That was a bloody brilliant video. Factual and non biased. I'm hoping someone at JLR sees this and gives you a Defender 110 on coils to do with what you please for a year so that we can get a real "feel" for what it's really like....
A lot of opinion, rather. Quite a few suppositions. A lot of good opinions based on prior experience, but there's no experience with the new version yet, so that, as he says, makes this a case of commentary on the release notes from LR and that's it. I am looking forward to 2030 when I may be able to afford a 2021MY.
Absolutely blown away by how genuinely passionate this fella is regarding off-roading vehicles very rarely one comes across such healthy obsession... Thoroughly impressed and subscribed the channel
I agree, I'm in Costa Rica, so how can I service a car that breaks down in the middle of a farm located in the mountain, that I have to cross a river full of rocks, I agree, I can't find parts in any place, plus buying the tires in case one gets destroyed would be impossible if it's size 22 or 18, plus air suspension doesn't work in mud and on sand, so the first generation still has time to make a durable off road that can stand pain, a roof tent without checking the local needs, our Land Rover dealer here in Costa Rica has some interesting testing for it's new arrivals, plus all electronics must stand weather issues such as rain and heat, that in my country goes to extreme, you can be in the middle of a beach with burning hot heat and 2 hours later you can be in the middle of a swamp with 90% of humidity, for example the Jeep Wrangler rubbers, plastics and wires don't stand moisture and heat in the USA and Canada, because of cheap materials that they are built on, now the question is how they are going to tackle such weather conditions for countries such as India, Australia, Canada and of course out the Latin America and African continent, I would like to see a Defender Camel trophy inspired competition so I can see the 110 and 90 in action, having to deal with mud, rivers and other lovely things that the tropical forest has to offer.
@@grievuspwn4g3 car wow haven't done a review yet .... they have done a introductory video scripted by landrover, they do good reviews, in their disco 5 review they even mentioned reliability.
@@grievuspwn4g3 Most of the UK car press is wholly in the pay of whoever advertises most with them unfortunately; you can't believe a word you read on just about any of the well known sites.
@@grievuspwn4g3 JLR only invited the top four selling car magazines (I'm old school - I still read stuff off paper!) in the UK, which did not include LR Monthly or LR Owner International!
If you don't yet follow him check out BOLTR. Ave puts his finger on it. Brands and their "marketing wank" They don't like people exposing their flawed, value-engineered products.
Actually, his review was very positive about its capabilities off road. I thought the standard industry reviewers did not go into that much, they usually drive cars.
A friend of mine who is farmer in Shropshire wanted to replace a Defender short wheel base five cylinder diesel - owned from new. Too late; the old Defender was discontinued. He waited for the new thing called Defender, and decided to spend enough to bring his old Land Rover back as good as new with a complete rebuild. It will last another twenty years now. Longer than any of these new things called the Defender. Land Rover have just created another over-complicated Chelsea tractor for the school run.
Can I hose the interior down? Can it be fixed in the dark with a couple of spanners? Can you climb in covered in mud without worrying you might ruin something? No? Then it's not a Defender.
Look up the INEOS Grenadier. Sir Jim Ratcliffe, founder of INEOS, said a farmer should be able to get in with boots covered in cow shit and at the end of the day hose it down inside and out. He’s worth £15.6 billion and his company has just bought the bits of BP Petrochemicals it didn’t acquire previously. He’s spent £600-700million building a factory to build them.
sorry but you cant "hose down the interior" of a relatively modern original defender anyway!! Its full of electronics! and for the record, every surface in the new interior is wipe clean. Every surface is made of hard wearing materials. No its not the "Old" defender. But its not supposed to be either. Oh and your Ineos Grenadier? The retail price is gonna be even higher than a full spec Defender2
You'd think Land Rover would have learnt from the overwhelming success of the new Suzuki Jimny and Landcruiser 70 series. There is a massive thirst for solid axle, simple, old school 4x4s. Land Rover had the perfect opportunity to do something great with the Defender in a similar vein. But instead went with independent air suspension all round, 85 ECU's and an electronic switch to open the tailgate... I dare say this is the last nail in the coffin for Land Rover.
I reckon sales will be crazy for this little lovely, which is ultimately what LR needs and want. Most people want those nasty things. I will buy one for some moderate trips into the bush, but for the middle of the bush, back to my Toyota. What percentage will be Chelsea Tractors, well most, but thats business. Its like going back to the rotary telephone.
bobscratchit I suspect it will do well at the cost of some of its other models.. particularly the discovery. Those who were considering the defender will probably look elsewhere
As always, an insightful analysis. What makes me laugh is that you have not even been in front of one and this review is more in-depth than people who were looking at the vehicle in the flesh at the Frankfurt motor show. Nice one Andrew 👍👍👍
Exactly! The most advanced infotainment any car has needed for the last 10 years is a Bluetooth receiver for the owners choice of phone and a place to mount it.
Yep, same is true for ANY off the shelf 4x4. People want to “look like” they are off roaders. Here in the states I see maybe one in 20 jeeps that actually leave the pavement. And that’s being very generous.
I presently proudly own a 2002 110 V8 and a 2018 Land Cruiser HZJ 4.5 TurboD troopie. And I just love their bold, uncompromised, practical , sturdy and immortal legacy to true 4x4 nature. And masculime beauty. How could I ever fancy to own the new, ladyboy minded KIA DEFENDER?
+Northmansland Australia has midge flies, these are smaller than the regular mosquito netting holes, so they can go straight through regular mosquito netting, any tent netting needs to be midge netting which has very small openings.
@@off_the_road They are found mostly in coastal areas in Australia around lagoons etc, if you never camp around these types of areas there is no need for midge netting, Problem with the netting the openings have to be very small and this can restrict airflow inside the tent, making it hot inside, Australia coastal is hot during the warmer months so good airflow in a tent is essential so restricting airflow can make it very difficult to sleep :)
From Mongolia, long time subscriber and i have to tell you this! Yes you can find 17’ out in the countryside and tires will be fixed no problem. I have drove around my country quite literally in my 10 year old VW Touareg. Fee cuts and punctures, yes it is ok to ride on 17’ and have it serviced in a 100 people settlement with no squabble
Hey two? Point was that Mongolia is no-longer a “backwater” of the world! We have better phone service than most canadian or russian remote regions for example! All major car producers have shops with parts. Local services gotten so good to a point that you can make order online parts from a countryside and get the part in two days. Now try that in russia or chinese countryside.
Okay so I own a 2002 Td5 110 that I have had since new and I live in Australia. The problem with Land Rover Downunder is that they closed down all of their rural dealerships years ago. So it doesn't matter how capable this new Defender is because for those of us living in the Outback or even in rural areas the nearest dealership is bloody miles away. I just see the new Defender as a cheaper alternative for people wanting a Discovery.
Cedar Canoe I think if you dig deep enough the new defender is the old LR4. It is a very thorough reskin but needs a nose job to be a convincing Defender. replacement.
Yes sure, it is what I told them last weekend, it is a incredible Discovery, but not a Defender, no, no not a Defender anymore.... And now what will be the future of the New Discovery.????
Range Rovers and Defenders are made in different facilities so this may NOT to be an issue but then again being made in Slovakia VW and Skoda are know to have electrical problems.
@@greekguytalks I think the programming and the quality of the electronic parts makes more difference than where those parts are assembled. (And the number of electronics incorporated in the vehicle. The more there are, the more can go wrong)
You are right! the 70 would have many buyers and can't understand why Toyota doesn't want to bring it in UK, US and EU. Suzuki undersood the matter and came out with the new Jimney which is having big success. C'mon Toyota, wake up!
