Team-BHP
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https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/)
A friend is picking up the 3.0 diesel variant of the Defender tomorrow. He currently drives an M5 and this is the replacement as the family have had enough of his M5. (He gets annoyed at them if they even dirty the mats with their shoes etc ..lol:)
He has also realized that he prefers effortless power rather than working (red lining) for performance.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Akshay1234
(Post 5116467)
Driving the Land Rover Defender 2.0L Petrol Automatic
The Defender is an imposing vehicle, one which you have to climb into, even though the air suspension lowers the access height automatically. It's a vehicle which you see and want a big powerful engine under the hood, which will take you anywhere you want to go. Well, in this particular car, we've got a 2.0L turbo-petrol with 296 BHP and 400 Nm which feels just about sufficient, but it still does take you wherever you want to go. It's one of those vehicles which makes you instantly feel like the king of the road, the same sort of feeling that you get in a G-Wagen. A part of it has to do with the butch body styling, a part of it with the high seating position and commanding view - it's the whole package of the Defender that makes you feel indestructible.
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Excellent review, Sir. Saw a video of the Defender on Carwow by Mat Watson and was blown by the performance and ruggedness of this beast. Watson drove the defender in thick slush, mud and gravel and he car shone in all conditions. I know it sounds a lot, but really expecting the XUV700 to give us a similar experience at a lesser price point. :)
I can’t stop thinking how much it looks like my old Skoda Yeti.
First time I saw the pics of the new Defender, was less than impressed. The dual coloured panels here and there, some fussy details made it looked liked a concept car from the 2000s. But when I started seeing these in single tone colours. :loveit
And those interiors. Modern yet practical. Not just a slab of plastic sitting in front of you. The sheer utility and myriad storage spaces.
Though unaffordable, just the thought that we can order a 3 door SUV with an inline-6 diesel and steelies in a dealership in India makes me excited.:Cheering: With the risk of sounding like a broken tape recorder, how I wish this had a Toyota or Ford emblem upfront.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BlackPearl
(Post 5116632)
I have to disagree with the point regarding the Meridian music system. I am not an audiophile, but I really did not like the sound from it, specially compared to the Harman Kardon in my 10 year old Range Rover Sport.
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Really? I liked it too, man. Sure you set up the equalizer? That can make the difference between an average system and a really good one. Also, I guess Meridian has two options for the Defender (11 & 15 speaker). Are we speaking of the same config?
I was working on an early ownership review of my Defender P300, that I picked up last month, but crazy work schedule and classic procrastination got the better of me. In any case, this review is way more comprehensive! Thank you for the fantastic read.
<Don't mean to hijack the thread>
We added the LR Defender to our garage, that already had a Porsche Macan (2 year old with 40k on the clock), Mini Cooper JCW and Corolla Altis. I had my eyes on the car, the day it launched, and when the dealer reached out to me with a great offer, I could hardly resist.
Having driven the car for 2500 km in the first month of ownership, I would share my list of hits and misses with the vehicle.
Positives :
- Road presence like no other! Having parked next to a Wrangler, Thar, Endeavour and Fortuner, not just the size but also its design elements lend it a rugged & imposing presence. Head-turning guaranteed, although that is never a deal maker / breaker for me
- Looks : Many may disagree, but I don't know of an SUV south of INR 2 Cr that looks better. Colour and element treatment of some surfaces (Bonnet with the matt pad, front bumpers, snorkel attachment, tail lamps, quirky C pillar, black roof on my example to name a few) steal the show
- Go anywhere capability : Enough said!
- Tech & electronic everything : LR has redefined the off-road SUV segment by loading it up to the brim with convenience, comfort and coolness - Nothing that I can add to the original review, as that covers it all, but there's nothing that I miss in particular in this vehicle, that a German or Italian would have at this price point or in this segment
- Space, and then some more : Comfortable seats up front and in the middle row, and three can be seated abreast easily
- Road Manners, both on-road and off it : Well sprung, super efficient braking, and a mile-muncher on highways
- Insane off-road features : Loaded with off-road assist functions electronically, both active and passive, helps retain the true Defender DNA. We tested this on the cliffs at Bera (Jawai, RJ) and it never skipped a beat.
- Smart-sounding Meridien music system
- Small bits : Safari windows (Giraffe windows), connected car features, smart accent lighting and hologram on door opening, voice assist that is truly functional, solid refrigeration in the centre console, iPad attachment behind the front seats, blindspot indicator for door opening, insane number of cameras for all possible views, et al
Negatives :
- Rear view mirrors : Too small for a vehicle of this size
- Memory seats are a big miss
- Adequate power : Low-end finds itself lacking, though the engine is good enough for highways
- Last row of seats are a joke
- Long term reliability and servicing are a shot in the dark : Would update my experience here
- My only complain with the styling is the alloy design
Experience till now :
The Defender has been taken out on two long trips, one of which was for off-roading to the leopard hills of Jawai, in Pali Rajasthan, that is known for its rocky terrain. I was yet to develop confidence and skills for a true-blue off-roading experience, and was being cautious instead of pushing the car to its limits, but went way beyond my comfort zone, hitting 37º decline angle at one point.
