2021 Land Rover Defender

Land Rover has delivered on making the new model a more accomplished off-roader and a better on-road companion than it ever was before. The Defender has two very distinct sides as a result. From the lofty seating position, drivers will feel like they are dominating the road ahead, cruising in comfort and quiet on the highway thanks to buckets of torque, a silky eight-speed transmission, and adjustable air suspension. The ride quality is matched by incredible handling. You can't really chuck the 5,000-pound SUV around as you would a sports car, but it behaves brilliantly when asked, with excellent feedback through the steering, although the touchy brake pedal took some getting used to. Traction is also superb thanks to its full-time 4x4 system and torque vectoring. On the twisty 60-mph B-roads and later at Gaydon's proving grounds made up of 34 miles of roads and tracks, where we took the 90 X to its 120-mph top speed on the high-speed loop, entering and exiting corners at speed was surprisingly easy. There's even a Sport mode that sharpens the transmission and optimizes the powerplant if you want to really have some fun.

Taking the 90 X off-road revealed an entirely different skillset. Traversing Gaydon's broken surfaces, adverse cambers and rallycross was a doddle for the Defender, which is why Land Rover invited us to Eastnor to tackle the harshest of terrain in a 90 SE 300P. Over 66 miles of managed trails in the grounds of Eastnor Castle is where every Defender's off-road credentials have been tested for decades. We spent two hours clambering over rocks and mud, wading through deep water, and tackling steep slippery inclines. The configurable Terrain Response 2 boasts a selection of off-road programs accessible via the Pivi Pro touchscreen, including 'Mud & Ruts' and 'Grass, Gravel, Snow,' setting the Defender up perfectly for the conditions faced. Auto-locking center and rear differentials, over 11 inches of ground clearance, and all-terrain Goodyear rubber made light work of terrain that would beat most cars.

The Defender is so easy to maneuver too. Visibility is superb, and when you are challenged, external cameras can be set to 'off-road', which shows close-ups of the front wheels as you move through tight spots. Easily the most capable off-road car we've ever tested, we can only imagine how the turbocharged and supercharged inline-six would have fared off the beaten track.

Few cars offer such a breadth of ability as the Land Rover Defender. Combining peerless off-roading capabilities with an engaging drive on the pavement, this is a go-anywhere vehicle in the truest sense. While the Wrangler comes close, the Defender takes off-roading to another level all wrapped in a far more premium package. It also looks better than the similarly-priced Discovery. If you're concerned about buying the first year of a new generation, we imagine that 2021 models would have ironed out any kinks found in the 2020s. Remember this is a car that Land Rover has spent billions of dollars and years of work bringing to fruition. From the all-new chassis and elegant design to the brand new electrical architecture and new Terrain Response system, the individual elements of the Defender stand up to criticism on their own. The fact they can all be found in one car is even more impressive.

With a starting price of under $30,000, the Jeep Wrangler is a far more affordable alternative for adventurers on a tighter budget. Like the Defender, the Jeep is offered in three- or five-door configurations, but only the Defender can seat more than five occupants. The Wrangler is one of the best off-roaders in any guise, and the ability to remove its doors and roof is a novel feature that makes it appealing to outdoor enthusiasts. However, the Defender is similarly capable across harsh terrain yet is smoother and more refined for daily use. Although the five-door Wrangler comes with the option of a torquey turbo-diesel with 442 lb-ft of torque, the Jeep doesn't offer the same potent acceleration of the Defender with its 395-hp six-cylinder engine. There is also far more cargo space in the Defender, plus a more advanced suite of driver aids such as adaptive cruise control is offered within the Defender range. The much cheaper Wrangler still offers plenty of appeal, but we'd rather have the Defender, which combines off-road ability with a more premium feel.

Higher up in the Land Rover hierarchy is the more luxurious Discovery. While the Discovery trades some of the Defender's boxy lines for a sleeker design, make no mistake, it's still a formidable off-roader. Although a 2021 facelift is on the way, we don't expect it to be dramatically different from the 2020 version, which begins with a 254-hp turbodiesel engine that offers similar performance to the base Defender. However, the top-spec Discovery isn't as potent off the mark as the six-cylinder Defender. Both models have the same maximum towing capacity, but the Defender has superior approach/departure/ramp angles and better ground clearance, so it's the more capable off-roader between these two. In terms of cago capacity, the Defender has a bit less space behind the second- and third rows. The newer Defender is more rugged and a better off-roader, while the Discovery will likely please those who spend more time on the asphalt.