New Land Rover Defender review - hit or miss?
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- čas přidán 28. 08. 2020
- Driving the new Land Rover Defender from its spiritual home in Solihull to Eastnor Castle, the legendary estate where Land Rovers have been tested and developed for decades. Does the new Defender live up to the incredible hype? Time to find out!
- Hry
The New Defender is, what i would call a "grow-er". At first glance, you're not sure, but spend a bit of time with one and it really works as a car, a very very competent car with a massive bandwidth of capability! In fact, the mark of the thing is that if you go back to the old defender, it suddenly looks and feels terribly old-fashioned suddenly, a bit of a one trick pony in a way that it simply didn't last year before the new car came out.
It is, i think, a bit like new "M" BMWs or new 911's, the come out, everyone goes "meh, the old one is better" and then, some time after launch without warning or any objective change, the old car is quite suddenly not better any more.
The King is dead, long live the King!! :-)
I,ve got a 13year old Freelander with133,000 on the clock ,I've watch every defender you tube video in every language I love the look of the new defender and I would love to upgrade my Freelander one can only dream SE upwoods would be my choice with centre console in panger green and white roof, full sun roof,one day perhaps.....
We tend to forget that the original Land Rover (Defender) was a cutting edge vehicle so innovation is part of the Defender heritage. This vehicle could not afford to be just a new defender and slightly better it had to be a quantum leap. Land Rover could of just built a different looking Discovery but it would not be a defender this car is stand alone. I also find we tend to forget that the old car was in reality a seventy year old car it was time for a new one. I know its not what was expected by die hard enthusiasts and I know you didn't want to like it Dan but you just cant help it. I know, I was in the same boat.
Good to see you back Dan!
I respect your knowledge and always enjoy your reviews. But, I can't help thinking you Brits are too self conscious about the Defender. The "G Wagon and Wrangler styling are just cool but the Defender may be trying too hard". Really? All those cars are contrived (what car isn't, it's styling after all). Hate them all or just enjoy them as a bit of fun.
Couldn’t agree more. Reviewer seems desperate to find fault? Quite why I’m not sure....the conclusion of preferring the Jimny hmm well yes ok then.
Brilliant review 👏 please tell me honestly does the body creak when going over real uneven terrain?
Good review Dan 👍
Interesting video - thanks. At the end you say "it'll live or die by whether it's cool" and I have to disagree with that. Where I come from (Australia) it'll live or die by whether it's reliable, and whether the dealer network expands out of the capital cities. If it's not reliable, no-one is going to buy it as a farm car, or an expedition car, it'll only be the latte types that don't live too far from a dealer who'll look at it.
Looks fantastic, great video. I would love to get one one day. Would look to downgrade the wheels to 18’s though instead of the 20s that come with many of the trim levels.
There is no doubting this is an incredible car. Comparing it to a Dacia Dister and Suzuki Jimny is just ridiculous. The car is a true update to an Icon that was well past its sell by date. Its a fantastic vehicle to drive on and off road and is a true multifunctional vehicle. They have identified a unique slot in the market, its not a plaything like the Bronco, is not a Chelsea tractor like the Range Rover or G Wagon. This is a true multifunctional vehicle and with the new 3.0 engines will crush the competition. Perfect comfort on the way to the trails, fantastic capability off tarmac and a smooth cosy run home. Scaremongering by the competition regards reliability is fake news and time will prove just how good this car really is. And come on... the price is on par to other manufacturers vehicles of similar spec.
A Cheesy Homage?????? Would that be a Fromage Homage? 🤣😂😊
Having to pay extra for a towbar and off road modes is a smack in the mouth on what is supposed to be a replacement for what was arguably the best mainstream work horse vehicle ever made. I would like to see a road tester jump up and down on those tread plates!!
It appears to me to be a look a like rather than a replacement so i will await the comparison with the Grenadier.
I want a 90 with steel rims please.
Having said that, there is really only on thing that matters with the new one. It absolutely, totally, 100% must be reliable in a way that JLR have never managed so far with any of their products. Without the emotional baggage and rose-tints through which the old defender was viewed, it must stand on its own four wheels and drive the brand forwards. Important car for JLR, you betcha!
