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Land Rover Defender 2023- the full guide

Land Rover Defender 2023 is a top-notch off-road SUV with a very high-performance rating among car experts. When it comes to SUVs, few cars can match the Land Rover Defender. The 2023 model is remarkably built to give drivers optimum comfort while preserving its reputation in quality performance. From its engine to the vehicle’s exterior oozes quality and gives you a boost in confidence.
As you will find in this article, the Land Rover Defender 2023 can be dependable and the best deal on the market. Read on to find out more.

About Land Rover Defender 2023

The Land Rover Defender has topped many charts with previous models for the best SUV of the year. A reputation they seek to maintain with their latest release. A few changes were made to revitalize your Land Rover experience with new infotainment updates and other cool interior features.
When comparing the Land Rover Defender to other SUV dynamics on pavement, it comes out top. The Defender also leads the pack regarding body control and compliant suspension.

Where previous models fail to establish a firm grip on the top spot, this model compensates adequately. It comes with a huge 11.4-inch touchscreen, among other new additions. With maximum comfort, you can carry 5 passengers at a time. When it comes to the exterior, the Defender is really hot and enticing. you will get to see why as you read on.

The only fault in the Land Rover Defender 2023 model is the fuel economy, which can be attributed to its V8 engine capacity. Other than that, the Defender is way ahead of the rest.

Performance and Economy


The Land Rover Defender 2023 model comes with three different engines distinguished with an alphanumeric code. The first is P300, and the second is P400, then the last is P525. These three engine types work with an eight-speed automatic transmission to the four wheels.

The P300 is a 2-liter four-turbo engine of 296 horsepower and 295 lb-ft. The four-door Defender with a P300 engine is said to perform at 0-60 mph in 6.6 seconds, which is quite an impressive claim for its size. When it comes to fuel economy, the most efficient is the two-door Defender P300 which is said to do 18/21 mpg for city/highway.
For the P400, it adds a supercharger and a turbo to a 3-liter six-in-line engine of 395 horsepower and 406 lb-ft. While they claim to have a 0-60 mph in 5.8 seconds, experts tested, and it took 6.5 seconds. But its fuel efficiency was almost similar to that of the P300 at 17/22 mpg for city/highway.

The P525 is the most powerful option of the Land Rover Defender 2023, with its supercharged V-8 engine. Its output is recorded at 518 horsepower and 461 lb-ft, and it boasts of a 0-60 mph in 4,9 seconds. Its fuel economy is quite low at 14/19 mpg for a four-door Defender.

Off-road


When it comes to off-road, the Defender is quite on the average compared to the Ford Bronco and Jeep Wrangler. The Ford and Jeep have a lower starting price, offer a two-door body style, and a cool additional feature of removable doors and roofs.
Though the Defender cannot match the G-Wagon in class and status, it does provide most of the luxury for half the price. While the Mercedes-Benz G-Class is miles ahead of the rest in terms of a heady blend of luxury and performance. But, it is very expensive, sitting at $130,000.
The Lexus GX is the direct competition of the Defender. It has a good off-road performance but lacks in its driving performance.

Exterior


The Land Rover Defender 2023 was stretched by 13.4 inches to accommodate occupants. Most of the exterior was left unchanged, similar to previous models. The wheelbase and turning circle were unchanged but included a rear overhang to increase cargo space.

Interior


The Defender 2023 comes in a two or four-door format and is 90 and 110, respectively. The 110 has an additional two-seat third row. It also has a streamlined trim line-up and an 11.4-inch touchscreen with wireless charging.

Connectivity and infotainment


The Defender 2023 has some cool infotainment features, and they are listed below;

  • 11.4-inch touchscreen
  • Wireless charging
  • Smartphone compatibility
  • Navigation is all baked in
  • 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster
  • Wi-Fi hotspot
  • Head-up display
  • Meridian sound system with 10 or 14 speakers

Safety


The Land Rover Defender 2023 has a full complement of active safety technology for safety. These technologies are a 360-degree camera system, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitor, and lane-keeping assist. Also, the adaptive cruise control and the automatic high beams are included in the lists of safety technologies.