Man, just from the specifications given in the promo video, you were able to grill down the defender and give the most useful review than many auto jounalist who actually gave a review by driving it for days. And Hats-off to your experience and knowledge on the Subject. You truly are 4x4 guru. !! :) Cheers
First and foremost, JL is a company, with the purpose to deliver value to its shareholders, meaning to deliver profit. As more people on the marketplace want to buy cordless drills instead of old-fashioned hammers, the new Defender proposition has been chosen rightly so!
one can use anything as a hammer. conscious use paired up with ultimate goal (in what one is trying to hammer) will determine lifespan. would i get this cordless drill. No
I really like that part as well. When he got BF Goodrich on board as a sponsor, he also stopped doing tire reviews and explained *why* he made that decision. That's a very good mentality to have. :)
@@gnawershreth what i liked and was one of his first videos i watched and made me continue watching regularly was with the ARB tyre monitors. If i remember correctly he was Brutally Honest about saying they are not up to scratch for an ARB product even though he loves ARB. Most Fan Boys of any company would of try to gloss over the negatives to try make it look better then what it was. In a follow uo Video he ended up finding a better product which he recommended (in built tyre monitor).
When you said that you were reviewing the defender,I was sceptical. But I'm subscribing. And that video is just awesome for the unbiased review based on facts that you've collected via experience. Thank you.
won't i buy one ?? .........NO !!!!!!!!! not in a million years , i want a 4x4 that i can repair , change , modified , i am a machanic . i like to get my hands dirty good analyzed Andrew , i love the way you put into words
Advertising is targeted towards urbanites. And all those marvellous accessories 😂....... mud flaps, roof rack, shower..... still my beating heart ! Get a Jimny if you want a cheap, versatile, go anywhere off roader. It's not a Defender but neither is the new Defender.
I would think the Jimny would feel underpowered taking off at the lights- Not to drag race of course, just to be able to move off without feeling like a P.O.S car. I mean, at baseline it's a 1.5L engine. A Hyundai i30 has a 1.6L engine and that in itself does not feel fun to drive. So why would people want to get a Jimny?
I totally agree. You cannot handle a breakdown in the middle of the woods because of some computer decided to throw up on themselves. I bought a 97 jeep Cherokee for that exact reason. Fuel injection is the only Electronics it has.
The safest means of mass transport is by aircraft, they are jammed packed with electronics. Welcome to 2020. Maybe it can be resolved if you undergo some training, get yourself a OBD reader, spare ECU pre-programmed and a various bunch of basic electronique spare parts... Food for thought
The old defender 130s could tow 3.5 tons and carry a ton in the back at the same time, and only had tiny brakes. But they were all manuals so you did have engine braking on your side.
I'm a 76 series Land Cruiser driver comming from an old Land Rover Defender TD5. And allthough I love my 76, I will always have a soft spot for a Defender. I thought this video was a very well presented observation on the new Landy. Well done Andrew.
I've owned so many landys over the years . From 70's series 3's to brand new discovery's . I genuinely believe this is their biggest mistake ever !! Not the vehicle, it's the badge ! If they'd called it the new freelander , disco or a totally new name everyone would be raving. That name had the greatest automobile following in the world . They just totally f##ked it . Total idiots . Thanks for all the great video's, top man 👍👍👍
@@douglastodd1947 what TATA has to do with it? Yeah they own it, but it's not their choice, what name to give it.. LRs owners don't interfere much in it's business. It's a brand which was already going down, that's the only reason it was sold to Ford n then to TATA. N for your information, it's working much better under TATA than it was under Ford
Just discovered your channel with this video, thought I might watch for just a couple of minutes... Here I am 20 mins later feeling extremely well educated on the new Defender!
The new "Defender" is just another version of the Discovery type vehicle, the Defender was a utility vehicle at it's heart, I guess Landrover feel the market among "soccer mum's" is more profitable than the commercial and agricultural market. The weakness of the air suspension, beyond reliability, is that when you raise the ride height you make the suspension harder, which isn't want you want off road.
I have a Discovery 3 and I am not a soccer mom ;-) We take it to the playground (aka the mud) very regularly and I think you don't know what you're talking about. Air suspension is awesome. If you don't have solid axles, air suspension is the way to go if you need to tow, want to fit huge tires, want to fit normal tires for long voyages and so on. The Defender is a true Disco and I can't wait to try it out.
@@Thunder_Yoda Based on buying used cars as a dealer from the auto auctions for 15 years I beg to differ as to whether I know what I'm talking about, I've seen too many LR products in "low rider" mode be sold cheaply due to the need for expensive repairs to believe otherwise, still in your mind your sample of one trumps my experience. Good luck to you may your airbags continue to work.
And there's nothing wrong with LR wanting to make cars for soccer moms but why on earth does *every* model have to be made for them? It's like they made a car to compete against their other cars. Why?
The writting was on the wall for what the new defender was going to be like once the discovery 5 was released. The defender is the Discovery 4 replacement for those who actually use them offroad.
Stephen Darke exactly, I wanted a replacement for my D4 but have been put off by the Disco 5. I was starting to lean towards a Prado, but now the Defender is on the list.
My initial reaction was “this is just a replacement for the disco 4” then I started watching and reading and now, I’m pretty happy, I kinda want one. I firmly believe that if they had called this by any other name there would not be an ounce of criticism toward it, as it stands though, I think they’ve done a good job
@@Phos9 I may be wrong, but as far as I know, only the short wheel base model has the option of coil or air springs and the long wheel base is air only.
TheNicknack43 proven to go wrong, it annoying when you get a suspension fault on the side of theA1 and it won’t move and have to wait two hours for recovery, imagine that in some far off middle of nowhere with little chance of recovery.
The essence of the old defender was a simple bare canvas for the owner to change and do with whatever they thought was best in there own garage if they so please, this to me is the essence of the defender, not what is was designed for but what it grew into.
I wish the new defender looked exactly like the old one. I think they have created a new Discovery here. That said I guess they worked out what they sell the most of and maybe this new "thing" is what customers actually want. Time will tell.
To me its a new chapter for 'Defender'...a legacy Brand Not Really easy to terminate,BUT, Needed to be improved, and YES, Definitely with compromises..
The biggest change is going from straight axles to fully-independent suspension. For truly extreme off-road, this new fully-independent suspension is a weakness. Straight axles are a huge advantage when it comes to rock crawling.
Andrew; Want an honest opinion on off roading ACROSS THE WORLD!!?? Go to your videos. Honesty without being owned by the manufacturers is a rare thing. Keep up the great work and your honesty!!
@@firstclassatlanticflyer reliability comes from a sturdy, but simplistic design. No wonder modern cars struggle to match olde rones in that area, what with all the sensors, infotainment, and complicated solutions applied to them
@@aakar1s exactly, it's what made those vehicles reliable and easy to work on. The worst that could happen today are cost and availability of parts, in my opinion. Other than that anyone with a decent amount of experience shouldn't have trouble with older cars.
My uncle just got back from Africa and has a video of a guide iterally dragging a dead giraffe off the road in a 70 series with 3 lions standing by waiting... no way guys like that will be using the new defender.
I REALLY hope Land Rover at least offers a "stripped" version so it'll be less likely to have issues. I don't like all that unnecessary stuff like a glass sunroof. A somewhat barebones interior with removable carpet, a stereo and just the necessities are fine with me. And I bet it'll bring the price down a LOT.
What annoys me about it is that people keep saying it's about safety, emissions etc. as if that somehow makes it impossible to make a way more utilitarian vehicle. You can still buy a Toyota LC 70 Series, you can still buy a Mercedes G Class, you can also look at some of the available vans out there like the Mercedes Vario 4x4 or even the Iveco Daily 4x4. Clearly it's possible to make way more utilitarian vehicles that are still road legal, it seems like the whole safety and emissions thing is nothing but an excuse to leave their old market to be honest. There's a difference between "We have to live up to certain laws." and then "Let's abandon the market we've always catered to entirely." which some people don't seem to get. Living up to new regulations, laws and standards doesn't mean you have to make yet another "fancy" SUV, and pretend it's an overland vehicle by giving it differential locks or whatever. You don't *have* to choose between "legal" and "pretty utilitarian" at all, you *can* do both to a certain extent. Oh, and good lord the front is ugly.
@@gnawershreth Yeah it's obviously done to cater to the market that jaguar/land rover has created with the F-pace, Evoque and to a lesser extent the original range rover sport.
