Land Rover Defender 2021 on/off-road review: 500mm of suspension articulation?!

Can you do a review of a Porsche Macan off road capabilities

Have owned 2 Range Rover Sports and one Land Rover Discovery over the past 16 years that have taken on the Simpson Desert multiple times plus many other 4WD routes. Had a small leak in the suspension in the 2007 which didn’t stop us getting across the Desert but otherwise they have been absolutely trouble free. They are fantastic and you finish and day as fresh as a daisy.

Thanks Paul. Awesome review.

Great reviews love them 👍

Make a video about a G wagon

This is a beautiful, electronic suburban prestige car, or even a fashion accessory for soccer moms, or footballer wives and girlfriends. However; It is irresponsible to promote this as an adventure vehicle.

The Achilles heel is the electronics. It takes ten to fifteen door openings to kill the battery, because each time you open a door, the computer boots up. Working on a defender with the doors open for an hour also runs the battery flat. Quite a realistic scenario, if you are camped somewhere in the bush in the same place for three days.

If the battery goes flat, you cannot tow a Defender without causing serious transmission damage; you need to winch it onto a flat bed truck. Unlocking the steering column without battery power is not possible. On the latest model, once in paperweight mode, you cannot release the transmission park release into neutral to get it onto a flat bed truck, nor can you release the handbrake. Therefore, consider your tyres sacrificial when winching your Defender onto the tow truck.

Once the battery is recharged in order to get your Defender started again, you need a laptop, bus, and a scan gauge, so that you can get into the belly of the computer that runs your Defender. Oh, and you also now need to have an internet connection to contact Defender homebase. If you are out in the sticks with no cell coverage and therefor no internet, then you may as well start walking, right there and then.

These are complex machines and off roading or overland touring is bound to eventually shake something loose and cause at the very least an electric gremlin that causes the Defender to go into limp home mode, or at worst, leave you to walk to the nearest civilization. In Australia, it may mean walking through desert, or in Africa, communing with Apex predators.

Don't even think of installing an aftermarket battery backup system, it will invalidate your warranty. A better option may be travelling with fellow enthusiasts, who have less complex Land Rover vehicles, or Toyotas, so that you at least have a ride home.

When you say "click up here", what are you talking about? There's no buttons or links etc from PC or phone.

There are literally millions of car reviews online, but Ive yet to see one comment on how good or bad the headlights/high beam are. 99% of test drives by perspective buyers are done in daylight hours. When I asked one particular sales person about the headlights, he replied "well they have to be ok if they are to pass the ADR's. So my question is why not test the lights ????

Everyone that reviews these cars say how good and strong this new design is , but can these monocoque body vehicles be repaired if damaged? In old style ladder chassis cars a new chassis leg could be fitted if damaged. Can these ?

Looks ugly

I will stick with my V8LC79. Cheers for video

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Today I returned to the LR stable after a five year gap, ordering a P400 HSE Dynamic X. I have my fingers crossed as I previously had two Discovery 4s (2012 TDV6 and a 2015 model). Both has engine issues the latter suffering the well documented bearing/crankshaft catastrophic failure at 15,000km. The new Defenders are obviously a different kettle of fish in all respects, so I am hoping that I will be able to more fully enjoy the beauty of this new vehicle in all its glory.

Reliability of a Land Rover to me is like the reliability of a BMW, Audi or Mercedes, it is vastly theoretical not to say theatrical. It is all myth because owners of these brands spend huge on repairs and maintenance knowing these brands (Land/Audi from my personal experience) never seem to fix their faults. They replace faulty parts with a known faulty part and charge you thousands of dollars for it... I wish car journalists would talk about this subject but they don't because car manufacturers spend big money in advertising so we really never get the true picture of how bad the auto industry actually is. Maintenance on these cars is crazy expensive and the intervals are ridiculously short. I am not denying Land Rover offers a different driving experience but they are not reliable and not cheap to run for a reason. The old Land Cruiser for me was already more reliable than the old Defender which I really liked. On a separate note I am not a massive fan of the new design, it looks like a child toy there is an awkward Tonka vibe to it, like a big version of the Mini Countryman. On the technology front though no doubt Land Rover invested a lot but you never really get to see the test of time with Land. You don't see many (or any) Land Rover on the African continent outside the wild animals reserve or South American continents or in Russia across Siberia (except among cosmopolite Moscow and its rich youth), or in Alaska or in Iceland or in Australia when you leave town, now why is that... is that the price tag alone? I think there is more to it, their complicated design makes them impossible to service outside the Land Rover network. Few mechanics want anything to deal with Land. If Land Rover was as expensive as they are and just as reliable, these models would be a lot more common than they are on and off the road. Between Land Cruiser and Defender... I do believe the Cruiser still has the upper hand and it all comes down to reliability. Performance means nothing without reliability in the off road segment. I have only owned one Discovery brand new fresh off the factory, it was a money pit already 10 years ago with so many malfunctions for a Diesel engine. The electrics, the alternator, the oil leaks, the faulty brake system all the way to the freaking crankshaft would you believe, this car was a nightmare of successive failures. I am not kidding, every month came a new issue. It was an avalanche of bad news that just never stopped. Unthinkable for a Version 4, the Discovery had already been on the market for 23 years and it was as faulty as you could expect from a brand new never ever tested model. I could have bought the biggest Toyota or Lexus for all I spent on repairs for that Discovery till I had to put an end to it and I was not even reluctant, I just had enough. My perception after I owned one was almost as bas as my perception after owning my first (and last) Audi. Some car manufacturers deliver solely on their brand image and I must say the sheer arrogance of their dealership (it was back in Europe) astounded me I felt hostage, the reality of owning this car was just somber and nerve wrecking. It is an owner's capacity and willingness to spend big on repairs and maintenance that keep these cars on the road. If you have money and time to waste, yes sure their performance off road will give you a smile. I strongly suspect however that the majority of Land Rover owners never drive them off road outside the occasional gravel roads. I live in Auckland New Zealand these days, there are tones of Hilux, Rangers, Tritons, D-Max and you often see them dirty. You rarely see a dirty Range Rover or Audi Q8 or Volvo what have you, you never cross them on the beach or in a muddy forest track either. I don't think people who buy these cars buy them for their off road capabilities, I do think it is purely down to badge, social status, safety and SUV features ie comfort on the road and accessories.