Pros

  • It has a stellar off-road chop
  • It is a vintage style SUV
  • It has a capable powertrain

Cons

  • It has a minuscule third row
  • It has poor fuel economy
  • It is quite expensive

Price


The Land Rover Defender 2023 is quite expensive, as it has a starting price of $106,260 and $113,500. Carpathian Edition comes at $6,290, a storage pack, and a basic interior protection at $510. For an 11.4-inch touchscreen, $140, and California emissions cost $100. While dark gray wheels with contrast diamond-turned finish $200.

Warranty and maintenance coverage


The Land Rover Defender 2023 has a standard warranty package that covers four years or 50,00 miles, whichever comes first. When compared to this Lexus GX, the Defender falls short. The Lexus GX comes with a six-year powertrain warranty with one year of complimentary maintenance. The limited warranty covers four years or 50,000 miles, and the powertrain warranty covers four or 50,000 miles. At the same time, there is no complimentary scheduled maintenance.

Conclusion


The Land Rover Defender 2023 is one of the very best SUVs out in the market, with so many cool features.
These features have been discussed in-depth to give you the full picture of what you expect from this new model.
Now, the choice is yours; what will you do with this information?

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Land Rover Is Reportedly Working on an Even More Luxurious Defender

For when the $112,000 V8 Carpathian Edition isn’t extravagant enough

The new Land Rover Defender is decidedly not utilitarian. Some people want it to be — generally because they have a soft spot for the boxy Series models that birthed the Defender name — but the redesigned model that debuted in 2019 is, by all accounts, a luxury SUV.

Yet, is it luxurious enough? The most affordable model, the two-door Defender 90, currently starts just under $50,000; the most expensive, the four-door 110 with an optional V8 engine and luxury upgrades dubbed the “Carpathian Edition,” starts at $112,200; and that doesn’t even include the three-row model coming next year. But according to a new report, Land Rover is working on an even more sumptuous version of their heritage overlander. 

Parent company Jaguar Land Rover is reportedly planning a luxury flagship version of the Defender that will be based on a yet-to-be-released platform that will underpin the new Range Rover, per Autocar out of the U.K. That would be the MLA (Modular Longitudinal Architecture) platform, which is designed for three types of electrification: mild-hybrid or plug-in hybrid (both of which still include a gas engine) or EV-only power. (At the moment, while Land Rover does offer a plug-in hybrid Defender in some markets, U.S. buyers only have access to mild-hybrid configurations in some versions of the SUV.)

According to Autocar, which cites unnamed sources, Land Rover is hoping to spread out the new Defender’s success across a range of models in the vein of the Range Rover nameplate. With heritage names across the industry being revived as more expensive incarnations of their former selves (see: the new Jeep Grand Wagoneer) with decided success, this seems like a winning formula, at least where profits are concerned. 

There are few details about what an even more luxurious Defender could look like, but the outlet says it will have “a less rugged-style interior” (something we didn’t particularly like in our recent test drive) with “more extravagant colours, more sportily styled seats and a dashboard design that retains the high-mounted gearshifter as the main theme.”

In other words, we don’t know much. But that’s to be expected when citing whispers from anonymous sources about a vehicle with an estimated release date in the late-2024, early-2025 range. 

Article Credit: Alex Lauer
Full Article: https://www.insidehook.com/daily_brief/vehicles/land-rover-more-luxurious-defender



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2021 Land Rover Defender 90 First Edition Review

OK, when I say Land Rover and what do you picture?

Boxy, utilitarian off-roader running through tall elephant grass or African Savanna grass, a photographer’s head and camera poking from the open roof. Maybe an elephant, giraffe or even a lion wandering in the background?

