an area to place an oil canister, or any other items for storage, but during driving, the panel can be the biggest risk. The only way to avoid it is to travel to the point where you’re never likely to come across people in your blind spots.
You can also rely on the rearview mirror in the Defender which can function like a regular mirror or reflect the view taken by the rear of a camera. I’ve had difficulty adapting to mirrors with digital technology previously and this is no different. Your brain is programmed to view a rearview mirror as if it’s functioning as a mirror. The lens on this camera, however, has been designed to be more like a fisheye shape that shows much more of the periphery than what a regular rearview mirror can permit. If you are able to trust that image, the insufficient data coming from side mirrors as well as blind spot inspections becomes a thing of the past.
These visibility features aside from the fact that regardless, the Defender was a nifty traveling partner. One R&T staff member complained that Defender’s interface was slow to run; I didn’t have issues with this, even though I did have Apple CarPlay in use (almost) throughout the trip similar to my personal cars. The digital dashboard in the vehicle is designed to be aesthetically pleasing. The HVAC controls are incredibly easy to use, featuring a couple of knobs to adjust the temperature and cool cooling seats easily. The car comes with a variety of physical buttons to control most features of the car (plus the volume knob to control the radio, which I appreciate very much for that). The interior of the Defender is simple and effective, with no recourse to trickery or only a single touchscreen and hundreds of menus that aren’t designed to activate the heated seats. What else could be more appealing on the market today?
The Defender has proven its worth in the course of its use, too. Its large cargo space is accessible via a massive moving door. The door is supported by struts and is as heavy as hell, giving an appearance of a bank vault sensation (be aware that if smaller it will require a serious shoulder in order to open and close this door).
There’s space in the rear hatch to accommodate a road bike and a 7-foot Christmas tree (the tree was in the farthest backward part of the hold for cargo to my elbow, which was resting on the central armrest however, it was still just enough room) when you fold back the back seats. There’s enough baggage to allow an entire week of travel with two people. In the beginning, we required space to accommodate a third person, together with all her belongings. We managed to fit only one section of the 20/40/20 rear folding seats in the back, which made space for three people as well as the bicycle and tree as well as three luggage sets along with plenty of Turkey Day leftovers. If I’d had packed more efficiently and had a better plan, the Defender could have held more.
Engine
The majority of it is due to the music. This Defender’s 5.0-liter supercharged V-8 has 518 horsepower and 461 pounds. It is an 8-speed auto that is seamless. The majority of rivals who are in the “hot-SUV” segment have more power, are able to brake faster, and generate greater lateral g’s on every point, but no one sounds better than the Defender.
The exhaust note of the 110 V-8 is heavily influenced by its American Muscle playbook, burbly and steady in idle. widening its lung capacity with high-pitched roars in the mid-range of the engine, yet not sounding overly strained or unappreciated. The voice adds a feeling of security to your journey. It doesn’t seem to be heard by the supercharger too much.
Utilizing the power of all those motors can be a challenge. I found the control of the throttle was a little confusing. It’s unwilling to get the vehicle moving at a reasonable pace for the initial couple of inches of pedal movement. It is compensated by pressing the pedal further (at this moment, you’re trying to get away from a stop sign to merge with a road that’s 40 mph and traffic is rushing towards your vehicle) and then wait you’ll see the torque arrive with a roar that propels your vehicle away from the junction.
In the course of a week within the Defender I got better at obtaining the kind of smooth, steady acceleration I’d expect from an extremely powerful V-8, however, it was more delicate than I expected, an intricate dance in which you push enough pedals to lift the Defender away from the lines and then you pull your foot away from the abrupt surge of force. It caused more than an occasional fright when trying to get away from stops fast and easily.
The brakes are also difficult to use, delivering lower braking power than what I requested the pedal to provide upfront, and then the pedal would quickly clamp once a portion of the pedal’s movement was used up. When I was in stop-and-go traffic on the interstate there were a lot of times I felt the danger of hitting the car that was in front of me while securing my (C/D-estimated) 6-100-pound Defender. Even at speeds that are crawling and when one would expect to use a light push of brakes to bring the truck down to a stopping point, however, the Defender simply keeps rolling.
Certainly, these calibrations were made by engineers which was likely influenced directly by customer input. The reason for this is still puzzling. I don’t think anyone chose a pedal that is designed to resemble a light switch over the flexibility of a rheostat when they had the opportunity to evaluate both.
However, it’s only tiny of a tiny complaint. The truth is, the Defender is a vehicle that has a faster delivery of throttle and brakes and throttle; all you have to do is take it in the hand and get it out of every cul de street intersection as if you’ve stolen the thing. Perhaps you can get the Defender away from the city. In Seattle “rush hour” means two rednecks sharing one gravel two-lane. This became apparent when I left Seattle and took the Defender towards a 700-mile road journey up to Eastern Washington and back.
In the interstate and highway speed, The Defender delivered a quiet, relaxing, and enjoyable. The forward visibility is superb There’s plenty of space in the cabin thanks to seats that sit higher, with a view of the whole hood. Interior layouts take advantage of the airy greenhouse in the SUV as do the ultra-long moon’s roof which is well-positioned beyond the first rows of seating. The calibrated pedals mattered more on roads, and a swipe at the pedal to move through the cars (or emergency braking by state troopers) was more typical.
Price
The 2024 Land Rover Defender V8 is priced at just $108,200 with the two-door Defender 90 style body and $111,500 for a four-door 110 and $116.600 with the 130. Alongside this Defender X model’s standard amenities, it also comes with the supercharged V8 engine of 518 horses with leather and microsuede seats as well as a refrigerator in the center console.