Defender 90 & 110 from Land Rover
11/02/2021
Very few cars can claim to be iconic, or timeless; the
original Sir Alec Issigonis Mini, Volkswagen Transporter (Camper), and the
Land Rover Defender spring to mind. If you were the owner of one these brands,
surely you’d want to ride the coat tails of success for as long as possible?
Except, Land Rover, in their wisdom, decided in 2016 that
the Defender had really had its day and so ended production of the icon. That
was a mistake. In fact it was such huge mistake that within a year, they were
planning a reborn Defender, one that should live up to the reputation of its
namesake, and deliver everything that a Land Rover should.
What we have here is the all-new Land Rover Defender.
Defender 90 & 110
The first question that has to be asked – does it offer the
same level of off-road ability as the old model? Yes, and then some.
What about … Does it offer the same experience as the old
model? Nope.
This is refined, windproof, quiet … all things that the old Defender wasn’t, that
gave it ‘character’. The new Defender is exactly what it should be – a Defender
for the modern age, using modern tech and build processes. Imagine an old
Defender that has spent time with an independent specialist, being made to ride
& handle correctly, with added pep, reliability, and styling. That’s what
we have here.
If you’re a traditional Defender owner, this is the Defender
that you’ve always wished Land Rover would make.
2 or 4-Door Defender
Land Rover seemed to have captured the spirit of the
original ‘90’ and ‘110’ well. The 90s were all about plugging around the mud
and fields, whereas the 110 was more for the family of Land Rover enthusiasts,
and it’s the same story today – the new 110 Defender is the perfect family
vehicle.
That oversimplifies the models somewhat though. Perhaps we
could say that the 110 is the perfect expedition vehicle, with enough space for
humans and equipment, while the 90 is great for a solid day’s off-roading.
On road, the Defender is as capable as any modern SUV –
smooth, predictable, powerful. Just a bit more rugged. You can load it with a
messenger bag and laptop, or a five-a-side football team and it won’t feel
misplaced. It’s quite difficult to place the Defender – it makes for a great
family car that will eat up the miles in comfort, travel to a business meeting
in style and arrive feeling unruffled, or climb to the top of the nearest
mountain without a worry about the terrain.
It truly is a ‘go anywhere, do anything’ vehicle.
Two Models
There is little difference between the 90 and 110, aside
from the obvious, but essentially it boils down to size requirements, number of
doors, and whether you want hybrid drivetrain or not.
The 110 has four doors, more space in the rear, and has the
option for hybrid power, and the 90 has just two doors, and only petrol or
diesel options for powertrain. The Defender 90 can still seat up to six
occupants, but that obviously limits luggage space, whereas the 110 has options
for 5-seat, six seats or a 5+2 combination.
Both models share the same technology, rugged features, and
design ethos, so you’ll never feel that you’ve been short-changed by choosing
one over the other, it really does boil down to practical requirements.
Our best advice would be to chat with one of our team, they
can give you the full specification, unbiased advice as to which model may work
better for you, and arrange a visit so that you can see the differences for
yourself. And the differences are worth seeing.
