View Photos of the 2020 Land Rover Defender
Land Rover's off-road legend returns as a refined and practical—but still tough—SUV.
Land Rover is bringing back its iconic off-road Defender nameplate after a 23-year hiatus. Read our review of the new, 2020 Defender here.
To prove the toughness and capability of the new Defender, Land Rover brought us to Namibia, Africa for three days and roughly 500 miles of bashing around off-road.
The diversity of Namibia's terrain is breathtaking, changing from rocks to sand and from lush green to desert in a matter of miles. We felt like we were in multiple different countries—and sometimes even planets—over the course of a single day of driving.
As before, there are short-wheelbase 90 and stretched 110 models. However, the Defender's dimensions have grown to match those of today's class of mid-size SUVs. So while 90 and 110 used to roughly equate to the Defender's wheelbase dimensions, the new 90 has a wheelbase closer to 110 inches than does the 110 model, and 110's wheelbase, at 119.0 inches, is at the large end of the mid-size segment.
For those that might think the new Defender's unibody architecture and independent suspension front and rear means it's gone soft, know that a two-speed transfer case is standard, and it's 11.5 inches of ground clearance and 40-degree departure angle—thanks to an adjustable air suspension—exceeds that of its predecessor and the Jeep Wrangler.
With an optional third row on 110 models and an available jump seat in the front row of two-row 90s or 110s, the Defender can seat 5, 6, or 7 passengers.
The new model retains a number of styling cues from the previous Defender, including the bulge in the transition from the lower to upper body side, and portal windows on the roof's outer edge. But emissions are much more critical now, so the previously bluff bodysides taper toward the rear to improve aerodynamics.
The available steel wheels are also a nice touch.
Nothing toughens up the look and draws it closer to its predecessor than a generous coat of mud, and we were happy to oblige.
The Defender gets a new infotainment system built on Blackberry's QNX platform that appears to deliver on its promise of quicker response times and a flatter menu structure.
Some of the credit for the new Defender's very solid structure goes to the exposed magnesium beam that spans the dash. By not enclosing it behind a panel, Land Rover made its unfinished look an interior-design element and freed up some space for storage nooks across the front of the cabin.
There are a bevy of cameras that provide views tailored to on-road, off-road, or hooking up a trailer. Plus, there's a camera feed for the rear-view mirror, and the ultrasonic sensors on the bottom of the side mirrors can measure the depth of water the Defender is entering.
Land Rover offers a host of accessories for the new Defender. All of our cars were equipped with the $4800 Explorer pack, which includes, among other things, a roof rack, a waterproof lockable box hanging off the right side of the vehicle, and an intake snorkel on the A-pillar. These cars also had the $780 fold-down ladder to make reaching that roof rack a cinch.
Two powertrains are available in the U.S., a 296-hp turbo four-cylinder or a 395-hp turbo and electrically supercharged inline-six. Both make dramatically more power than the previous Defender's Buick-derived V-8.
2020 Land Rover Defender
2020 Land Rover Defender
2020 Land Rover Defender
2020 Land Rover Defender
2020 Land Rover Defender
2020 Land Rover Defender
2020 Land Rover Defender
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