That’s because in 1948 Land Rover started cranking out said utilitarian boxes after Jeeps had invaded the British landscape during World War II. The Brits were relatively quick to duplicate and improve upon the Jeep for its own market and, Boom! Rovers sold like elephant ears at the State Fair. Those early models not only had high ground clearance, big rugged tires and four-wheel-drive, but fold down windshields and rear doors where we call fancy hatches these days.

Well, the good ol’ days are back (sort of) as Land Rover jumps back in to the more utilitarian end of the huge SUV market with its Defender series, which had disappeared in 1997 as Rover romped full force into the more profitable luxury SUV market.

Defender had been Rover’s entry-level more rugged Jeep-like models and now the new Defender 90 and 110 are that, with a healthy helping of luxury ladled on board. I tested the 110 back in January. It rides on a longer wheelbase and features four doors and a luxury price tag.

This time I romped the suburban tundra in a stylish (retro) Defender 90 First Edition two-door. This special trim was $65,450 and with just two options hit $66,475. Yet a base model with a less powerful 2.0-liter turbo I4 engine starts at down-market price of $47,125.

On looks alone the Defender 90, especially decked out in a light gray-green metallic Pangea Green paint scheme, is a rock star. Folks gawked, a few asked questions!

A Jeep-like vehicle with a short wheelbase is normally about as much fun to drive as a square-wheeled peddle car, but the Land Rover Defender feels refined and quite comfy on most city streets and in limited off-road romping.

This rides on a compact 101.9-inch wheelbase, but still looks muscular and stout. It clears the ground by 8.9 inches, will wade in 35.4 inches of water, and in First Edition trim packs an energetic 395 horsepower 3.0-liter inline 6-cylinder with mild hybrid system to power its electronics. A fine 8-speed automatic transmission easily melds with the big power unit for a luxury feel.

Trust me, a Jeep-like vehicle with a short wheelbase is normally about as much fun to drive as a square-wheeled peddle car. Think Flintstones! But the Land Rover Defender feels refined and quite comfy on most city streets, and in limited off-road romping. There is some bump felt on severe or sharp road imperfections, but the ride is generally pleasant indeed.

Power is luxury sedan smooth and instantaneous. Driving the Defender is fun as you can get on the gas and be quickly up to highway speeds. In fact, I found myself over accelerating initially in highway jaunts, needing to whoa this boxy beast down to avoid the constabulary.

Handling is precise and firm with moderate steering effort required and Defender corners well for a tall short-wheelbase vehicle. It never felt tippy, although from outward appearances you might assume it to be top-heavy. I did not get to use this in rugged terrain, but it’s capable and has numerous off-road settings, all controlled via a big touchscreen. I’d prefer a knob or button.

The Land Rover Defender features lots of handles for both driver and riders to hug when bounding around boulders. The dash also has a rail across the top and at both edges if you need to hang on for dear life.

Off-road options include mud ruts, rock crawl, grass/gravel/sand, sand, and wading for those nearly three-foot deep streams that need forded, or should that be Rovered? Comfort and a customizable Configurable settings also are available. Comfort works on city streets and highways.

So nimble is the Defender that parking is a breeze! One assumes that would help in dodging trees and rocks once off into the bush country too.

Speaking of which, there are a bunch of “dear Jesus” handles for both driver and riders to hug when bounding around boulders. The dash also has a rail across the top and at both edges if you need to hang on for dear life.

Otherwise the interior looks utilitarian. Door panels show exposed metal as in a Jeep and overhead there’s a cool fold-back cloth panoramic sunroof, powered of course. Seats are a mix of cloth and perforated leather-like material that would be easy to clean. Some of that texture is carried over into the doors and dash. These were a dark gray to black in the test truck with light gray trim on the doors and dash, which also had a shelf along its top face for storing sunglasses, phones, and rhino tranquilizer darts.

