2024 Land Rover Defender Review: Defending On All Fronts

Sports utility vehicles were originally designed for their off-road capabilities, and while many modern-day models have sacrificed this attribute in favor of a more city-centric approach, the 2024 Land Rover Defender has not. That's not to say it isn't comfortable around town, but it is still extremely competent over dirt and rocky trails, all while maintaining a premium appearance and an upscale cabin. It competes with other adventure SUVs like the Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco, as well as luxury models like the Lexus GX. Available in three different sizes and a range of gas and mild-hybrid engines, it has access to up to as much as 518 horsepower and 461 lb-ft of torque in its most powerful V8 versions.

New for 2024

There are numerous changes to the new Land Rover Defender SUV, starting with a brand-new 130 trim called the Outbound. It makes use of the mild-hybrid inline-six engine and loses its third row of seats in exchange for a larger trunk. Speaking of engines, the V8 engine is now available for the Defender 130. A new retro-inspired County Exterior package with trim-specific 20-inch wheels, two-tone paint, and other interior and exterior styling tweaks is now available on the 110. The standard features on all models now include foglights, improved headlights, a panoramic moonroof, a heated steering wheel, adaptive cruise control, a digital gauge cluster, and a premium audio system.

2024 Land Rover Defender Price: Which One to Buy

In typical Land Rover fashion, the Defender has a huge number of trims. The lowest price for the 2024 Land Rover Defender is $56,400 for the 90 S. Staying with the two-door model, the X-Dynamic SE will cost you $68,400, while the 90 V8 goes for $108,200. The most expensive of this variant is the 90 V8 Carpathian Edition at $115,300. Next up is the four-door 110. It starts at $60,600 for the gas S P300 or $67,900 for the P400 hybrid. Then comes the X-Dynamic SE at $72,000, the X at $90,800, and the SE at $93,300. Again, the V8 breaks the six-figure mark at $111,500 - or $118,600 for the Carpathian Edition. The most expensive subset of trims is the 130. The gas S P300 starts things off at $69,100, while the P400 hybrid sells for $77,100. The X-Dynamic SE has an MSRP of $81,300, and the new Outbound slots in just above that at $84,500. Second to last is the X at $99,900, and the V8 tops the line at $116,600. The Defender comes with a $1,475 destination charge.

Picking the ideal model here seems overly difficult, but you first have to ask yourself how much space you need for people and stuff. The two-door 90 is ideal for the adventurous couple, while the 110 suits a small family that likes to go camping. While it still has some off-road capabilities, the 130 sacrifices practicality to make room for more seats, so it isn't as suitable outside the city. After that, you pick the trim package. If you don't want to spend too much, the base S is very well-equipped, with the only worthwhile improvements coming once you upgrade to the X or V8, which is significantly more expensive.

Interior and Features

Land Rover makes an effort to create spacious and comfortable interiors that combine quality materials with sturdy construction.

There is no denying that the interior of the Defender is well put together, and it masterfully combines upscale styling with hardy materials. Of course, the cabin also needs to be extremely spacious, but that varies depending on the body style you opt for. The wheelbase gets longer as you move from the 90 to the 130, which increases both passenger and cargo space. But no matter the model, you still get comfortable seats and a high-tech infotainment system with the screen mounted low down but well within reach, while the physical controls and shifter are angled up toward the driver. The steering wheel is large and chunky.

Space

The number of seats you get and how much interior space is on offer all depend on the body style you choose. The 90 is the smallest of the lot, with only mediocre legroom in the back, while the 110 upgrades to around 40 inches. It does allow you to option a third row, but anyone seated back there would be cramped. Rather go for the 130 if you need the extra seats, as the extended body has more space and can accommodate teens or small adults in the third row moderately well. Headroom is pretty good, no matter which model and trim you desire. With only two doors, the 90 can be tricky to enter if the back seats are your target, but for the rest of the range, it's pretty easy to get inside. Power-adjustable front seat and good sight lines make finding a confident and comfortable driving position a breeze.

Cargo

As with passenger space, trunk volume is entirely dependent on the model. Being the smallest, the 90 only offers 10.5 cubic feet, which would be very little, even in a sedan. But once the rear seats are folded down, you're left with a far more impressive 58.3 cu-ft. The 110 is equally as disappointing if you install a third row, leaving 10.7 cubes behind them, but when you treat it as a five-seater, the 34.6 cubic feet are quite generous. You get a bit more space in the 130, with 15.3 cu-ft when all seats are in place, or 35.8 cubes when the third row is folded down. If even more space is needed, folding down the second-row seats will get you 78.8 cubes in the two-row 110, 69 cubes in the three-row 110, or 76.1 cubes in the 130.

Around the cabin, there are several small-item storage spaces, including two cupholders in the front, a large cubby in the center armrest, and a decent glovebox. Door pockets are adequate, but you only get two in the 90.

Materials and Colors

The cheapest Defender you can get is the S trim, and even that comes with grained leather, so it gives you a good idea of the quality you can expect from the car. Interior colors at this point include Ebony, Khaki, or Acorn. The first two come paired with Ebony interior trim, while the latter has Lunar trim. The standard headliner is Light Oyster Morzine, but you can get it in Ebony for a small surcharge. Wood accents on the dash and doors are available, but they cost extra at this point. X-Dynamic SE trims have dual-tone upholstery over Robustec seats in Ebony/Ebony or Acorn/Lunar. The X trim upgrades to Windsor leather in Ebony or Vintage Tan, while the V8 and Carpathian Edition only offer Ebony as standard, though it comes with Dinamica suede cloth, too. From the X, wood trim is standard in Natural Smoked Dark Oak or Rough-cut Walnut, which are fewer options than you get at an extra cost lower down the line.