The wife will be asking him why he is using Telegram!! Ordering those bags!! 😂

Instant want.

Amazing car. But get a stick through one of those air bags and your stuffed!!

Confused, why do you believe it’s peers are soft roaders when this car has more off road functionality than most cars Aussies consider off road - did t even test it off road

Another unreliable, waste of your hard earned money vehicle by Landrover.

$102K? Come on, mid level trim? Too goddam expensive.

Yea mate awesome exactly what i was looking for, keep up the good work

if will be also relaible can be sucsrss

Whats thr seat color, is it exclusive to the green paint colot

ground clearance is a real disappointment

Thanks for the great review Paul. Here are my experience for about 4 months of ownership of a P400S. We got our vehicle after waiting for about 7 months. The back of the front seats don't have the plastic cover and those tablet connection slots. No usb ports either. Also, we haven't got a central sunshade and sunglass holder. I reckon these have nothing to do with the semi-conductor shortage that made us wait. However, our Defender arrived equipped with wireless charger although we didn't opt for it. Android Auto is wireless as opposed to the unit you reviewed. Again, we didn't ask for it. Interestingly I would expect these to require more electronic circuits. Anyway. Regarding auto hold, only by chance I realised how it worked. From the settings, auto hold can be disabled. In that setting, car will stop the engine as a result of start&stop function. Autohold wouldn't be activated. However, if you push the brake paddle more after engine stops, auto hold would be activated. Nice feature when you don't want autohold but could still need it. Reliabilitywise, no issues so far with 2022 model unit. However, I think the geometric design of the front of the vehicle makes it susceptible to failure due to small accidents. To keep the overhang at minimum, everything, including the radiator, seem to have been squeezed in a narrow space. Apparently someone hit (I have to say pushed at creeping speed in car park) our front bumper with their car and it resulted in buckling of some radiator waffles. Bumper has no plastic deformation. Just a white scratch that I noticed. Just in the order of 2cm flex of an external component resulted in a plastic deformation of a part of the radiator. Bullbars could be a solution but they are not safe for others, so not an option. It has been comfortable and strong so far. It averages between 9.5-11.5L / 100km in highway and also in mountainous roads if driven at almost constant speed around 95. It would go up to 25Ls in short routes, especially when the route has up and downhills.

My 2014 Discovery D4 HSE has towed my off road van and done city work. It's been faultless reliability wise, although I bashed up a muffler. My fault though. I still have my 1997 Prado 3.4 litre v6 petrol, and it has been reliable too except for lights and switches. The Disco is not frightening off road, while the Prado is. I had a top model Diesel Prado 150 and hated it. I don't want to sell my D4, but the Defender looks terrific ... time for my wife to sell her Lexus RX 350 and get a Defender I reckon ...

Paul, have a 2018 Disco and love it with zero issues. I don't even have the new straight 6.....

Sexy Mumma😅

Hi there Paul: is there a diesel engine available? Manual gearbox? Service intervals? Disc brakes all-round? Power operated sunroof? Full sized spare tire? Water 💦 depths and water proof?

Ottimo video ma guida troppo attaccato al volante comunque bravo

Reliability is a well known issue...stick to Japanese or even American and German cars

What car does the British make and it holds its value

This is a MAJOR LEMON already..off the show the car is not assured to last a day

Very impressed, but I can't afford one, so will have to stick with our 2009 Defender 110, which has been very reliable BTW - don't believe the propaganda. Defenders get harder use than most vehicles.

Ranger Rovers have been great to me. my last RR sport was a 06, 186k miles and no major repairs, my current RR sport is a 12, just turned 100k miles, again no major problems, they are both supercharged V-8's and i tow a 24ft Airstream with them 4 times a year : ) Great SUV's

Diesel review soon ?

One of the best reviews I've ever seen top quality

It appears impressive for what it is designed for, but it is also too pricy and unaffordable for majority interested in having a vehicle like this one!!

Defender is good but not too good if same nide too good car for of roding it is land cruiser GR sport.

Good good job good job

Convince your wife !! Just buy it !!

Fuel Economy is a must

Top notch review mate! Very clear & thorough. Thank you. Subscribed. My P400 90 should be here by mid March. Can't wait

Never realised Leonardo di Caprio was doing car reviews now.

Having driven all LR products in the last 50 years, I found the most important thng was to survive when the s---t hit the fan. Simple maintenance, repair with a hammer, large ground clearance and great axle articulation. I know I am biased, I just don't like this model, it is really just a car for added street cred. I guess if cup holders and mobile phones are your thing, then ok. A Def 90 is still the best animal by far..... Question. Could it go across the Darien Gap or out in the bush, shear a half shaft and then be driven back..... That's off roading and that was LR's advertising.... LRP's have always had a terrible record for reliability... The rule was to strip a new one down and then build it properly. Then you got reliability..... Hopefully this model will be a lot better. Anyone know whare I can get a new DEF90?

I literally dream about owning this car. I did a spec build on their website and it came out to about $150k... I feel like this is built for the young but only accessible to the middle aged or older... cries

Is nobody going to comment on the 'Sexy Mumma' entry on his recent call list for Apple Carplay? lol

New land rovers look like shit compared to the old ones