Land Rover’s return to the US in the late 1980s was spearheaded by the luxurious Range Rover. But fans of the more rugged Defender models were thrilled when that model finally became available in 1993. Classic Defenders are some of the most capable 4X4s of all time.
At first, Land Rover imported just 500 of the four-door 110 models. All were white and all had five speed manuals. But it was the next year, when Land Rover brought over the short-wheelbase Defender 90 that enthusiasts really got a taste of what these machines could do. The coil-spring, solid-axle suspension of the D90 combined with a V8 powertrain and excellent gearing made them serious trail machines from the factory. The later hardtop models were offered with an automatic transmission and were easier to live with. But evolving US safety standards meant Land Rover decided to stop importing them after the 1997 model year.
And so, we’ve been in a Defender drought. Until now. The all-new four-door Defender 110 has been a big hit for Land Rover. So this year, the company decided to bring over the Defender 90 to join the line. Short-wheelbase, trail capable two-door 4X4s are rare. But just this year we have both the Bronco and Defender joining the Wrangler. So how does the Land Rover, with it’s sophisticated off-road technology, handle some dirt? We were excited to find out.
So we borrowed a nearly $67,000 Defender 90 First Edition for a week to get a taste of how it performed. We logged nearly 250 miles on pavement and off near Los Angeles. Here’s what we found.
The Hardware
The new Defender 90 is a clean-sheet redesign using a new (and robust) D7x architecture. Overall, the chassis does shares some hard bits with both the Discovery and Range Rover but the “x” is for “extreme” and so just about everything underneath has been beefed-up for Defender duty. Land Rover says it’s up to three times more rigid than traditional body-on-frame designs. Despite the “90” name, this shorty has a wheelbase of 101.9 inches. For comparison the new two-door Bronco rides on a 100.4-inch wheelbase and a two-door Wrangler sits on a 95.4-inch wheelbase.
The front suspension uses a multi-link (double-wishbone) design and our First Edition came with fully adjustable air springs. The ride height can vary about 5 inches from the lowest to tallest settings. It’s a complicated setup with more links and pivots than a traditional IFS. The shock towers are tied together under the hood with a strut tower brace to boost stiffness across the vehicle. Land Rover up-sized the ball joints and spec’d new bushings for Defender use, compared to the Range Rover or Discovery. And the suspension is engineered with more wheel travel than those models—at little over 10 inches which is above and beyond most stock SUVs we test. The front differential is open and uses a 3.55:1 gear ratio.
The rear integral link rear suspension is also independent and provides 12.4-inches of wheel travel. That’s quite a bit of movement for a stock independent design and has the potential for serious trail prowess. Off-road mode puts the Defender at its highest setting and provides an excellent 11.5 inches of ground clearance front and rear. At off-road height, the Defender offers an approach angle of 38 degrees, departure angle of 40 degrees and a breakover angle of 31 degrees—excellent numbers to be sure. Land Rover says the Defender can handle a 45 percent side slope or 45 percent ascent or descent. Our Defender came with the electronic active differential, which can vary torque across the rear axle and fully lock if it needed, all without any driver input.
Under the hood, the turbocharged and supercharged 3.0-liter inline 6 delivers 395 hp at 5,500 rpm and 406 lb-ft of torque from 2,000-5,000 rpm. It’s a complex mild hybrid powertrain that features a 48-volt electrical system fed from a small lithium ion battery (charged during braking) that powers the supercharger. Yes, it’s an electric supercharger. The wild engine is mated to a conventional ZF 8-speed transmission. Land Rovers have always offered excellent low range gearing. And the Defender is no exception with its full-time 4WD system that features a stout 2.93:1 low range.
The Defender 90 might be small, but with a curb weight of 4,830 lbs, it’s certainly no lightweight. Interestingly, this relatively small rig is rated to tow more like a full-size truck. Land Rover says the 90 has a maximum tow capacity of 8,201 lbs. That’s better than anything else with just two doors.
On the Street
Slide up into the driver’s seat and the new 90 is reminiscent of the old-school Defenders of the past. You sit tall in this truck with a great view ahead, just like the original. Land Rover has designed the dash to be entirely forward-looking while also recalling the funkiness of the original. There’s a cool dash tray that extends almost all the way across the vehicle, like the original. The shifter and 4WD functions are concentrated into a pod immediately in front of your right hand. It’s minimalist, smart and easy to operate.
Our First Edition was equipped with the novel three across 40/20/40 folding front bench. So with the seat flipped down, you have a place to put two cups and some gear. Flip it up and you can fit three (skinny) adults plus room for three more in the back.
Dig into the Defender is one really quick machine. Land Rover says this one will hit 60 mph in just 5.7 seconds and top out at 129 mph. That’s quite a bit quicker than a two-door Wrangler or Bronco. And you never feel or hear anything unusual from this turbocharged and supercharged six. It just operates with luxury vehicle smoothness.