The Defender’s interior is fairly utilitarian. Door panels show exposed metal as in a Jeep and overhead there’s a cool fold-back cloth powered panoramic sunroof. The seats are a mix of cloth and perforated leather-like material that would be easy to clean.

Seats are fairly flat, but powered and heated up front (controlled through the touchscreen) and there’s a jump seat in the middle that can be folded up to allow more elbow room such as that needed when off-roading. Put it down and there are cup holders in its back for the front seat occupants. However, that seat is quite thick and feels pretty confining for the front seat folks and a bit high for a comfy armrest. Put it up though and it somewhat blocks rearward vision.

In fact, rear vision is tough much of the time with the rear seat headrests and spare tire on that back door blocking the view. Thank goodness for the backup camera, mounted overhead in the shark fin antenna housing on the roof.

Rear Vision is a challenge with the Defender since the jump seat blocks some of the view, along with rear seat headrests and a spare tire on the back door. However, the backup camera mounted overhead in the shark fin antenna housing on the roof certainly helps.

Rear seat folks also get a little ambient light from side skylights built into the Rover’s white metal top. Opening that cloth sunroof helps, too. The skylights are retro styling touches, as are the little round taillights and so much more here. All good, as the styling communicates modern retro inside and out.

Storage room behind the seats is even less than a Jeep Wrangler, which isn’t much. There’s enough space for maybe four or five upright grocery bags. Seats will fold down, of course, and there’s a power height button inside that rear-opening back hatch door. So if you’re loading up and need the vehicle higher or lower for loading comfort that’s a plus.

I’m no fan of a rear-opening door, especially with a big 20-inch tire mounted on it. The door is heavy and the tire partially blocks rear visibility. Does it look macho and rugged? You bet. But it’s style over function.

What surprised me the most about the Defender was the interior’s quietness. This being a box on wheels, I expected a lot more nubby off-road tire noise (20-inch tires here added $350 to the price), or more wind noise. Not so. Its interior is quiet as a near luxury sedan, allowing you to hear the fancy Meridian sound system, with volume easily adjusted by a roller on the steering wheel.

On the practical side, the powerful Defender is a fine trailer puller and will tow 8,200 lbs., and if the rear seats are down there’s decent cargo space in back. If you’re going to tow you’ll need the trailer hitch receiver, a $675 option.

Rovers are not known for stellar gas mileage, and the Defender 90 is not a true hybrid. It’s rated at 17 mpg city and 22 highway by the EPA, and I got just 17.1 mpg in a mix of city and highway drives.

However Rovers, now owned by India-based Tata Motors, are known for being electronic gremlins. I found only one slight glitch this time — the rearview camera liked to stay on when the SUV was in Drive for several minutes, but did switch to a front view. Hmm, maybe for watching out for wildebeests, or boulders!

Handling on the Land Rover Defender is precise and firm with moderate steering effort required and it corners well for a tall short-wheelbase vehicle.

Overview: 2021 Land Rover Defender 90 First Edition

Hits: Snazzy retro looks, awesome color, off-roading ability in spades, strong smooth power, good handling, and a nice ride for short wheelbase. Quiet interior, cloth folding panoramic sunroof, heated seats, radio volume roller on wheel, Meridian sound system, easy to park.

Misses: Poor rear visibility, rear hatch opens out like door, tire on door makes it heavy, fold-down optional middle front seat very thick making for uncomfortable arm rest, rearview camera stays on when in Drive for several minutes.

Made in: Nitra, Slovakia

Engine: 3.0-liter I6, 395 hp

Transmission: 8-speed automatic

Weight: 4,780 lbs.

Wheelbase: 101.9 in.

Length: 180.4 in.

Cargo: 58.3 cu.ft.

Tow: 8,200 lbs.

