2019 Land Rover Defender 110 Hard Top 3.0L D300 8AT AWD (299 Hp)

Vehicle Overview

Land Rover Defender returned to the market after a four-year hiatus, and it was a revolution compared to its famous, older sibling. The 2019 Defender was ready for the 21st century.

When Rover introduced the Series 1 in 1948 as the Land Rover, it was mostly an agricultural vehicle built to take its owners to the field and back and work all day long. But the little rugged car evolved, and the Land Rover became a distinct brand from the Rover three decades later, in 1978. It was already known as an off-road vehicle manufacturer. The old Series I evolved into the Series II, and then, in 1989, these were replaced by the Defender. After three unsuccessful marriages, one with Honda, the second with BMW, and the third with Ford, Land Rover ended up together with its Jaguar sibling in Tata Motor Company. The new owner paid for the development of the Defender’s second generation, which was launched in September 2019 at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

For the new generation, Land Rover made a unibody construction for the vehicle, ditching the body-on-frame structure that was previously used. The 110, which was the five-door, long-wheelbase version, shared its front fascia with the rest of the range. It featured a pair of headlights adorned by circular LED daytime running lights, which resembled the older headlights used on the 1989 Defender. Its plastic bumper was extended in the lower area by an underbody shield. From its sides, the flared wheel arches and the flat door panels resembled those from its predecessor. Behind the rear doors, the automaker placed a wider C-pillar. The flat, vertical cut at the rear with the externally mounted spare wheel was also charismatic for this model. At the back, the taillights sported a rectangular shape with small LED lamps.

Inside, it was a modern vehicle fitted with all the features and amenities of an upscale off-roader. There was a digital instrument cluster instead of analog dials and a landscape-oriented touchscreen for the infotainment system on top of the center. Between the comfortable front seats, Land Rover installed a tall center console that housed a few storage areas and an armrest. The gear selector for the automatic transmission found its place closer to the dashboard, like in the old days. In the back, passengers could share the split-folding bench seat and had enough legroom and headroom. In addition, the automaker offered a jump seat between the front passengers or two folding seats in the trunk.

Under the hood, Land Rover installed a choice of diesel and gasoline engines mated to standard eight-speed automatic transmissions. Like its predecessor, it was an all-wheel-drive vehicle and featured a two-speed transfer case. But, unlike that, the 2020 Defender 110 was also available with air suspension, which could raise or lower the vehicle.