Lovely personality, noticeable passion for off-roading, unbiased and factually driven opinions... Hands down the best defender related video on TH-cam...
I’m hoping Ford pulls through with something as iconic as the classic Bronco that can compete with the Jeep Wrangler, but I won’t be surprised to see something like this new Defender; essentially an Ford Escape with a body kit.
Yeah they already have given out enough information to know they've fucked up the Bronco...not a little but a lot. No V8, no solid axles and no removable top, its nothing more than the Global Ford Everest pile of shit with a Bronco sticker on it and an additional $15-20k added to the price.
Sir it was damn an awesome video. You truly deserve a standing ovation for producing such amazing and unbiased content. Got to learn a lot. Thank you. All the best. Cheers.
A very sober and objective look at the new Defender, Andrew - well done! I can see it selling well, but killing off the Discovery 5 in the process. LC 70 series, Wrangler and Jimny will remain unaffected.
Land Rover took a page out of the SUV market, and is now selling a Lifestyle Accessory. Granted, it's a very capable Lifestyle Accessory, but still. Utilitarian vehicles are not glamorous. And they are selling a dream.
Something not touched on is that although these materials look posh, they are actually very hard-wearing. I get the impression people are out to hate it in the comments. Noticed that with the Supra early reviews - commentors hated it because it was "not a real Toyota, it was basically a Z4", they all said. "Never sell as people want a manual", they all said.
@@andrewnorris5415 Yeah, Land Rover may be selling a dream now, but they are doing a better job at it than most SUV makers out there. As an offroader / overlander, it will be very capable right out of the factory. Lets not forget that the SUV's are supposed to do the things that the Land Rover will actually do. *If anything, it's the SUV's that have become so watered down, that they are by now just large consumer goods* waddling their way, slowly, around the local school and shopping center, promising an "Adventurous life" and "superior safety". I don't hate the new Land Rover, I have to say, it's a modern SUV, which is what sells best. And lets be honest, the utilitarian aspect of the Land Rover has long been forgotten, none of the latter ones could plough a field. And it's probably better that way. Let the Unimog corner that market. 🤣
Why is this high-key the best video I've ever watched on TH-cam? I've watched a few of your videos (maybe one or two - I remember watching a Pajero review two or three years ago, but I'm not sure), but I don't tend to watch these sorts of videos, and generally enjoy other genres on TH-cam. But my word, something about this video was so entertaining! You were so unbiased, and I really appreciate how you were realistic in your conclusions, without hating it or loving it automatically, considering what it did well and what it didn't. I felt bad about liking this vehicle, as I grew up around the old Defender in the middle of nowhere, West Africa, where the company that my dad worked for used them to get to the remotest of villages to provide aid and conduct medical research, specifically around child survival and malaria - the Defender was well respected (though extremely uncomfortable to ride in). My Dad's work stopped using them towards the early 2010s because they became much more computerised and difficult to fix, but I was too young to understand what any of that meant, even if it was explained to me in detail. This video was so interesting to me, given my "third-culture" background, and my less tehnical knowledge about the defender and more nostalgic emotional impressions of it. I feel justified in appreciating the new one now, even if it's just for the way it looks and not it's capability, now that we've moved home and no longer live in Africa. Keep up the good work! I'll be watching more often now ☺
Great review! I bought a new suzuki jimny and TBH, I'm pleased I did. It surprisingly good offroad and I can tinker with it and add components. Even though it's new, I love it like an old car. I'm not sure I'd ever find that feeling with the new defender.
The Land Rover Defender has always been a real 4X4 and nearly unstoppable. That new thing is a pretty boys city toy that will never fill the boots of it's namesake.
Yep...soon to be at every StarBucks coffee place. The new Defender is a for the yuppies. Trucks like the Toyota 70, LandCruiser and Nissan Patrol are for the real 4x4 men.
as a series2a owner and landrover lover for 60 years, the defender was a work horse. this new defender is NOT a defender. made for school runs & shopping in harrods..... not Lidl :-)
Agree with everything you said, especially the observation of versatility. This is one of the key “heritage” characteristics that LR play off in their advertising yet totally overlooked in building the New Defender. Suzuki hit the button with the new Jimny regarding the original ethos (small, cheap, reliable, good off road) whereas LR appear to have completely abandoned the very market that started the legend. Forget the new design, it is the disregard for the philosophy of the original defender that makes me dislike this new vehicle.
What turns me off more...for big off-roading with this new Defender, is the unibody construction. With time passing by, and heavy abuse...we gonna se how panels align up.
Too flash, complex, unconfigurable and perhaps expensive for heavy industrial and agricultural duty together with the requirements for tough overland leisure duties. But also too expensive and utilitarian for urban housewife / middle class SUV set. Seems to fall uncomfortably between the two, and could therefore miss the mark on sales in both markets.
@King Brilliant Should be though, much better shape than the new Disco.....it isn't (and never will be) a utilitarian, practical vehicle like the Defender has been for decades.
The new discovery has a lot of the same specs - payload, towing, wading depth, suspension travel - the discovery trades a bit larger interior for a bit less geometery but the basic hardware is the same. The new discovery also comes with a big diesel here in the US which the discovery doesn't and i'm not sure about the longevity and replacement costs of a 48V lithium battery especially on a safari. I like the rear of the defender and the front of the discovery. Just my opinion.
How different is this car from a Discovery? And even of late the Discovery looks like s Range Rover. They had three distinct categories and now the lines are so blurred.
I was sceptical of a vehicle review by someone who has never been near the vehicle itself, but I love the way he presents his argument and works through the evidence to support it.
Whatever you say or whatever Landrover say, 99% of them will only ever be used for school trips and going to Waitrose. I doubt a single customer in the UK at least will take it off road other than a gravel car park.
When the air suspension fails, due to hight sensor, or any other sensor in the air suspension, the system will lockup the dampers, it’s less comfortable, but it wil not stop the car from going. Also the electric network in the car is redesigned, in such way, I truly believe, as an mechanic, that this improved the relay ability of the car.
I thoroughly enjoyed that review, not just for the valuable technical insight alone but for it's passion- which is after all what off-road driving is about.
michael07111992 Not sure how you come to that conclusion. Spec a 110 to the same spec as a Rubicon, and it’s about £10K more, that’s even after Jeep UK 40% price hike with the latest Wrangler. Compare it to US and Canadian prices it’s about half the price. Same with Landcruiser. Even base utility version is £35K inc VAT, Defender commercial will start at £35K + VAT. I don’t consider a 20% difference the same. Again, no doubt when you spec them to the same level Defender will be even more than 20% more expensive.
the worlds turned, we don't need that versatility any longer. My F-Pace has a tow capacity of 2400kg - its capable off road and fast on-road. I rate the new Defender and will be ordering in March 2020 to experience it myself.
You obviously are not keeping up with modern 4x4's. They ALL have digital traction systems. Watch the Expedition Overland series to get caught up, wise guy.
I have managed to find fuel tank capacities on the brochure available on Land Rover’s South African website. 83,5l for the diesel 90 series, 88,5l for the petrol 90 series. 85l for the diesel 110 series and 90l for the petrol 110 series.
Same figures in the UK brochure. Slightly less fuel capacity than my '83 109 (twin 50 litre tanks), about the same fuel economy, but at least 3 times the power.
If the air suspension has a fault or a failure there are products you can carry with you to reset it easily - eg Gap IID BT tool. It will identify the troubled part. A dealer visit isn’t required. I carry one in my recovery kit for my LR4.
The days of one vehicle being able to do every trick in the book are over and land rover have missed the point in trying to make the defender do that. It has too many compromises. I could understand if the rest of the range were comprised of a luxury limousine, a family estate, a city run about and a sports car that land rover might want a 4x4 capable of essentially everything at once but all their vehicles are basically just scaled versions of the same thing based on a customer's available budget. Every model is trying to steal buyers from every other model in the range which is quite an odd business plan. Good luck land rover.