MPG: 17.1 (tested)

Base Price: $65,450 (includes delivery)

Invoice: $61,604

Major Options: Tow hitch receiver, $675

Off-road tires, $350

Test vehicle: $66,475

Article Credit: Mark Savage
Full Article: https://www.wuwm.com/2021-08-15/2021-land-rover-defender-90-first-edition-review

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These Guys Will Build Your Dream Land Rover Defender

This is something special.

The Land Rover Defender has evolved from an all-conquering off-roader into a more sophisticated luxury product, and it’s new price matches its spiff. However, that unattractive sticker price has helped Land Rover turn its fortunes around. As the traditionally utilitarian vehicle has morphed into a designer accessory, it has now grabbed the attention of the well-heeled. Sure, there are some who will turn the Defender into a more capable vehicle that can do what it was originally intended for, but the real money lies in bespoke customization. That’s something that Heritage Customs, co-founded by Niels van Roij, is particularly adept at. And the options are endless.

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Designer Niels van Roij says that nothing is off-limits, and that any theme can be applied to the vehicle, even if it means a vehicle “symbolizing a Caribbean island.” As the above video explains quite well, the Heritage Customs process sets up clients with a custom build that suits their exact tastes. Heritage can also source an older Defender if you don’t already own the vehicle you want to enhance.

Once the vehicle is obtained, you can choose from numerous custom touches. As these photos show, Heritage is fantastic at fitting aftermarket body parts that look as good as the originals. And with multiple wheel and fascia upgrades available for various Defender models, making the exterior stand out from the crowd can be easily achieved.

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Even the paint can be of a totally unique shade that you can help co-develop with Heritage, while the cabin opens up a vast range of possibilities when it comes to materials. Different types of leather, denim, wool, or tweed can be used to trim your interior, and the cargo area can be finished in teak wood. Little details can be customized too, from fender vents and treadplates to copper accents. Once the Defender is complete, Heritage Customs tests it on a variety of surfaces to ensure quality. There’s no word on what the average build costs, but with so many options, it shouldn’t be difficult to imagine someone spending six figures designing their dream Defender.

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Article Credit: Sebastian Cenizo
Photo Credits: Heritage Custom
Full Article: https://carbuzz.com/news/these-guys-will-build-your-dream-land-rover-defender

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Defender of all that’s good: Day-tripping in Land Rover’s newest model

Hiking, history, and some really good tarts, thanks to Land Rover’s newest model

In these strange times of COVID-19 bubbles and limited travel, we need to find adventure close to home. With that in mind, my wife Claire and I embarked on a trek in search of fresh air, postcard vistas, home-baked treats and very large (carved) snakes. Our vehicle of choice was one of the most anticipated vehicles of the year (at least among the off-road and wannabe off-road crowd) – the 2020 Land Rover Defender 110.

Our journey would have us wending our way along some of my favourite scenic roads in Ontario, in the Halton region just north of Burlington. We’d go hiking in two of the seven Halton Region Conservation Parks, and conclude our day at Springridge Farm, where we would pick up some local apples and a few of their famous tarts.

Our Defender 110 P400 SE ($76,000 base price) was a tad over-qualified for the job, having been equipped for press fleet duties with just about every boonie-bashing option imaginable.

But dang, it looked the part in Pangea Green ($900), and sporting the Explorer Pack ($6,000) that bestows such suburban necessities as extra body cladding, an exterior side-mounted gear carrier (for un-muddied Hunter boots), lightweight roof rack (for that mega Holt-Renfrew shopping spree), matte-black 110 hood decal, spare wheel cover, and the all-important engine intake snorkel. This black plastic accoutrement runs up the driver’s side A-pillar and is there for those times when one is fording deep water. You know, those times. However, being just inches away from the driver’s head, in these environs the snorkel mainly serves to make said driver (moi) look like a posing Oakvillian dork. I’ll show those pretenders in their Mercedes G-Wagons.

