Review: Land Rover Defender 110

There are still those who will never be convinced by the New Defender and can’t forgive Land Rover for using the name for a vehicle that bears no resemblance to the one that went before.

But, whatever your views, there’s no point comparing the two. New Defender is a whole new ball game and like it or not, it’s not going away.

The 110 with the mighty three-litre six-cylinder petrol engine we had on test is a formidable beast that can move from 0-62mph in under six seconds – despite its bulk.

However, it proved remarkably easy to drive whether we were pottering around town or taking a gentle stroll down a green lane.

Gentle being the operative word. Although the 110 is more than capable of tackling the most extreme off-road conditions, the almost £100k price tag gave me more than pause for thought.

Apart from anything else I was loathe to scratch the 22in gloss black wheels that added a cool £2,625 to the price.

If we must compare it with the old Defender then it has plenty of things to recommend it. Namely that, as well as being quick off the mark, it’s comfortable, clean, warm, doesn’t leak oil on your drive and you can hear the radio above the engine - in our test car’s case this was a £600 Meridian surround sound system.

It also looks good with minimal front and rear overhangs - essential for serious off-roading. It has Alpine light windows in the roof and has retained the side-hinged rear tailgate and externally-mounted spare wheel that make the original so identifiable.

Comfort is assured. The front seats have 14-way heating and cooling - even the headrest has four settings - and the steering wheel and rear seats are also heated. There’s a refrigerated compartment on the front console and the steering wheel is electrically adjustable.

Again, in a nod to its past, fixtures and fittings, usually hidden from view in modern vehicles have been exposed.

There’s a dash-mounted gear shifter to accommodate an optional central front ‘jump’ seat, which provides three-abreast seating across the front, just like early Land Rovers.

There’s plenty of flexibility with five, six or 5+2 seating configurations.

Ground clearance is 228mm and the 110 has approach, ramp and departure angles of 30.1, 22 and 37.7 degrees respectively.

Its maximum wading depth is 900mm.

Some models come equipped with cameras which show the area usually hidden by the bonnet directly ahead of the front wheels, on the central touchscreen and is a great aid to confident off-road driving - especially when you are on your own.

Other off-road features include configurable terrain response, which together with the electrically deployable tow bar adds £1,425.

I particularly like the idea of advanced tow assist which allows you to reverse a trailer while the Defender takes care of the counter steering.

The aforementioned refrigerated console, together with cupholders and wireless charging adds £800 and heated washer jets and headlight power wash, £260.

Specifications

Land Rover Defender 110

Price: £88,265 (as tested £99,600)

Engine: 3.0 litre Ingenium six-cylinder turbo petrol

Power: 406bhp

Torque:406lb/ft

Transmission: Automatic all-wheel drive

Top speed: 119mph

0-62mph: 5.8 seconds

Economy: 25.5mpg

CO2 emissions: 249g/km