The Land Rover Defender is the target of competition from all angles, yet it continues to retain its unique position.
My experience of a week-long family journey with the 2024 Land Rover Defender 110 taught me that underestimating this iconic vehicle in favor of its competitors would be a misstep.
Why choose the Defender? I discovered that it is impeccably engineered, offering a potent turbo-6 engine option, intuitive controls, and smart design. However, using the controls can be perplexing, the turbo-6 exhibits some delay, and as a Land Rover, it may face more electrical issues compared to its rivals based on certain reports.
Here are the advantages and disadvantages I encountered while living with the 2024 Land Rover Defender 110
Pro: Unmatched Land Rover craftsmanship surpasses rivals
The attention to detail in the construction of this vehicle brought back memories of 1990s Mercedes-Benz models. Apart from the Mercedes-Benz G-Class, it’s a challenge to find another modern vehicle that exudes this level of solidity. From the precise operation of the door handles to the firm closure of the doors, everything feels exceptionally well-built. The controls offer a satisfying tactile response—each button click can be felt and heard. A handy grab handle on the dashboard aids in easy entry and exit, showcasing its robustness. You can shake the entire SUV using the handle without it budging, a stark contrast to other vehicles like the Ford Bronco, which may exhibit quality issues. The premium feel of the Defender is incomparable to the likes of a $90,000 Jeep Wrangler or Ford Bronco.
Con: Persistent electronic issues plague the Defender
Throughout my time with the Defender 110, the voice command feature on the steering wheel was unresponsive most of the time. This button was responsible for both the infotainment system’s voice commands and Siri for iOS devices. While it would occasionally work, it was often unreliable. Additionally, the touch-sensitive unlock buttons on the door handles failed to function around half of the time. This led to manually unlocking the Defender with the remote key, although occasionally, the touch buttons would work correctly. Despite being a relatively new vehicle with just over 7,000 miles, such issues appeared common, as highlighted in the J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Survey.
Pro: The turbo-6 powerplant in the Defender delivers exceptional performance
While the Defender offers a 296-hp 2.0-liter turbo-4 that some find underwhelming, I found the 3.0-liter turbo-6 engine with 395 hp in my test vehicle to be the perfect balance. The turbo-6 provides substantial and underrated power, offering quick acceleration and an impressive sound profile both at idle and under throttle, standing out from engines like the turbo-6 in the Lexus GX.
Con: Turbo-6 engine in the Defender suffers from lag and thirst
Despite the EPA rating of 17 mpg city, 20 highway, 18 combined, the turbo-6 engine’s fuel efficiency leaves much to be desired. Over approximately 270 mixed suburban miles, the Defender returned an average of 16.4 mpg. While not exceptional, the 6-cylinder engine was more frugal than the V-8 alternative.
An electric powertrain in this modelwould be excellent, Land Rover. That’s my opinion because the turbo-6 engine exhibits noticeable turbo lag and then bursts into power like adrenaline at around 2,200 rpm. A turbo-6 in a BMW or Mercedes-Benz is notably smoother than this. Even the new Hurricane turbo-6 from Stellantis in a Jeep Wagoneer provides smoother power delivery. The Defender showcases a shelf and USB port on the dashboard for holding items while in motion.
Pro: Defender integrates practical controls with functional design
When you take the wheel of the Defender, you’ll appreciate the array of buttons and dials for essential climate and audio functions. The forward visibility is remarkable due to the upright greenhouse with tall windows and slender A-pillars. Although the rear vision is somewhat obstructed by the spare tire on the tailgate, my test vehicle featured a $570 digital rearview mirror that displays a camera feed to resolve this issue. On the right side of the dashboard, there is a recessed shelf that can accommodate items like a compass, handheld GPS, radio equipment, or a smartphone. The rear-seat passengers, which included my kids and their friends in this scenario, enjoyed the elevated seating position and the roof-mounted alpine windows that allow natural light to stream in.
Con: The controls in the Defender are perplexing and inadequately lit
Using all those physical controls can be confusing in practice at best. The temperature adjustment dials have multiple functions, from controlling heated and cooled seats (the latter not present in my test vehicle) to selecting off-road driving modes. This layered control system is managed by buttons, which then determine the function of the knobs. Press this to use it for that or click that to assign control to this. Making adjustments is cumbersome and demands careful thought. Furthermore, the controls are prone to being washed out by sunlight, making it difficult to discern the functions of each button in certain lighting conditions.
In a market with $80,000 to $90,000 Ford Broncos and Jeep Wranglers, the Defender’s price of $62,275 (including a $1,475 destination charge) in the four-door 110 configuration doesn’t seem unreasonable. With optional features like the turbo-6 and off-road driving modes for $750, or air suspension and adaptive dampers for $1,600, the tested price of $82,053 makes the Defender’s pricing seem quite reasonable.
After my initial experience with the 2024 Lexus GX, I mentioned the automaker put Land Rover in the crosshairs. I still stand by that statement. However, after encountering certain advantages and challenges during extended use of the GX, driving a $90,000-plus Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco, and living with the Defender, it’s evident that the Defender can still compete admirably in its market segment.