@@benw2751 yeah fair enough it does but it falls sensibly into a place in Toyota's range between the rav4 and land cruiser, not really stealing sales from either. The defender on the other hand, sits somewhere in a range of equally capable vehicles ok it's not a luxury limousine like the full fat range rover and it's stronger than the discovery sport and evoke but it is broadly the same as the discovery, range rover sport and velar, all playing for the same market. If land rover had been paying attention they could have placed the defender at the utility end of the market against the massed ranks of the pickups and had a vehicle that could have wiped the floor with the competition. But they didn't.
Has anyone here who has made a comment driven one... ? Just returned from the highlands and clearly out performed the original 110 in some serious off-road days. . Now with 3000 miles on the clock and no regrets... Simply the best LR I've owned.. (No13)... Average 40 MPG at 70 mph and could get out after 625 miles and still walk. Wake up !! we are now in the 21st century... They don't make Spitfires anymore either..
I’m the first to share LandRover jokes and am a LandCruiser fan That said... I think they did a great job. It was never going to be the same. I think they dragged the old model into the future... 😉
You say that this has 18inch rims to cope with a 3.5tonne towing capability, but the old Defender had the same towing capacity with a 16inch wheel, so not sure this comment is correct. I suspect marketing took over and 18 are now deemed small wheels ergo, it had to be 18 or greater.
I agree, and I would say tyres have a very big effect on braking capacity, more than slightly bigger rotors. A Defender on BFG AT's (which I love) can be made to lock-up in damp conditions on tarmac! Road bias tyres are better at braking but no good off road!
Interesting video and a lot of good points raised. Personally I think what we are really seeing here is a replacement for the Discovery. It can't be a true Defender replacement as it isnt adaptable enough. The military won't use them. Power companies won't use them. Farmers can't afford them. It isn't nice to look at either I think.
Good honest review. A Defender in name only... it’s just a balls to the wall Disco, it should be rebadged... would be the best disco ever made. I feel insulted by this being badged a Defender. 3rd gen Defender owner.
That was a bloody brilliant video. Factual and non biased. I'm hoping someone at JLR sees this and gives you a Defender 110 on coils to do with what you please for a year so that we can get a real "feel" for what it's really like....
There is no coil sprung 110. Only the 90
100% agree, fantastic, best video of anything I've watched for quite some time
A lot of opinion, rather. Quite a few suppositions. A lot of good opinions based on prior experience, but there's no experience with the new version yet, so that, as he says, makes this a case of commentary on the release notes from LR and that's it. I am looking forward to 2030 when I may be able to afford a 2021MY.
Yes, factual and unbiased from someone who has only seen the car on TH-cam. Cool story.
I hope Andrew gets involved with the grenadier being built next year
Absolutely blown away by how genuinely passionate this fella is regarding off-roading vehicles very rarely one comes across such healthy obsession... Thoroughly impressed and subscribed the channel
I agree, I'm in Costa Rica, so how can I service a car that breaks down in the middle of a farm located in the mountain, that I have to cross a river full of rocks, I agree, I can't find parts in any place, plus buying the tires in case one gets destroyed would be impossible if it's size 22 or 18, plus air suspension doesn't work in mud and on sand, so the first generation still has time to make a durable off road that can stand pain, a roof tent without checking the local needs, our Land Rover dealer here in Costa Rica has some interesting testing for it's new arrivals, plus all electronics must stand weather issues such as rain and heat, that in my country goes to extreme, you can be in the middle of a beach with burning hot heat and 2 hours later you can be in the middle of a swamp with 90% of humidity, for example the Jeep Wrangler rubbers, plastics and wires don't stand moisture and heat in the USA and Canada, because of cheap materials that they are built on, now the question is how they are going to tackle such weather conditions for countries such as India, Australia, Canada and of course out the Latin America and African continent, I would like to see a Defender Camel trophy inspired competition so I can see the 110 and 90 in action, having to deal with mud, rivers and other lovely things that the tropical forest has to offer.
Vibhu Pathak me too buddy
@@arturovillegas3143 try Australia 400km from the nearest house
Andrew, you don't get cars to review because you tell it like it is...and they don't like that.
@@grievuspwn4g3 car wow haven't done a review yet .... they have done a introductory video scripted by landrover, they do good reviews, in their disco 5 review they even mentioned reliability.
@@grievuspwn4g3 Most of the UK car press is wholly in the pay of whoever advertises most with them unfortunately; you can't believe a word you read on just about any of the well known sites.
@@grievuspwn4g3 JLR only invited the top four selling car magazines (I'm old school - I still read stuff off paper!) in the UK, which did not include LR Monthly or LR Owner International!
If you don't yet follow him check out BOLTR.
Ave puts his finger on it.
Brands and their "marketing wank"
They don't like people exposing their flawed, value-engineered products.
Actually, his review was very positive about its capabilities off road. I thought the standard industry reviewers did not go into that much, they usually drive cars.
Well they definitely increased the resale price of old defender's.
I wish I'd bought one a few years ago. In Australia the used ones are being sold for silly money.
@@Flaminuggboot its impossible to find one in the US under 45k
Hahahaha they absolutely did
A friend of mine who is farmer in Shropshire wanted to replace a Defender short wheel base five cylinder diesel - owned from new. Too late; the old Defender was discontinued. He waited for the new thing called Defender, and decided to spend enough to bring his old Land Rover back as good as new with a complete rebuild. It will last another twenty years now. Longer than any of these new things called the Defender.
Land Rover have just created another over-complicated Chelsea tractor for the school run.
Can I hose the interior down? Can it be fixed in the dark with a couple of spanners? Can you climb in covered in mud without worrying you might ruin something? No? Then it's not a Defender.
Best comment!
E X A C T L Y
Look up the INEOS Grenadier. Sir Jim Ratcliffe, founder of INEOS, said a farmer should be able to get in with boots covered in cow shit and at the end of the day hose it down inside and out. He’s worth £15.6 billion and his company has just bought the bits of BP Petrochemicals it didn’t acquire previously. He’s spent £600-700million building a factory to build them.
sorry but you cant "hose down the interior" of a relatively modern original defender anyway!! Its full of electronics! and for the record, every surface in the new interior is wipe clean. Every surface is made of hard wearing materials. No its not the "Old" defender. But its not supposed to be either. Oh and your Ineos Grenadier? The retail price is gonna be even higher than a full spec Defender2
Give this man a top job at Land Rover and allow him an audience with The Queen. He will make ̶E̶n̶g̶l̶a̶n̶d̶ Land Rover great again !
Isn’t it Indian now??
You'd think Land Rover would have learnt from the overwhelming success of the new Suzuki Jimny and Landcruiser 70 series. There is a massive thirst for solid axle, simple, old school 4x4s. Land Rover had the perfect opportunity to do something great with the Defender in a similar vein. But instead went with independent air suspension all round, 85 ECU's and an electronic switch to open the tailgate... I dare say this is the last nail in the coffin for Land Rover.
That lady that cost them around half million would have sent a message too..... maybe.
Expect North and South West London to be nose to tail with these...the New Chelsea Tractor.
I reckon sales will be crazy for this little lovely, which is ultimately what LR needs and want. Most people want those nasty things. I will buy one for some moderate trips into the bush, but for the middle of the bush, back to my Toyota. What percentage will be Chelsea Tractors, well most, but thats business. Its like going back to the rotary telephone.
This thing will sell really well. Not in our demographic of course
bobscratchit I suspect it will do well at the cost of some of its other models.. particularly the discovery. Those who were considering the defender will probably look elsewhere
As always, an insightful analysis. What makes me laugh is that you have not even been in front of one and this review is more in-depth than people who were looking at the vehicle in the flesh at the Frankfurt motor show. Nice one Andrew 👍👍👍
Perfect comment and I agree totally!
@@goldenboyi1989 And who pissed in your porridge?
Well said
@@goldenboyi1989 So where is the video of your analysis? And I think your tightly whities are maybe a bit too tight. Eat a snickers and calm down
@@goldenboyi1989 absolutely right
The most advanced piece of tech I want in my 4x4's is my smartphone. I am excited to see one lifted with bigger tires and bumpers.