The first nice stretch of tarmac we find is Sideroad No 2, running west off of Appleby Line, a few kilometres north of the QEW. This tree-lined lane crosses a babbling brook and then emerges onto a lovely open stretch that connects to Walkers Line. The cliffs of Mt. Nemo dominate the view. We turned right on Walkers and then made a left on Britannia, which took us to Guelph Line. Heading a few kilometres north from there had us motoring through the appropriately-named Lowville (fab bistro on the right) and up to Crawford Lake Conservation Park.

Currently, Conservation Halton requires visitors to book a time in advance (easy to do online) with entrance fees being $6.50 for adults, and $5.00 for kids and seniors (under 4 gets in free). Or, if you plan on multiple visits, a one-year individual pass costs $62 (seniors $50.50, family $135).

A cool feature of Crawford Lake is the reconstructed 15th-century Iroquoian village. The three longhouses, with numerous artifacts and displays, give a fascinating glimpse of what life was like for First Nations peoples 600 years ago.

The heart of the park is Crawford Lake, which visitors can circle via a raised boardwalk, built to protect the delicate marshland. This small body of water, a meromictic lake, is unique in that its depth exceeds that of its surface area, meaning little oxygen reaches the lowest lowest levels. Here, deep in the sediment, researchers found ancient corn pollen, tied to the nearby First Nations settlement. No, there are no deep lake monsters that we are aware of, but along the Hide and Seek Trail that leads to the lake, you’ll see larger-than-life wooden carvings of local species at risk that look as though they might have just slithered up from the depths.

A hiking trail connects Crawford Lake to nearby Rattlesnake Point Conservation Area, but since Halton park visits are currently limited to two hours, that trail is closed. Taking the easy route, Claire and I jumped back in the Defender and meandered over to the Rattlesnake Point entrance that sits atop a very steep and winding section of Appleby Line that runs north off Derry Road. This appropriately snake-like stretch of road once hosted the Rattle Snake Hill Climb, a major event for sports car enthusiasts beginning in 1950, with Porsches being dominant from 1960-64. Below is multi-winner Horst Kroll in his Porsche 356 Speedster hanging it out on the then-all-gravel road (thank you to F. David Stone for the photo).

Our ascent was considerably less eventful, as we enjoyed this toughest of Land Rover’s surprisingly refined comportment and torquey turbocharged/supercharged 395-hp straight-six. Once in the park, we trekked a section of the Bruce Trail that offers fantastic vistas from the edge of a rocky escarpment.

After a day of hiking one can get a bit peckish, so our next stop was nearby Springridge Farm to see what treats awaited us. Owned by the Hughes family since 1960, Springridge gradually grew from a pick-your-own-cherries operation in the 1970s into a very popular local destination offering fresh local produce, children’s activities, knick-knacks, cookbooks, preserves, and devilishly scrumptious baked goods that draw on recipes from original owner Jane Hughes. In 2017, John, Laura, Amy and Tom Hughes were officially recognized as a “Canada 150 Farm Family”, receiving a certificate for their commitment to advancing agriculture in Halton Region.

With the Defender suitably loaded with tarts, apples and dill pickles (Claire will not buy pickles anywhere else) we pointed the Landie’s khaki snout south and headed back to the ‘burbs. Not surprisingly, the Defender turned heads everywhere we went, actually attracting a small crowd in the Rattlesnake Point parking lot.

We had a fantastic day of enjoying the local sights and supporting local industry, although for me it was a somewhat perilous adventure. Not because of the Rattle Snake Hill Climb or peering over those rocky precipices, but purely for the reason that Claire has been in love with the original not-for-sale-here Land Rover Defender for years (too much British murder mystery TV) and I feared the availability this fresh world-market edition with its Range Rover level of refinement would cause all kinds of problems. Yes, she really wants her own Defender, but thankfully she’ll do without the snorkel.

Article Credit: Peter Bleakney
Full Article: https://driving.ca/land-rover/reviews/road-test/defender-of-all-thats-good-day-tripping-in-land-rovers-newest-model