The car can gobble rough terrain up for breakfast, and with the air suspension taking it to a maximum 290mm of ground clearance, there is almost zero fear of anything. We were four adult occupants for the trip, and the comfort-level review was extremely high.
This is one vehicle I foresee retaining for 5+ years, and would be my go-to car for all highway drives.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GTO
(Post 5117019)
Really? I liked it too, man. Sure you set up the equalizer? That can make the difference between an average system and a really good one. Also, I guess Meridian has two options for the Defender (11 & 15 speaker). Are we speaking of the same config?
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It was the top of the spec Defender First Edition, so I think it had the best setup. But I did not setup the equaliser, in fact I did not change any setting and had hoped that the factory setting would know better than me :D Maybe that was a mistake. I will give it another go the next time.
I haven't driven the Defender yet but saw a video from TFL Offroad and it seems the off-road prowess has taken a hit. The standard rims are just too big to support tyres that can take a beating. In fact one of the comments mentions that consultants advised LR to support smaller rim sizes but they chose to not accept the suggestion.
https://youtu.be/391AsASvmi8
Quote:
Originally Posted by mathranik
(Post 5117367)
The Defender has been taken out on two long trips, one of which was for off-roading to the leopard hills of Jawai, in Pali Rajasthan, that is known for its rocky terrain. I was yet to develop confidence and skills for a true-blue off-roading experience, and was being cautious instead of pushing the car to its limits, but went way beyond my comfort zone, hitting 37º decline angle at one point.
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Lovely vehicle you got there! It has an amazing personality on the road!
Jawai is a great place to go in a Defender. I would never want to leave that place if I had the Defender! Our group also did an offroad trip there in January and the terrain is super awesome! Seeing you are also from Ahmedabad, look forward to spotting the Blue sometime soon!
Cheers
Adi
Quote:
Originally Posted by parambyte
(Post 5117004)
I can’t stop thinking how much it looks like my old Skoda Yeti.
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You have to see it in flesh and you will find that they are poles apart.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DicKy
(Post 5117009)
With the risk of sounding like a broken tape recorder, how I wish this had a Toyota or Ford emblem upfront.
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Wishing for Toyota internals is still fine, but the emblem has to be the green oval :D But Ford! why?
Land Rover clearly has a winner in it’s hand in terms of the Defender. The only SUV which can match the Defender’s Road presence I believe is the G-wagen. But it costs almost twice the Defender!
Shocked to know that the 2 litre is a mediocre performer. On paper 300bhp does sound a lot.
As for the review, the opening photography is top notch !
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bibendum90949
(Post 5116638)
albeit short.
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^I agree.
I feel this car deserved a full blown classic Team Bhp style review. More details on the new Monocoque construction would have been welcome.
Lovely review of an amazing vehicle.
Kitna deti hai?
Jokes apart, never thought I would read a review where a 296BHP turbo petrol is insufficient. Truly a heavyweight.
Amazing review sir. This SUV is my dream. If I’ve the option to choose any 1 car, it will be Land Rover Defender 110 without any second thought. Whenever I see one of these (old generations and current 1), it mesmerises me. 1 of few cars which can take you to almost everywhere and you can use it on daily basis too for day to day activities.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BlackPearl
(Post 5118135)
Wishing for Toyota internals is still fine, but the emblem has to be the green oval :D But Ford! why?
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Caught me there. :D
Wanted to just say 'Toyota', but would have branded me as a fanboi. Was about to say, 'wish it had a Japanese emblem', but that was tooo vague.
Couldn't mention GMC or Chevy since they are not relevant for India. So mentioned the closest competitor Toyota has in India for just the sake of mentioning.
Anyways, the whole post was written keeping in mind how one could purchase it used 8-10 years down the line. For it to be affordable for me. Buying it used almost a decade later, green oval or the silver ovals, can guess which is anyone's choice.:p
Personally I think the defender looks better than Evoque. With the air suspension & plush interiors - They really are aiming for the lifestyle SUV crowd.
People who travel regularly between cities might fancy the defender. Take the Bengaluru-Manglaore highway route. Traveling with 4 around ghat roads in comfort would be fun.
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It's one which can be used as a daily driver that's comfortable to drive in the city
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Daily driving the defender inside Bengaluru's narrow roads :Shockked: - well I'll leave that to the true adventure enthusiast.
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