Bobby Mulwee 😂😂😂👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
A 4x4 "squared" version on portal axles and 37's would be awesome!
Simplicity is key 🔑
Exactly! The most advanced infotainment any car has needed for the last 10 years is a Bluetooth receiver for the owners choice of phone and a place to mount it.
@@stonewp Yep
99% of these will be traversing the very tough terrain between home and the grocer so...
School run mostly.....
I'll be the Indiana Jones of the local Tesco car park.
Yep, same is true for ANY off the shelf 4x4. People want to “look like” they are off roaders. Here in the states I see maybe one in 20 jeeps that actually leave the pavement. And that’s being very generous.
Except ho live in the countryside
Forget about driving it on sand.
I presently proudly own a 2002 110 V8 and a 2018 Land Cruiser HZJ 4.5 TurboD troopie. And I just love their bold, uncompromised, practical , sturdy and immortal legacy to true 4x4 nature. And masculime beauty. How could I ever fancy to own the new, ladyboy minded KIA DEFENDER?
I don’t care about new Defender! Please, tell me the difference between an African and Australian mosquito nets?
I too was waiting on that one. ha ha ha
+Northmansland Australia has midge flies, these are smaller than the regular mosquito netting holes, so they can go straight through regular mosquito netting, any tent netting needs to be midge netting which has very small openings.
Zane H Thank you )))
@@zaneh6224 so why not use possible smallest net for all conditions?
@@off_the_road They are found mostly in coastal areas in Australia around lagoons etc, if you never camp around these types of areas there is no need for midge netting, Problem with the netting the openings have to be very small and this can restrict airflow inside the tent, making it hot inside, Australia coastal is hot during the warmer months so good airflow in a tent is essential so restricting airflow can make it very difficult to sleep :)
From Mongolia, long time subscriber and i have to tell you this! Yes you can find 17’ out in the countryside and tires will be fixed no problem. I have drove around my country quite literally in my 10 year old VW Touareg. Fee cuts and punctures, yes it is ok to ride on 17’ and have it serviced in a 100 people settlement with no squabble
@@jdenmark1287 Andrew said you couldn't easily find 18 inch tyres in remote areas. He didn't say you can't find 17 inch tyres.
Hey two? Point was that Mongolia is no-longer a “backwater” of the world! We have better phone service than most canadian or russian remote regions for example! All major car producers have shops with parts. Local services gotten so good to a point that you can make order online parts from a countryside and get the part in two days. Now try that in russia or chinese countryside.
Okay so I own a 2002 Td5 110 that I have had since new and I live in Australia.
The problem with Land Rover Downunder is that they closed down all of their rural dealerships years ago.
So it doesn't matter how capable this new Defender is because for those of us living in the Outback or even in rural areas the nearest dealership is bloody miles away. I just see the new Defender as a cheaper alternative for people wanting a Discovery.
Unfortunately Toyota is the only way to go if you live in bumfuck australia
Solid, no bullshit analysis. Hope to hear your review after having a good drive and poke around its delicate bits.
I'll stick with my 110 always. I can do everything on it myself after owning one for 8 years.
You said it: the new Defender is what the successor of the Discovery 4 could have been.
Cedar Canoe I think if you dig deep enough the new defender is the old LR4. It is a very thorough reskin but needs a nose job to be a convincing Defender. replacement.
The LR4 was body on frame and this is not.
Not true, LR4/Discovery 4 is a BOF, the new defender is not.
Guys if you don't know discovery took its design ques from defender now defender has done the same !!! It was bound to happen !
Yes sure, it is what I told them last weekend, it is a incredible Discovery, but not a Defender, no, no not a Defender anymore.... And now what will be the future of the New Discovery.????
Electronics will be the its Achilles heel. My local tow truck driver said he had 5 new Range Rovers in one day and it was all electrical problems.
Range Rovers and Defenders are made in different facilities so this may NOT to be an issue but then again being made in Slovakia VW and Skoda are know to have electrical problems.
and that was only one recovery truck driver lol
Lucas electric, the prince of darkness? 😂😂
@@greekguytalks I think the programming and the quality of the electronic parts makes more difference than where those parts are assembled. (And the number of electronics incorporated in the vehicle. The more there are, the more can go wrong)
Yikes
I wish Toyota would see the utilitarian hole left in the UK by the old Defender and bring us the 70!
What is the reason for not selling them in the UK and US?. It is weird.
You are right! the 70 would have many buyers and can't understand why Toyota doesn't want to bring it in UK, US and EU. Suzuki undersood the matter and came out with the new Jimney which is having big success. C'mon Toyota, wake up!
@@frankbrown9618 The Jimney is not available in North America. Why that is? It bugs the shit out of me.
@@loganholmberg2295 there is no Suzuki car Network anymore in North America.
Faisal VG - chicken tax, emissions, crash tests would make it hard work and expensive.
I hope the defender will be good, bought the wife a 2019 Suzuki Jimny, and I love that more than I thought.
Its a very capable bug.
Just ordered my Jimny. I know that my interrior isn't going to melt because it's made or rubber.
The jimny is probably a better buy than the deffender
What a gift to be able to talk for half an hour straight into the camera and be informative, engaging and funny the whole time. Great video!
Man, just from the specifications given in the promo video, you were able to grill down the defender and give the most useful review than many auto jounalist who actually gave a review by driving it for days.
And Hats-off to your experience and knowledge on the Subject. You truly are 4x4 guru. !! :) Cheers
Sridhar Nag
Nope.
@@olihogan4594 what it means by Nope?
They built a cordless drill when we wanted a hammer
Excuse the pun but you nailed it
First and foremost, JL is a company, with the purpose to deliver value to its shareholders, meaning to deliver profit. As more people on the marketplace want to buy cordless drills instead of old-fashioned hammers, the new Defender proposition has been chosen rightly so!
one can use anything as a hammer. conscious use paired up with ultimate goal (in what one is trying to hammer) will determine lifespan. would i get this cordless drill. No
You forgot to mention that this cordless drill looks like a leaf blower.
Just tried my hammer , cant get it to drill a hole or put a screw in
I watch your videos in general because of you honest reviews/opinions. No sugger coating no pandering to Sponsers
I really like that part as well. When he got BF Goodrich on board as a sponsor, he also stopped doing tire reviews and explained *why* he made that decision. That's a very good mentality to have. :)
@@gnawershreth what i liked and was one of his first videos i watched and made me continue watching regularly was with the ARB tyre monitors. If i remember correctly he was Brutally Honest about saying they are not up to scratch for an ARB product even though he loves ARB. Most Fan Boys of any company would of try to gloss over the negatives to try make it look better then what it was. In a follow uo Video he ended up finding a better product which he recommended (in built tyre monitor).
This is NO Defender. Glad I have a 110 Diesel. The new one has no charm and certainly is none of the heraldry.
When you said that you were reviewing the defender,I was sceptical.
But I'm subscribing.
And that video is just awesome for the unbiased review based on facts that you've collected via experience.
Thank you.
won't i buy one ?? .........NO !!!!!!!!! not in a million years , i want a 4x4 that i can repair , change , modified , i am a machanic . i like to get my hands dirty
good analyzed Andrew , i love the way you put into words
Best 4x4 is what please?
Advertising is targeted towards urbanites. And all those marvellous accessories 😂....... mud flaps, roof rack, shower..... still my beating heart !
Get a Jimny if you want a cheap, versatile, go anywhere off roader. It's not a Defender but neither is the new Defender.
That has been my thoughts on the matter.
That jimny looks bad ass..
@@mattsalon7007 Yes, its a modern Series 1 Landy... th-cam.com/video/4nIcqx23kl8/w-d-xo.html
I'll take my more powerful and bigger wrangler Rubicon
I would think the Jimny would feel underpowered taking off at the lights- Not to drag race of course, just to be able to move off without feeling like a P.O.S car. I mean, at baseline it's a 1.5L engine. A Hyundai i30 has a 1.6L engine and that in itself does not feel fun to drive. So why would people want to get a Jimny?
