2021 Land Rover Defender Reviews

The new Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series is one of the most anticipated 4x4 models in Australia, so we thought we'd see how it stacks up against a couple of like-minded competitor four-wheel drives. Here we have the 300 GX up against the Nissan Patrol Ti-L and the Land Rover Defender 110 D250. All three close on price, performance, practicality - we drove them off-road and included a towing test!

The Landrover Defender conjures up a feeling of nostalgia and this brand new version is the ultimate blend of its signature heritage with modern luxury.

The D200 is the base-spec diesel variant in the new Land Rover Defender range. It has an MSRP of $69,626. It’s available in only standard Defender 110 spec and is available with the option of five, six or 5+2 seating.It has a 2.0-litre inline four-cylinder diesel engine, producing 147kW/430Nm, and that’s teamed with an eight-speed automatic transmission.It has a permanent all-wheel drive system, dual-range transfer case, as well as Land Rover’s Terrain Response system.It also has centre and rear diff locks.Driver-assist tech includes AEB, a 3D surround camera, wade sensing, cruise control and speed limiter, lane keep assist, and traffic sign recognition and adaptive speed limiter.It has 10.0-inch touchscreen Pivi Pro system, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, DAB radio, and sat nav.Fuel consumption is a claimed 7.6L/100km (on a combined cycle). The Defender has a 90-litre tank.This Defender is covered by a five-year / unlimited kilometre warranty, and five-year service plan ($1950 for diesels), which includes five years roadside assist. 

The D240 is the mid-range diesel variant in the Defender range. It has a 2.0-litre inline four-cylinder diesel engine, producing 177kW and 430Nm.It’s available in four trim levels – the D240, D240 S, D240 SE, and the D240 First Edition – and with the option of five, six or 5+2 seating in the five-door 110.It has an eight-speed automatic transmission, and a permanent all-wheel drive system, dual-range transfer case, as well as Land Rover’s Terrain Response system, with switchable modes such as Grass/Gravel/Snow, Sand, Mud and Ruts, and Rock Crawl. It also has centre and rear diff locks.Standard features on the Defender range include LED headlights, heated, electric, power-fold door mirrors, approach lights and auto-dimming keyless entry, and auto-dimming interior rear view mirror.Driver-assist tech includes AEB, cruise control and speed limiter, lane keep assist, and traffic sign recognition and adaptive speed limiter.It has 10.0-inch touchscreen Pivi Pro system, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, DAB radio, and sat nav.Fuel consumption is a claimed 7.6L/100km (on a combined cycle). The Defender has a 90-litre tank.This Defender is covered by a five-year / unlimited kilometre warranty, and five-year service plan ($1950 for diesels), which includes five years roadside assist.

The Land Rover Defender has always been synonymous with off-road adventure, but now the much-anticipated new high-tech Defender has arrived to take on Australia's hard-core 4WDing. Is the new Defender still as capable off-road but, more importantly, is it as comfortable on-road as it needs to be to compete in today's SUV market? Is that even possible? So many questions...

The P400 is the petrol MHEV (mild hybrid electric vehicle) variant in the new Land Rover Defender range. It has a 3.0-litre turbo-charged in-line six-cylinder petrol engine – producing 294kW at 5500rpm and 550Nm at 2000-5000rpm. It has an eight-speed automatic transmission, and a permanent all-wheel drive system, dual-range transfer case, as well as Land Rover’s Terrain Response 2 system, with switchable modes such as Grass/Gravel/Snow, Sand, Mud and Ruts, and Rock Crawl. It also has centre and rear diff locks.The P400 is available in four spec levels: P400 S ($95,335), P400 SE ($102,736), P400 HSE ($112,535), or P400 X ($136,736).It’s available with the option of five, six or 5+2 seating in the five-door 110.Standard features on the Defender range include LED headlights, heated, electric, power-fold door mirrors, approach lights and auto-dimming keyless entry, and auto-dimming interior rear view mirror.Driver-assist tech includes AEB, a 3D surround camera, wade sensing, cruise control and speed limiter, lane keep assist, and traffic sign recognition and adaptive speed limiter.It also has 10.0-inch touchscreen Pivi Pro system, a smartphone pack (with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), DAB radio, sat nav and a 180W six-speaker sound system.Fuel consumption is a claimed 9.9L/100km (on a combined cycle).The Defender has a 90-litre tank.