- Doors and Seats
5 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
3.0DTT, 6 cyl.
- Engine Power
220kW, 650Nm
- Fuel
Diesel 7.9L/100KM
- Manufacturer
4XD
- Transmission
8 Spd Auto
- Warranty
5 Yr, Unltd KMs
- Ancap Safety
5/5 star (2020)
2023 Land Rover Defender review: DCOTY 2023 – Best Off-Road SUV
Winner of the 2023 Drive Car of the Year Best Off-Road SUV
- Air suspension and big tyre diameter give high levels of clearance off-road
- A feast of off-road technology
- Highly refined and composed on dirt and bitumen
- Wheel diameter is less suited for off-roading than the competition
- Pricing goes from expensive to very expensive
- Is it too nice to take off-road?
The Land Rover Defender is the 2023 Drive Car of the Year Best Off-Road SUV.
The new Land Rover Defender blends modern refinement with a capability defined by the legendary nameplate.
This modern remake of the brand's icon continues to impress, especially from an off-road point of view. Incorporating a modern aluminium platform with independent suspension and adjustable air suspension gives loads of clearance overall, allowing the Defender to overcome obstacles other vehicles cannot even attempt.
Wheel diameter – limited by the size of the brakes – is high for off-road usage. Some variants can have 18-inch aftermarket wheels fitted, but the (mostly) standard fare of 19-plus inches doesn't always suit off-roading. Overall tyre diameter is high, however, at more than 32 inches.
Key details | 2023 Land Rover Defender 110 D300 X-Dynamic HSE |
Engine | 3.0-litre six-cylinder twin-turbo diesel |
Power | 220kW |
Torque | 650Nm |
Drive type | Four-wheel drive |
Transmission | Eight-speed automatic |
Power-to-weight ratio | 94.1kW/t |
Weight (kerb) | 2405kg |
Tow rating | 3500kg braked 750kg unbraked |
Turning circle | 12.8m |
The range of available powertrains in the Defender are great, going from a bright and punchy four-cylinder turbo petrol (P300) through smooth six-cylinder diesel and petrol options to a stonking (albeit expensive) supercharged V8. They suit on-road and off-road driving admirably, and matched by suspension tunes that offer an impressively wide bandwidth of performance.
Locking rear and centre differentials, along with a highly advanced and adept traction-control system, mean wheel spin is a rarity. It makes the Defender feel composed and highly capable, even for inexperienced drivers behind the wheel.
This all comes as cream on top of a package that is impressively refined on the blacktop and around town, as well as dispatching corrugated dirt with aplomb. So, unrivalled off-road yet luxurious and refined on-road, is the Defender too good to risk getting dirty?
Note: These ratings have been pulled from the most recent Land Rover Defender review (read it here) and as part of Drive Car of the Year 2023 all finalists will be freshly reviewed in the near future.
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