@@ati573 You are right, the Jeep Wrangler (especially Rubicon) is the only real full-size offroader left.
The first thing that indicates if the car is a good off-roader is the amount of electronics, less is better for sure. 🙂
Faisal VG exactly electronics cant beat great engineering, I bet this Land Rover breaks down more than the rest lol
I totally agree. You cannot handle a breakdown in the middle of the woods because of some computer decided to throw up on themselves. I bought a 97 jeep Cherokee for that exact reason. Fuel injection is the only Electronics it has.
@@EvanMoon great point, dealing with mechanical issues is much easier than some electronics or computer related issue.
The safest means of mass transport is by aircraft, they are jammed packed with electronics. Welcome to 2020. Maybe it can be resolved if you undergo some training, get yourself a OBD reader, spare ECU pre-programmed and a various bunch of basic electronique spare parts... Food for thought
You people live in the dark ages lol
Overlanding with the new Defender? Easy, just take along an old Defender to tow it back with if something breaks.
...when...
Ironic given how unreliable a lot of the old defenders were 😂
Will probably have to call a Toyota to tow you both back
What about reliability? That becomes no 1 thing when in the middle of no where.
The old defender 130s could tow 3.5 tons and carry a ton in the back at the same time, and only had tiny brakes. But they were all manuals so you did have engine braking on your side.
I'm a 76 series Land Cruiser driver comming from an old Land Rover Defender TD5. And allthough I love my 76, I will always have a soft spot for a Defender. I thought this video was a very well presented observation on the new Landy. Well done Andrew.
I've owned so many landys over the years . From 70's series 3's to brand new discovery's . I genuinely believe this is their biggest mistake ever !! Not the vehicle, it's the badge ! If they'd called it the new freelander , disco or a totally new name everyone would be raving. That name had the greatest automobile following in the world . They just totally f##ked it . Total idiots . Thanks for all the great video's, top man 👍👍👍
That,s because the JL owners haven,t got the sense of tradition or pride in the company name, TA TA .
agreed. i feel this should be a lr2 possibly new discovery model. not to be called a defender. its nothing like its rugged roots.
@@douglastodd1947 what TATA has to do with it?
Yeah they own it, but it's not their choice, what name to give it..
LRs owners don't interfere much in it's business.
It's a brand which was already going down, that's the only reason it was sold to Ford n then to TATA.
N for your information, it's working much better under TATA than it was under Ford
Very true
It's a SUV and they want to suck out the last of the image before it slowly dies
Just discovered your channel with this video, thought I might watch for just a couple of minutes... Here I am 20 mins later feeling extremely well educated on the new Defender!
me too😉
You need to watch many more of his videos! He has a GREAT channel for overlanding!
trip madden thank you for this reminder!
The new "Defender" is just another version of the Discovery type vehicle, the Defender was a utility vehicle at it's heart, I guess Landrover feel the market among "soccer mum's" is more profitable than the commercial and agricultural market. The weakness of the air suspension, beyond reliability, is that when you raise the ride height you make the suspension harder, which isn't want you want off road.
I have a Discovery 3 and I am not a soccer mom ;-)
We take it to the playground (aka the mud) very regularly and I think you don't know what you're talking about.
Air suspension is awesome. If you don't have solid axles, air suspension is the way to go if you need to tow, want to fit huge tires, want to fit normal tires for long voyages and so on.
The Defender is a true Disco and I can't wait to try it out.
@@Thunder_Yoda Based on buying used cars as a dealer from the auto auctions for 15 years I beg to differ as to whether I know what I'm talking about, I've seen too many LR products in "low rider" mode be sold cheaply due to the need for expensive repairs to believe otherwise, still in your mind your sample of one trumps my experience. Good luck to you may your airbags continue to work.
And there's nothing wrong with LR wanting to make cars for soccer moms but why on earth does *every* model have to be made for them? It's like they made a car to compete against their other cars. Why?
The writting was on the wall for what the new defender was going to be like once the discovery 5 was released. The defender is the Discovery 4 replacement for those who actually use them offroad.
And that is why i'll buy one. I want an updated Discovery, that is not the Disco 5
Stephen Darke exactly, I wanted a replacement for my D4 but have been put off by the Disco 5. I was starting to lean towards a Prado, but now the Defender is on the list.
The real hope for this car is not to break down in the middle of the desert!
Land Rover: Do you like our all new Defender?
Me: I am an Android and Windows user and I hate Apple.
Land Rover: Thank you for your comment.
To me Defender looks like a facelift of a Freelander first gen than a new defender but that's just me
Exactly what I was thinking, when I saw it first time :D
To me it looks like a facelift of a honda element
i'd be up for a Freelander 3
No Freelander 2 which I’ve got is fine as it’s in an electronic vacuum. So there’s far less to go wrong.
My initial reaction was “this is just a replacement for the disco 4” then I started watching and reading and now, I’m pretty happy, I kinda want one. I firmly believe that if they had called this by any other name there would not be an ounce of criticism toward it, as it stands though, I think they’ve done a good job
Same. But I'd be concerned about the air suspension and electronics until they're well proven
@@ChuckRage IIRC you can get it with steel suspension
@@Phos9 I may be wrong, but as far as I know, only the short wheel base model has the option of coil or air springs and the long wheel base is air only.
@@ChuckRage Interesting to see if they bring out a long wheel base van/ troop carrier.
TheNicknack43 proven to go wrong, it annoying when you get a suspension fault on the side of theA1 and it won’t move and have to wait two hours for recovery, imagine that in some far off middle of nowhere with little chance of recovery.
The essence of the old defender was a simple bare canvas for the owner to change and do with whatever they thought was best in there own garage if they so please, this to me is the essence of the defender, not what is was designed for but what it grew into.
I wish the new defender looked exactly like the old one. I think they have created a new Discovery here. That said I guess they worked out what they sell the most of and maybe this new "thing" is what customers actually want. Time will tell.
They should have never used the name "DEFENDER" for this. Leave that to history and start a new chapter here.
kg01 i totally agree with you, they should have come out with another name like they did on Discovery, and Freelander, looks and sound too disposable
To me its a new chapter for 'Defender'...a legacy Brand Not Really easy to terminate,BUT, Needed to be improved, and YES, Definitely with compromises..
That's not how marketing works...
You can blame the people that weren't buying enough Defenders for it...
@@Kryojenix People who were buying Defender won't buy this. This a completely different vehicle.
I would love to have a Toyota diesel but that’s another thing you can’t get in the USA.
The biggest change is going from straight axles to fully-independent suspension.
For truly extreme off-road, this new fully-independent suspension is a weakness.
Straight axles are a huge advantage when it comes to rock crawling.
Andy. This is the most awesome theoretical review of the new Defender so far. A whole different league than your competitors. I take my hat off.
Great comment. I thought this was a brilliant review with some wonderful insight.
Andrew;
Want an honest opinion on off roading ACROSS THE WORLD!!??
Go to your videos.
Honesty without being owned by the manufacturers is a rare thing.
Keep up the great work and your honesty!!
"You can throw a dead giraffe in the back of the old Defender." Mic drop.
It's kinda true, they use alot of them for big game hunting in Africa, and the prices are relatively reasonable too!
@@firstclassatlanticflyer reliability comes from a sturdy, but simplistic design. No wonder modern cars struggle to match olde rones in that area, what with all the sensors, infotainment, and complicated solutions applied to them
@@aakar1s exactly, it's what made those vehicles reliable and easy to work on. The worst that could happen today are cost and availability of parts, in my opinion. Other than that anyone with a decent amount of experience shouldn't have trouble with older cars.
My uncle just got back from Africa and has a video of a guide iterally dragging a dead giraffe off the road in a 70 series with 3 lions standing by waiting... no way guys like that will be using the new defender.
I miss when land rover made utilitarian offroaders and range rover made capable yet comfortable SUV's
I REALLY hope Land Rover at least offers a "stripped" version so it'll be less likely to have issues. I don't like all that unnecessary stuff like a glass sunroof. A somewhat barebones interior with removable carpet, a stereo and just the necessities are fine with me. And I bet it'll bring the price down a LOT.
