US deliveries for the 2020 Land Rover Defender only started a few months ago after being delayed due to the pandemic, but Land Rover has already lifted the wraps off the updated 2021 model. While the four-door Defender 110 was only available for 2020, Land Rover has expanded the 2021 range with the new two-door, smaller-wheelbase Defender 90 to compete with the Ford Bronco.

Available with five or six seats, the 2021 Land Rover Defender 90 has a 101.9-inch wheelbase and measures 82.9 inches wide with the mirrors out, 77.5 inches high, and 180.4 inches long with the rear-mounted spare mounted wheel. This makes it 17.2 inches shorter than the 110.

It also has a breakover angle of 31 degrees, which is three degrees steeper than the longer 110, making even more capable off-road, while offering 8.5 inches of ground clearance. With five seats, the Defender 90 offers a maximum load capacity of 58.3 cu ft with the second-row seats folded, down from 78.8 cu ft in the five-seat Defender 110.

Under the hood, the only choice of powertrain for the Defender 90 is a 3.0-liter 3.0-liter six-cylinder turbo with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system producing a combined 395 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque.

Paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission sending power to all four wheels, this setup enables the Defender 90 to hit 0-62 mph in 5.7 seconds, which is 0.1 seconds faster than the Defender 110 with the same powertrain, and reach a top speed of 129 mph.

Also new for 2021 is a new Defender X-Dynamic trim. Slotting between the base model and the range-topping Defender X, the new X-Dynamic trim features front and rear skid pans finished in Starlight Satin, and Gloss Black exterior door and wheel arch claddings. Inside, the seats are finished in protective Robustec material to reduce wear. Pricing for 2021 Land Rover Defender starts at $46,100, excluding the $1,025 destination and delivery charge.