Max Torque Mine is headed back to LR for the second time to have tech issues fixed ☹️
@@DH-sm7sw That's not great, but i do always expect some teething probs with any new model. Dealer response and attitude and skill plays a part on warranty work / fixes, and unfortunately ime, some LR dealers leave a little to be desired....
D H what kind of issues?
F Smitje Low battery warnings, USB media connection dropping off, some collision avoidance functions randomly switching off, loud whistling from the A pillar (service bulletin issued on the point I hear)
D H Thanks for info will get mine next week
At less than a minute in you say it's built in Solihull, whereas I've only ever heard that it's built in Slovakia. How accurate is the rest of the video going to be...?
Land Rover Australia wrote to me last week. The diesel engine has been suspended. Only the petrol is available once the stock of diesels have been sold. Why release a new car and then suspend production?
Fair one; I wasn't clear enough in my distinction between Land Rover as a brand (and by extension Defender as the embodiment of that) being from Solihull and the actual manufacturing location for this particular model. In terms of 'intellectual property' and the emotional connection Solihull thing is to Land Rover what Crewe would be to Bentley, Zuffenhausen to Porsche and Sant'Agata to Lamborghini but all - of course - have stuff manufactured in other locations. Hell, McLaren is always referred to as being 'from' Woking when - at least now - the tubs are manufactured down the road from me in Yorkshire! Anyway, thanks for watching, hope it didn't detract too much from the rest of the vid and, per your other point, reliability will also be a big factor. Cheers!
@@midlifecrisismotorcyclist Not at all - I see what you were inferring now. I posted again after I finished watching to say thanks.
@@spudboy1328 High five!
The new Defender is not made in Solihul - it's made in Nitra in Slovakia - I have driven past the factory many times on my trips to Central Euroipe - and Slovak engineering is equal to German engineering, so I have great hopes.
Indeed it is, I wasn't clear enough in my distinction between the brand's spiritual home (as mentioned) and the location of the factory where this particular model is manufactured. Thanks for watching!
The Bronco, Wrangler, Jiminy and G-Wagon all show how you can update an iconic 4x4 and still keep its character and heritage. The Defender shows how NOT to do this. With it's complex electronics and fragile air suspension, you don't want to be caught deep in the bush when it breaks down. It looks like a Freelander, with only trivial homages to the old Defender. And despite its complex (and uninvolving) electronics, it will get stuck in places that its rivals or predecessor will glide over. You can't put on a lift kit or remove any body panels, and the independent axles are wrong for a serious 4x4. And it's way too expensive.
Yes, it's far more refined and comfortable than the old Defender. But that was never the point of the old Defender. And this one is not a proper replacement for it.
Thought it was built in Slovakia 🇸🇰 not Solihull 🇬🇧
Was that not in the information video you watched the night before 🎬🧐
#StaySafe 😷
Apologies, I wasn't clear enough in the distinction between the *brand* being 'built in Solihull and the location of the factory where this model is built. That was implicit in the 'spiritual home' line but confused elsewhere in the vid. You are right, of course!
Dan Trent even a broken clock is right twice a day ⏰😂
It was just because it was almost your opening statement, otherwise I wouldn’t have latched onto it etc
#StaySafe 😷
@@JohnInSale I think I was still traumatised
from the bright pink trousers Gerry McGovern was wearing in the design presentation part of the pre-launch vid I'd watched the night before!
Dan Trent I saw that presentation and wondered why he didn’t buy his jacket one size bigger and the white tee with the trainers made home look very 80’s / Miami Vice
But that’s a designer for you or perhaps he’s auditioning to be the next Dr Who 🧐
With that shirt, you look like a modern interpretation of a lumberjack. A bit cheesy.
Ill save my money for the Grenadier, Land Rover are lucky Ford won’t be selling it’s great new bronco over here.
First Brexit...leaving the big community,.. and now this car looks like it was made for leavers. A hate letter by Land Rover, Well done India.
😂 Let’s off road 👍🏻
I don’t think they’ll sell many, I can’t work out if it’s trying to be an off-roader or a poser car? It’s not posh enough or massively expensive like the G wagon, but it’s not raw and cheap enough for people to take it off road all of the time as their workhorse...