What annoys me about it is that people keep saying it's about safety, emissions etc. as if that somehow makes it impossible to make a way more utilitarian vehicle. You can still buy a Toyota LC 70 Series, you can still buy a Mercedes G Class, you can also look at some of the available vans out there like the Mercedes Vario 4x4 or even the Iveco Daily 4x4.
Clearly it's possible to make way more utilitarian vehicles that are still road legal, it seems like the whole safety and emissions thing is nothing but an excuse to leave their old market to be honest.
There's a difference between "We have to live up to certain laws." and then "Let's abandon the market we've always catered to entirely." which some people don't seem to get. Living up to new regulations, laws and standards doesn't mean you have to make yet another "fancy" SUV, and pretend it's an overland vehicle by giving it differential locks or whatever.
You don't *have* to choose between "legal" and "pretty utilitarian" at all, you *can* do both to a certain extent.
Oh, and good lord the front is ugly.
@@gnawershreth Yeah it's obviously done to cater to the market that jaguar/land rover has created with the F-pace, Evoque and to a lesser extent the original range rover sport.
Lovely personality, noticeable passion for off-roading, unbiased and factually driven opinions... Hands down the best defender related video on TH-cam...
A real master at work. This video taught me more about the new Defender than the 10+ hours of video reviews I have seen so far.
"There won't be any footage of the original Defender"
06:55 - original Defender ;)
Alright Ford, you’re our last hope. Don’t f*** up the Bronco.
I’m hoping Ford pulls through with something as iconic as the classic Bronco that can compete with the Jeep Wrangler, but I won’t be surprised to see something like this new Defender; essentially an Ford Escape with a body kit.
Amen, please don't fail us Ford. Latest rumor is that it will have a manual transmission, that's a good start
Yeah they already have given out enough information to know they've fucked up the Bronco...not a little but a lot. No V8, no solid axles and no removable top, its nothing more than the Global Ford Everest pile of shit with a Bronco sticker on it and an additional $15-20k added to the price.
Im pretty sure its gonna be the same crap!
😂😂👍 dont get your hopes up...
Another LR that will be driven to the Mall and Starbucks...
At least its made for it...
I think they're driven off road more outside of the United States.
Range Rover is for rich people no for day to day workers like you.
Sir it was damn an awesome video.
You truly deserve a standing ovation for producing such amazing and unbiased content.
Got to learn a lot.
Thank you.
All the best. Cheers.
A very sober and objective look at the new Defender, Andrew - well done! I can see it selling well, but killing off the Discovery 5 in the process. LC 70 series, Wrangler and Jimny will remain unaffected.
Land Rover took a page out of the SUV market, and is now selling a Lifestyle Accessory.
Granted, it's a very capable Lifestyle Accessory, but still.
Utilitarian vehicles are not glamorous.
And they are selling a dream.
Something not touched on is that although these materials look posh, they are actually very hard-wearing. I get the impression people are out to hate it in the comments. Noticed that with the Supra early reviews - commentors hated it because it was "not a real Toyota, it was basically a Z4", they all said. "Never sell as people want a manual", they all said.
@@andrewnorris5415
Yeah, Land Rover may be selling a dream now, but they are doing a better job at it than most SUV makers out there.
As an offroader / overlander, it will be very capable right out of the factory.
Lets not forget that the SUV's are supposed to do the things that the Land Rover will actually do.
*If anything, it's the SUV's that have become so watered down, that they are by now just large consumer goods* waddling their way, slowly, around the local school and shopping center, promising an "Adventurous life" and "superior safety".
I don't hate the new Land Rover, I have to say, it's a modern SUV, which is what sells best.
And lets be honest, the utilitarian aspect of the Land Rover has long been forgotten, none of the latter ones could plough a field.
And it's probably better that way.
Let the Unimog corner that market. 🤣
I agree: this car is the real new Discovery 5.
Not a new Defender.
So true.
Discovery 6
When I first saw the new Discovery on the road for the first time I couldn't stop laughing when I read the badge! Real case of WTF?
They should have never used the name "DEFENDER" for this. Leave that to history and start a new chapter here.
Yes I'd thought that when I saw it, it's looks just like the Discovery 3/4.
Why is this high-key the best video I've ever watched on TH-cam? I've watched a few of your videos (maybe one or two - I remember watching a Pajero review two or three years ago, but I'm not sure), but I don't tend to watch these sorts of videos, and generally enjoy other genres on TH-cam. But my word, something about this video was so entertaining! You were so unbiased, and I really appreciate how you were realistic in your conclusions, without hating it or loving it automatically, considering what it did well and what it didn't. I felt bad about liking this vehicle, as I grew up around the old Defender in the middle of nowhere, West Africa, where the company that my dad worked for used them to get to the remotest of villages to provide aid and conduct medical research, specifically around child survival and malaria - the Defender was well respected (though extremely uncomfortable to ride in). My Dad's work stopped using them towards the early 2010s because they became much more computerised and difficult to fix, but I was too young to understand what any of that meant, even if it was explained to me in detail. This video was so interesting to me, given my "third-culture" background, and my less tehnical knowledge about the defender and more nostalgic emotional impressions of it. I feel justified in appreciating the new one now, even if it's just for the way it looks and not it's capability, now that we've moved home and no longer live in Africa. Keep up the good work! I'll be watching more often now ☺
Great review! I bought a new suzuki jimny and TBH, I'm pleased I did. It surprisingly good offroad and I can tinker with it and add components. Even though it's new, I love it like an old car. I'm not sure I'd ever find that feeling with the new defender.
The Land Rover Defender has always been a real 4X4 and nearly unstoppable. That new thing is a pretty boys city toy that will never fill the boots of it's namesake.
Yep...soon to be at every StarBucks coffee place. The new Defender is a for the yuppies. Trucks like the Toyota 70, LandCruiser and Nissan Patrol are for the real 4x4 men.
as a series2a owner and landrover lover for 60 years, the defender was a work horse. this new defender is NOT a defender. made for school runs & shopping in harrods..... not Lidl :-)
Agree with everything you said, especially the observation of versatility. This is one of the key “heritage” characteristics that LR play off in their advertising yet totally overlooked in building the New Defender. Suzuki hit the button with the new Jimny regarding the original ethos (small, cheap, reliable, good off road) whereas LR appear to have completely abandoned the very market that started the legend. Forget the new design, it is the disregard for the philosophy of the original defender that makes me dislike this new vehicle.
Man, i look forward to seeing part2; The one you actually have it in your hands and deconstruct it. Great video!!
One of the very best (p)review I have watched anywhere ever. Easily won my subscription.
What turns me off more...for big off-roading with this new Defender, is the unibody construction. With time passing by, and heavy abuse...we gonna se how panels align up.
Too flash, complex, unconfigurable and perhaps expensive for heavy industrial and agricultural duty together with the requirements for tough overland leisure duties. But also too expensive and utilitarian for urban housewife / middle class SUV set. Seems to fall uncomfortably between the two, and could therefore miss the mark on sales in both markets.
If this was the new Discovery people would be raving about it.
@King Brilliant Should be though, much better shape than the new Disco.....it isn't (and never will be) a utilitarian, practical vehicle like the Defender has been for decades.
Nope, Discovery 1 300tdi is the only discovery id dare take around australia
The new discovery has a lot of the same specs - payload, towing, wading depth, suspension travel - the discovery trades a bit larger interior for a bit less geometery but the basic hardware is the same. The new discovery also comes with a big diesel here in the US which the discovery doesn't and i'm not sure about the longevity and replacement costs of a 48V lithium battery especially on a safari. I like the rear of the defender and the front of the discovery. Just my opinion.
How different is this car from a Discovery? And even of late the Discovery looks like s Range Rover. They had three distinct categories and now the lines are so blurred.
I was sceptical of a vehicle review by someone who has never been near the vehicle itself, but I love the way he presents his argument and works through the evidence to support it.
