Driving the Land Rover Defender 110 First Edition has definitely been the most exciting vehicle that I have driven in a while. I have been lucky enough to drive a few Land Rovers, such as the Discovery, Discovery Sport, the Range Rover Velar, but the new Defender is certainly at the top of the list for me. I had seen the new Defender whilst cycling around Cape Town and I knew I had to get behind the wheel. Below I’ll share what I loved about the Land Rover Defender First Edition the most.
The new Land Rover Defender comes in two body styles. There is the Defender 90 which is a 2 door version and then the Defender 110, which is the 5 door version. Besides the number of doors, the 110 is much longer than the 90, so that is an easy way to tell the difference. We will be looking at the Land Rover Defender 110 First Edition below.
The Look:
The Defender 110 is the kind of vehicle that you would want to be parked in your garage if adventure is your first, last, and middle name. The 110 stands out on the road with its bold looks. Driving around, I had many stopping to look and even slow down in front and behind of me to get a closer look. I recall a neighbour in the tourism business asking me if “that really nice Land Rover is yours”. “I wish”, I responded.
Some key exterior designs to take notice of: The large grill, big LED lights with the half-circle daytime running lights, bonnet guard, the two-tone roof, sliding panoramic roof, roof rails, the storage compartment mounted on the side (this is an extra) and the large rear door. You also get 20 Inch 5 spoke wheels with off-road tyres, a 20-inch full-size spare wheel.
Cabin and Tech:
Climbing inside the Defender 110, you are presented with a cabin that is well kitted out for any adventure. There is lots of space and legroom, in the front or rear, as well as storage space in the back for 1946 Litres. You can seat 5 adults, on the robust woven textile seats, with 2 extra seats in the rear.
The interior is made from ebony grained leather providing a soft to the touch feel no matter what you touch. The steering wheel has easy to access buttons to answer calls, change the mode, set the volume, activate the cruise control and turn on the steering wheel heater.
If you like technology like me, the new Defender is kitted out with loads of tech, to make long journeys or even just a trip to watch the sunset fun. There is a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system as well as an interactive driver display which can be tweaked to help you navigate or simply to show what song is playing.
To keep you safe there is cruise control, a speed limiter, lane keep assist as well as 6 airbags.
One of my favourite features is the speeding camera alert system which warns you at various intervals when you are going to pass a speeding camera. This only works for fixed cameras though.
The 3D Surround camera gives you a 360 degree look around the vehicle. You can switch from the front or rear cameras as well as use the projection lines to align your wheels correctly. The parking sensors also alert you should you get too close to an object.
Instead of a standard rear-view mirror, the Defender 110 has a ClearSight interior rear-view mirror camera. The rear-view mirror is actually a display that is linked to a camera located on the rear of the car. This setup lets you see behind you no matter what obstacles are in the cabin.
There are also emergency and support call buttons should you need to quickly get help. For the right temperature, you get an aircon, heated seats and a heated steering wheel. The driver and passenger seats are controlled by the push of a button and you can save your settings, should someone else take the wheel.. The front centre console has storage trays, a drink holder and a cooled compartment, to keep your drinks cold. The Merdian Sound System provides the best audio experience. There are loads of USB and charging points in the front and rear for charging your devices. In the boot, you get buttons to lower the vehicle and deploy the tow bar, a 180W plug socket perfect as well as an air compressor, perfect for on the go tyre inflation and deflation!
The Drive:
The Land Rover Defender 110 is powered by a 2L 4 Cylinder Twin Turbocharged Diesel engine with 177kW. With All-Wheel Drive (AWD) and an 8 Speed automatic transmission, the Defender provides a smooth and powerful drive, with no lag on take-off.
When you hit rougher terrain, the Defender is at home thanks to a range of features: Terrain response, hill launch assist, low traction launch and hill descent control. Dynamic and roll stability control will keep you safe should the terrain get tough. With 291 mm off-road ground clearance and 900 mm max wading depth, the Defender 110 can tackle any adventure. The Defender 110 is also pretty fuel-efficient as I averaged 13L per 100KM, even with a heavy foot..
Price:
The Land Rover Defender First Edition 110 comes in at R 1,260,600 for the base model. The model that I drove has some extras which brought the price up to R 1,355,603. While this may seem like a fortune of money, and to me it certainly is, for what you are getting, it is not bad at all.
Verdict:
The Land Rover Defender First Edition 110 is an example of another great vehicle from Land Rover. It looks great wherever it goes, the interior has loads of comfort and tech to keep you safe and comfortable, and it handles the terrain really well, whether that is on or off-road! The Defender 110 is one of the most kitted out cars that I have driven in a while!