On the freeway at 70 mph the Defender cruises along with just 1,800 rpm on the tach and it feels refined. The noise level is low at highway speeds and the experience is more like an upscale SUV than a workhorse trail truck. On steep grades, the generous torque of the straight-six down low means it doesn’t need to downshift.
Our experience with air suspension 4X4s is that they don’t ride nearly as smoothly as the manufacturers often promise. But that’s not true here. The Land Rover with its tall (32-inch) 255/60R20 Goodyear All-Terrain Adventure tires rides well on the road. The supple suspension makes for handling that’s far superior to other off-road focused 4X4s. This is an easy vehicle to live with to be sure.
The EPA estimates the Defender 90 will return 17 mpg in the city and 22 mpg on the highway. And after about 250 miles of mixed driving, the trip computer showed just over 19 mpg.
On the Trail
When it comes to the way this new Defender handles off-roading—it’s the opposite of an old-tech classic Defender. The original Defender relied on the proven hardware we all appreciate. It delivered impressive articulation to maintain traction and keep the tires turning. This new one uses technology to deliver that capability. And we were skeptical. But it works well.
As soon as we hit the four-wheel drive park, we toggled the Defender’s suspension into the taller off-road mode and took on some mild obstacles in high range. The first thing we noticed was just how quickly the Defender clamped down on wheel slip. Plus, that higher suspension setting rode smoothly too. The structure of this truck feels very robust and it’s similar to the Toyota Land Cruiser in that it effortlessly tackles tougher axle-twisting sections in high range that would leave other 4X4s stuck. In other words, this is one vehicle that is capable as soon as you pull off the highway.
Still in high range, we took on some whoops where we managed to maintain nearly 20 mph, which is a speed closer to some of the better 4X4s on this terrain. On the fire road section, the 90’s suspension received a good workout again. It’s not quite as supple as say, a TRD Pro 4Runner but it does ride well. The 90 is certainly at the smoother end of this class of vehicle and offers excellent body control.
In the sand, the Defender is a fun machine. We clicked through the different modes available and found Sand mode. It’s amazing. The potent V6 has power and torque everywhere. And there’s far better throttle response than the default Auto mode and almost no interference from the traction or the stability control systems. In other words, you can slide it wildly and really roost some sand. We’d like to take this rig to Glamis and see how it performs.
In low range, the Rover inches along with an excellent 57.2:1 crawl ratio. The clearance from the raised air suspension, neatly chopped front and rear overhangs and stubby wheelbase make this an easy vehicle to take on more challenging obstacles. It’s certainly in the same class of capability as a Bronco or Wrangler. The suspension can really stretch its legs off road, particularly in the rear which works surprisingly well. And the “smart” electronics like the quick-acting traction control and electronic rear diff deliver traction without kicking up a lot of dust or drama.
In the mogul section, the Rover does run out of wheel travel and will lift a front tire. But thanks to the smart Rock Crawl mode, the vehicle never feels like it’s struggling on these moderate obstacles. It’s easy to control and certainly ranks with some of the better 4X4s we’ve had on these obstacles. Would a front locking differential help too? Yes indeed. Perhaps Land Rover will make it part of a more extreme off-road package in the future.
The hill climb section was a bit of a mixed bag. Typically, we’ve found air suspensions in their tallest heights don’t like to climb. The front end starts to bounce and the tires loose traction. But this condition was far less obvious with the Defender than on any other air spring vehicle we’ve tested. In other words, Land Rover has it figured out. Still, we weren’t able to crawl the loose, sandy and rutted hill in Rock Crawl Mode. We needed more wheel speed. So a switch to Mud and Ruts mode (which allows more wheel spin), plus a bit of throttle got us through the sandy section and over the deep ruts to the top. We stayed on the throttle and the electronics sorted everything out in real time. The Defender requires less driver action and more trust in the vehicle’s electronic systems than say a Wrangler. But it’s definitely a capable off-roader.
The Bottom Line
At just over $66,745, this Defender 90 is certainly a pricey 4X4. But it’s not a huge leap beyond what a loaded two-door Jeep Wrangler or Ford Bronco goes for. When you spec a two-door Jeep Wrangler Rubicon with nearly every option it’s comes in at just over $65,000. And a two-door Bronco Wildtrak can be easily optioned north of $60,000. Of course, both of those vehicles offer front and rear locking diffs and larger tires too. But when it comes to delivering a blend of real off-road capability, refined ride and handling, potent powertrain and a luxurious interior—the Land Rover inches ahead of the competition. Unfortunately there’s just not much aftermarket support for Defenders. So if modifying a new 4X4 for more hardcore trails is in the plan, the Jeep or Ford might make a better fit.
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