When a devoted off-road car expert talks
Whatever you say or whatever Landrover say, 99% of them will only ever be used for school trips and going to Waitrose. I doubt a single customer in the UK at least will take it off road other than a gravel car park.
If I could get even close to affording one, I will be the 1% then!! If those lucky number ever come up, I will be equipping it and travelling!!
@@Iamdragonman +1 on both counts ;)
All those electronics would give me nightmares in outback Australia.
No issues with that....it won't make it out of the city before a tow truck is called.
@@bmccameron7642 If you go into the outback you must take a Land Rover, if you want to come back then you take a Toyota.
@@mikehurley5052 having owned several of both brands I'd have to agree. With the LR it's never just one thing, it's everything.
vince orr albert hybrids coming out
@@mikehurley5052 very true.you can,t rely on the new one,s .
When the air suspension fails, due to hight sensor, or any other sensor in the air suspension, the system will lockup the dampers, it’s less comfortable, but it wil not stop the car from going. Also the electric network in the car is redesigned, in such way, I truly believe, as an mechanic, that this improved the relay ability of the car.
I love how you carefully communicated the deal-breakers and the improvements of the 2020 Defender. Thank you.
Why do land rover drivers wave to each other as they drive past.
To prove they have clean hands and hadn't had to fix something that day.
They are waving at me in my Toyota Land Cruiser sat on the side of the road with a blocked DPF
why do u wave to ur friends? why do motorcyclists wave? how old are you?
KennyG Hansen take is easy mate it's only a joke
@
Why? Because he's not a miserable f***er.......x
The Defender I owned, despite being about as technically advanced as a stone, was incredibly unreliable. Now they're going to go hi-tech ? Please.
And it's ugly.
@tha idealist :D
@tha idealist Best comment about the new Defender so far😂👍
David Anderson well the Australia military their land rovers the stuck a 3.9 ltr no turbo Isuzu engine in them
@@thesheepman220 ive had more trouble with my old landcruiser and l200 than my 300tdi defender. Its been reliable for me.
You can chuck a dead giraffe in the back 😂 Good one Mr SPW
I did not see a girafe but I did see a living camel.
You'd have bought a Toyota in the first place. There aren't any LR dealers in Africa.
I thoroughly enjoyed that review, not just for the valuable technical insight alone but for it's passion- which is after all what off-road driving is about.
Well spoken and analyzed! Compliments for keeping my attention without any fancy video material!
Andrew, you forgot one of the biggest deal breakers on the new Defender, the price.
Price is comparable with the Toyota LC Prado and Jeep Wrangler, in the uk atleast
Mate, it's cheaper than a utility land cruiser, Base model Wrangler, and even the G wagen Utility
michael07111992 Not sure how you come to that conclusion. Spec a 110 to the same spec as a Rubicon, and it’s about £10K more, that’s even after Jeep UK 40% price hike with the latest Wrangler. Compare it to US and Canadian prices it’s about half the price. Same with Landcruiser. Even base utility version is £35K inc VAT, Defender commercial will start at £35K + VAT. I don’t consider a 20% difference the same. Again, no doubt when you spec them to the same level Defender will be even more than 20% more expensive.
33s and no pumpkin hanging down like live axles do, it should do very well with diff clearance
i 100% agree with you Andrew. There is hope, specialy with the coil spring version.
the worlds turned, we don't need that versatility any longer. My F-Pace has a tow capacity of 2400kg - its capable off road and fast on-road. I rate the new Defender and will be ordering in March 2020 to experience it myself.
Have fun out in the bush when the computer says no.
You obviously are not keeping up with modern 4x4's. They ALL have digital traction systems. Watch the Expedition Overland series to get caught up, wise guy.
@@jreagle58 Doesn't matter when the vehicle itself breaks down in the middle of the outback lol.
Been there done that with the crank angle sensor on the discovery...
I have managed to find fuel tank capacities on the brochure available on Land Rover’s South African website. 83,5l for the diesel 90 series, 88,5l for the petrol 90 series. 85l for the diesel 110 series and 90l for the petrol 110 series.
Same figures in the UK brochure.
Slightly less fuel capacity than my '83 109 (twin 50 litre tanks), about the same fuel economy, but at least 3 times the power.
Mmmmm! I got a sneaky suspicion there’s gonna be another trip to Baboons Pass! There’s gonna have to be! I’ll leave this here!
I watched some (non offroad) car channels reviewing the new Defender. The opinion that actually matters for that specific vehicle is ASPW´s!
It’s a mall crawler. But those parking lot speed bumps can be a killer.
I’ll keep my Jeep Wrangler thank you very much!
If the air suspension has a fault or a failure there are products you can carry with you to reset it easily - eg Gap IID BT tool. It will identify the troubled part. A dealer visit isn’t required. I carry one in my recovery kit for my LR4.
The days of one vehicle being able to do every trick in the book are over and land rover have missed the point in trying to make the defender do that. It has too many compromises. I could understand if the rest of the range were comprised of a luxury limousine, a family estate, a city run about and a sports car that land rover might want a 4x4 capable of essentially everything at once but all their vehicles are basically just scaled versions of the same thing based on a customer's available budget. Every model is trying to steal buyers from every other model in the range which is quite an odd business plan. Good luck land rover.
Idk the 4runner kind of does that
@@benw2751 yeah fair enough it does but it falls sensibly into a place in Toyota's range between the rav4 and land cruiser, not really stealing sales from either. The defender on the other hand, sits somewhere in a range of equally capable vehicles ok it's not a luxury limousine like the full fat range rover and it's stronger than the discovery sport and evoke but it is broadly the same as the discovery, range rover sport and velar, all playing for the same market. If land rover had been paying attention they could have placed the defender at the utility end of the market against the massed ranks of the pickups and had a vehicle that could have wiped the floor with the competition. But they didn't.
@@TemeraireJimny the 4runner steals sales from the highlander in that regard
@@benw2751 in the UK we don't actually have either of those but it would be better if we did.
Rolex Submariner and the New Defender, two of the most pleasurable stories told by this man..!!!
I still prefer to drive my 1965 Series 2 over my wife's Discovery 4, even with that great terrain response, luxuries and cameras.
Id rather have x2 new Suzuki Jimnys and have money left over!
Has anyone here who has made a comment driven one... ? Just returned from the highlands and clearly out performed the original 110 in some serious off-road days. . Now with 3000 miles on the clock and no regrets... Simply the best LR I've owned.. (No13)... Average 40 MPG at 70 mph and could get out after 625 miles and still walk. Wake up !! we are now in the 21st century... They don't make Spitfires anymore either..
I’m the first to share LandRover jokes and am a LandCruiser fan
That said...
I think they did a great job. It was never going to be the same. I think they dragged the old model into the future... 😉
The question is: Did they drag it into the future kicking and screaming? haha
You say that this has 18inch rims to cope with a 3.5tonne towing capability, but the old Defender had the same towing capacity with a 16inch wheel, so not sure this comment is correct. I suspect marketing took over and 18 are now deemed small wheels ergo, it had to be 18 or greater.
I agree, and I would say tyres have a very big effect on braking capacity, more than slightly bigger rotors. A Defender on BFG AT's (which I love) can be made to lock-up in damp conditions on tarmac! Road bias tyres are better at braking but no good off road!
Probably needs to be 18" to fit over the massive brake discs and calipers modern road vehicles have.
Interesting video and a lot of good points raised. Personally I think what we are really seeing here is a replacement for the Discovery. It can't be a true Defender replacement as it isnt adaptable enough. The military won't use them. Power companies won't use them. Farmers can't afford them. It isn't nice to look at either I think.
Good honest review.
A Defender in name only... it’s just a balls to the wall Disco, it should be rebadged... would be the best disco ever made.
I feel insulted by this being badged a Defender.
3rd gen Defender owner.
90 Diesel tank capacity is 83.5 l, 90 petrol is 88.5 l, 110 diesel is 85 l and 110 petrol is 90 l. In case you were interested.