13 November 2023
Want to drive eight adults up a 40-degree mountainside incline? Better yet, want to do it in luxurious Land Rover style and comfort? Well now you can with the 2023 Land Rover Defender 130! You can see the video here.
If you’re like me, extreme four-wheel driving up a mountain is not a regular occurrence. Instead, I spent the weekend in the Defender 130 cruising city tarmac, with not even a sideways glance at rugged terrain. Though to be fair, I was driving a test vehicle and I wasn’t prepared to be ‘that guy’ who returned our pristine loaner (with a $160k price tag) to the good people at Land Rover and had to explain a mishap due to my off-road incompetence.
The Land Rover brand carries an enviable pedigree for off-road prowess and they definitely can’t be pigeonholed into the ‘mall-wheel-drive’ SUV category, but I have my doubts as to whether new Defender owners are testing the limits of these beautifully crafted machines on perilous cliff sides. Other than towing the boat and possibly the odd visit to a beach, the reality is most owners will probably spend 99% of their time driving to the supermarket or picking up the kids. Hence this review erring on the side of the urban chauffeur.
The Defender design was born in the late 1980s and became an official part of the stable in 1990 as a new incarnation of the previous military- inspired Land Rover Series I to III. The Defender was a step up in refinement but never strayed far from its roots of basic utility, simple design, industrial looks and superior off-road ability. Countless safari expeditions and a history of ownership by Royal Family members are testament to the cult follower status Land Rover has established by a loyal global fan base.
The latest incarnation is only the fourth iteration in over 40 years, but the design cues are unmistakably Defender-esque, retaining that multi-generational aesthetic of off-road stoicism. Defender wears the box-on-wheels design with pride and in a carpark of SUV blandness there is no second guessing which vehicle you would run to if Armageddon broke out. Flat front guards with aluminium brush panels, flat roof, big rear door and those very cool ‘halo’ headlights give the Defender a boss-level appeal that screams “if you want to live, pick me.”
In the Starbucks universe, serious coffee drinkers turn their noses at the Short, Tall and Grande-sized drinks, instead opting for the behemoth ‘Venti’. In the Land Rover world, the same is true for the 130. This is the venti-sized SUV. At a whopping 5,358mm long (including spare wheel) and just over two metres wide, 1,970mm high and with a wheelbase of 3,022mm you feel elevated and safe. How does it compare to other large SUVs? Well, the Toyota Land Cruiser 300 is 4,980mm long and the Nissan Patrol Ti comes in at 5,175mm.
The length and noticeable rear overhang is a trade-off for the third-row seat, allowing space for eight passengers. However, getting back there is a bit of a contortion lesson (for those of us with a few years under the belt). The kids however had no problem at all, jumping over the seats like a confidence course and preferring to ride out of arm’s length in the third row.
With such a vast amount of metal-in-motion, parking in an inner-city underground car park becomes a lesson in vehicular aerobics. Modern car park designs are barely pushing a 2.4-metre width limit these days, meaning the squeeze between cars leaves little tolerance for a lapse in judgement. But to allay anxiety, the 130’s technology steps up to save the day. The central screen shows enough camera angle views to win an Oscar. We chose the 3D Surround camera display which is a 360-degree capable augmented reality birds-eye view that you would swear is beaming down from your own personal drone. You can also utilise Park-Assist and other features via the 11.4-inch Pivi-Pro central infotainment screen to ensure sweat-free manoeuvres.
There are currently two Defender 130 models to choose from, the SE and HSE. Both run Land Rover’s D300 3.0L Twin Turbo 6-Cylinder Diesel, 221kW with 650 Nm, 48 volt mild hybrid, eight-speed ZF Automatic. Fuel economy is rated at 9.4L/100km and towing capacity on the 130 is rated at 3,000kg. Currently, the 130 is only offered with diesel powertrains, but the smaller 90 and 110 series include petrol and PHEV variants. Land Rover’s parent company, JLR, has announced a 250 million pound investment in a Future Energy Lab to develop future EV models across all of the model range. You can read the press release here.
Driving the Defender is a joy. This is no traditional SUV experience; the engine delivers seamless torque alongside a very responsive eight-speed transmission. In fact, the drivetrain is so quiet and refined, it’s hard to believe you are driving a 2.5 tonne diesel four-wheeler. The air suspension will soak up anything the tarmac can throw at it and its off-road ability is getting universal acclaim in 4WD communities.
Pricing for the 130 starts at $160,000 for the SE spec and the upgrades are endless. Adding things like Off-Road Packs, Towing Packs or Explorer Packs are all optional and will push the price closer to the $200k mark if you add every option (we kitted out a 130 on the Land Rover website with everything but the kitchen sink and snuck in at $199,677 including a Clean Car Fee). The minimum upgrade for me would be approved off-road tyres and the Expedition Roof Rack, allowing a load of up to 168kg of gear on the roof.
The verdict; The 130 balances Armageddon-ready pragmatism with refined urban utility. The icon lives on.
More information: Defender 130 Overview
Article and images by Avon Bailey
Avon has spent three long decades doing everything there is to do in the car universe, from the car auction podium to wrenching on a race car team he has seen it all. He brings an open mind and a sharp pencil to give an honest review of anything with four wheels.