Land Rover Defender – rebirth of an icon

THE alfresco diners, cocktail quaffers and espresso sippers at the pavement cafes turned their heads in unison as the Land Rover Defender cruised down the city thoroughfare.

You could also catch some of the remarks – from the almost whispered ‘classy piece of kit’ to the full-on roar of ‘that’s my kind of car’.

The re-birth of an icon is always going to be a risky business, so listening to random comments from people who have no agenda other than that of aspiration can be valuable.

And from motorway rubberneckers to everyday passers-by, the positivity generated by the new Defender was stirring.

In fact despite being surrounded by an endless collection of exotica in the Soho Farmhouse car park on the busiest day of the year so far, the ‘beautiful people’ only had eyes for one vehicle.

That Defender variant in question was the three-door 90 as opposed to the longer five-door 110, and really struck a pose in its almost military-like Gondwana Stone Metallic paint (an £895 option) and black contrast roof (add £900).

While the old Defender was all about uncompromising hardcore capability rather than comfort and convenience, the newcomer is a sumptuously kitted out luxury SUV that you could drive on the surface of the moon and halfway up Mount Everest.

Our tested model came with Land Rover’s new D250 mild hybrid diesel engine, a strong and smooth 3.0-litre unit developing 249bhp and capable of returning just under an average 33 miles per gallon.

It’s got some wallop too, as the acceleration figure of 0-60 in 7.6 seconds underlines and the addition of an Air Suspension Pack with adaptive dynamics (another option but worthwhile at £1,615) helps make this car a joy to drive.

The eight-speed automatic gearbox is also slick, the engine sufficiently quiet to disguise the fact that it’s an oil-burner and ride quality silky smooth, especially on faster roads.

Climb into the cabin and everything feels high quality and refined; the controls are chunky, dashboard layout simple, grained leather/textile seats large and comfortable while there’s also a 10-inch Pivi Pro infotainment set-up with an interactive driver display.

Ideally you would travel with a maximum of four adults aboard, in which case there’s a fabulous view for all – those in the rear have an even higher seating position and tons of legroom.

But this a car that can actually seat six if you squeeze three across the back and splash out an extra £815 for a jump seat that flips up or down between the front seats but is realistically only suitable for kids given its size and the fact that there’s nowhere to put your feet.

It’s not all plain sailing regards practicality though. For instance climbing in and out of the back is awkward, the rear windows – on this model at least – don’t open and the boot is very narrow.

We just about managed to fit in the bags for three people ahead of a weekend in the Cotswolds, though you can of course fold down the back seats. Drivers also need to be wary of the side-hinged tailgate which requires plenty of room to fully open.

Otherwise the Defender 90 comes packed with kit as standard – the likes of heated front seats, auto LED headlights, surround view camera, all-wheel drive and Terrain Response included.

You can really hike up the tab on extras (the tested model had £10,000 worth) but even at entry grade the Defender is a car of outstanding merit and one we can heartily recommend.