WE LIKE
Comfortable ride Punchy diesel engine Spacious and very practical inside Slow depreciation Go-anywhere ability Well equipped
WE LIKE
Comfortable ride Punchy diesel engine Spacious and very practical inside Slow depreciation Go-anywhere ability Well equipped
Like a Swiss Army knife or a Leatherman multi-tool, the Land Rover Defender has gained a reputation for versatility that has stood it in good stead with buyers – whether they’re celebrities, royalty or fictional secret agents. You can have the current iteration in five, six, seven or eight-seat forms, with three or five doors and with petrol, diesel or plug-in hybrid power; there’s likely to be a version to suit everyone.
It’s the mid-range Defender 110 model that we think makes the most sense for larger families, though. It’s not as unwieldy as the supersized Defender 130, while its extra length over the Defender 90 means your rear passengers will be able to stretch out on long trips, plus it’s available as a seven-seater. The two third-row seats (which pull up out of the boot floor) aren’t token offerings, either; adults will find that they have plenty of leg and head room back there, and access is easy, because the second row can be slid forwards.
With bums on all seven seats, there isn’t a great deal of boot space (some rivals such as the BMW X7 and Volvo XC90 offer more), but in five-seat mode the Defender’s load bay is large and practical in shape. And when the time comes to head off road, the Defender can take you farther than any of its rivals, whether your destination is Surrey or the Sahara.
KEY FACTS
List price £69,385 Target Price
£67,860 Target PCP £604
Engine 6cyl, 2997cc, diesel Power 296bhp Torque 479lb ft Gearbox 8-spd automatic
0-60mph 6.6sec Top speed 119mph
Official economy 33.0mpg CO2 , tax band 225g/km, 37%
Euro NCAP safety rating (2020)
KEY FACTS