Features and Infotainment

Land Rover is a premium brand, so while you may be paying a premium to own one, even the base models come with loads of features. This includes dual-zone climate control, power-adjustable front seats with heating and memory, a heated steering wheel, keyless entry, adaptive cruise control, a 12.3-inch interactive driver display, and a sliding panoramic roof. There is also a wireless charging pad for your smart device, which can connect to the 10-inch infotainment touchscreen for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but you also get SiriusXM, HD Radio, in-car Wi-Fi, and a ten-speaker Meridian sound system. The SE trims add front-seat ventilation, while the X gets heated rear seats, a head-up display, and a larger 11.4-inch touchscreen. Models equipped with a V8 boast tri-zone climate control and a 14-speaker sound system.

Performance

While power and speed are never lacking, the V8 is where real performance is found, though the hybrid inline-six is no slouch.

For the Land Rover Defender, four engine setups are offered. The base 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder develops 296 horsepower and 295 lb-ft, and it is only found in the S. However, it can be swapped out for a 3.0-liter mild-hybrid inline-six that makes 395 hp and 406 lb-ft. The latter is standard in the X and X-Dynamic SE. This engine is also present in the 130 S as the base option at a lower 296 hp and 347 lb-ft. A supercharged 5.0-liter V8 is available in two states of tune; the SE has it making 493 hp and 461 lb-ft, while the V8 and Carpathian Edition punch it up to 518 hp. No matter which powertrain is in use, an eight-speed automatic transmission is always equipped, and power is sent to a four-wheel drivetrain.

Performance is good at every level, but it is the V8 that really gets the Land Rover Defender moving, with 0-60 mph sprint times of 5.3 seconds and a top speed of 149 mph. However, the maximum towing capacity of 8,201 pounds is provided by the hybrid inline-six. In most situations, the Defender feels powerful and composed on the road, and it even feels properly grounded going around corners at medium speeds, though there is a good amount of understeer if you get too adventurous. With good ground clearance and standard 4x4, the SUV is great off-road, but that's exactly what we expect from a Land Rover.

Fuel Efficiency

There are a lot of different engines at play here, and each performs differently depending on the size of the Defender you choose, with the 90 being the lightest and the 130 heaviest. This means that the base four-cylinder can achieve 18/21/19 mpg across the city/highway/combined cycles, while the MHEV inline-six gets 18/22/20 mpg. Naturally, the supercharged V8 gets the worst figures at 15/19/16 mpg in the 90 and 14/19/16 mpg in the 110. This isn't too much different from the mpg achieved by the Land Rover Defender 130, which manages 17/20/18 mpg with the hybrid six-cylinder. The figures for the V8 in the 130 body have yet to be announced. Fuel capacity differs from model to model - the 90 has a 23.4-gallon tank, while the 110 and 130 get a 23.8-gallon tank. This means the smallest model can cover a range of 468 miles, while the heavier 130 maxes out at 428 miles.

Safety

No US organization has put the Defender to the test, but the EuroNCAP seems to think it is safe, having awarded it five stars.

Sadly, there are no safety reviews of the Land Rover Defender from any agency in the USA. However, the EuroNCAP gave the SUV a perfect five-star rating back in 2020. Standard safety features include automatic LED headlights, ABS, EBD, stability and traction control, and a set of six airbags. Driver-assistance tech comprises forward collision avoidance, blind-spot assist, rear cross-traffic alert, traffic-sign recognition, lane-keep assist, a surround-view camera, wade sensing, a driver condition monitor, hill-descent control, and hill-launch assist.

Reliability

While J.D. Power gives the Land Rover Defender a decent reliability rating of 79 out of 100, a total of four recalls in 2023 might shake consumer confidence a little. The reasons for these included improperly installed brake calipers, a leaky engine cam carrier, seatbelt pretensioners that may not restrain properly, and reduced strength in the third-row child seat. Nevertheless, the 2024 Land Rover Defender has a respectable warranty that covers limited repairs and powertrain issues for four years/50,000 miles.

Warranty

Design

Land Rovers are designed to stand out, carefully combining ruggedness with refined good looks. It has a somewhat retro style with chunky elements in the front that include blocky LED headlights astride a subdued grille bearing the Defender name. Lower trims come with a body-color roof, but those higher up the line get a white or black roof, or even a folding fabric roof. Other standard features include front foglights and 18-inch steel wheels, which can grow to 22-inch rims on the top-most trim. The Carpathian Edition boasts unique grey paint paired with dark exterior accents.

Verdict: Is The 2024 Land Rover Defender A Good SUV?

Many modern SUVs claim to be competent both on and off the road, but the 2024 Defender is one of the few that can really back that up. It combines a luxurious and featureful cabin with a rugged 4x4 drivetrain, giving you all the benefits of an adventurous vehicle without the usual shortcomings like compromised ride comfort. The variety of body styles and a choice of several engines mean that anyone can find what they're looking for, but the high price tag means not all of them can afford it. This is the only real drawback, but anyone looking at a Land Rover won't likely be deterred.