2023 Land Rover Defender 90 new car review

Australians love their tough four-wheel drives and this high-class bush basher might be the most capable all-round off-road machine in Australia.

Land Rover’s Defender 4WD remained virtually unchanged for about 70 years, but the all-new version has taken an almighty leap into the 21st century.

Here are five things you need to know about it.

The Land Rover Defender is a modern, hi-tech 4WD.

It looks the part

Check out those proportions.

This stocky Defender has massive wheels that look too big for its body.

This short-wheelbase, two-door Defender 90 is the smallest of three body styles offered by Land Rover. You can also have it as a more practical five-door “Defender 110” or family-focused three-row “Defender 130”.

Prestige car customers are often spoiled for choice and this Land Rover continues the trend. Customers can pick from almost 20 combinations of body size, engine type and trim levels before delving into the complicated world of optional extras.

It’ll go as far off-road as any stock vehicle on sale.

This is an off-road weapon

There’s method behind the mad silhouette. Kitted out with high-rise air suspension, the Defender has some 290mm of ground clearance, 900mm of water wading ability, and the sort of approach, departure and ramp-over angles four-wheel-drive enthusiasts dream about.

It is one of the most capable off-roaders available at any price, one that caters to drivers of all levels of experience.

The Defender inspires confidence in tricky situations, helped by powerful brakes and accurate steering with a relaxed response that rewards deliberate inputs.

It has the interior other 4WDs can’t match.

It’s loaded with tech

The Defender is stuffed to the roof with technology intended to make life easier, particularly off-road. Myriad drive modes adapt to conditions such as mud, sand or rocks.

Ultrasonic sensors measure the depth of water crossings, a clever “clear sight” camera shows you what’s beneath the car and important information about the machine’s dimensions are displayed live on an 11.4-inch touchscreen in the centre of the dashboard.

It also has sat nav, smartphone mirroring and most of the toys you’d expect from a premium machine in 2023.

There are plenty of strong diesel and petrol engine options.

And it’s surprisingly quick

This six-cylinder petrol version of the Defender has a turbocharged 3.0-litre engine with 294kW and 550Nm. That’s more punch that you might normally find in an SUV, enough for the two-door Defender to rip to 100km/h in a hot hatch-rivalling 6.1 seconds. It sounds smooth while doing so, delivering a more sophisticated driving experience than diesel alternatives.

Folks who want more wallop can choose a V8-powered version with enormous 386kW and 625Nm figures, but you will need to be rich to do so.

The short-wheelbase Land Rover starts just shy of $100,000 drive-away, and this “P400” model is closer to $130,000 in the traffic.

The big banger V8 costs about twice as much again as the sweet six, before you factor in significantly higher fuel bills and running costs.

But there are compromises

The Defender is surprisingly sporty on tar considering its off-road bias, though it’s not a precise corner-carving tool.

Its compact body and super-short overhangs are great for off-roading but this is the only two-tonne car I can think of with less than 400 litres of boot space.

It has a back seat, but getting in there is a squeezy process best left to children.

Double-digit fuel economy will make you a regular at the petrol station.

All of which confirms our suspicion that the two-door Land Rover is a sports car by another name.

Sure, it’s expensive, indulgent and impractical, but the Defender is a hell of a machine in its natural element.