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Land Rover Defender 110 XS

When faced with extreme conditions, no other machine has defined the go-anywhere, no-nonsense approach quite like the Land Rover Defender.

By Richard Williamson

October 2002

But everybody knows about these traditional abilities, which is why, as it approaches its 55th birthday, the rural favourite has had another makeover in an attempt to make it more appealing to the town and country set. And if recent sales figures are to be believed, it's not only farmers and the emergency services who relish the strength and physical presence of the Defender.

More and more urban motorists opt for it to clear a path in city traffic. And why not? After all, it has more people-carrying capacity than an MPV, shrugs off kerbs and parking knocks and easily bullies its way through town.

Land Rover claims to have made a raft of changes, but thankfully there's been no messing with the Defender's familiar blunt-as-a-Bernard Manning joke profile. Only by taking a closer look does it become clearer what's been changed visually. For the new range-topping XS trim level, there's a metal finish to the protruding lattice grille and headlamp surround, while clear white indicator lenses and body-coloured roof and wheelarch panels give a less utilitarian finish.

Five-spoke alloys, chunky tyres, tinted windows, an extra brake light in the rear screen and aluminium-plated side running bars add to the appeal and distinguish the XS from lesser Defenders. At the rear, a new one-piece tailgate pressed from zinc-plated steel offers greater rigidity and better sealing qualities for the rear window rubber. It was a known weak spot, apparently. Step up into the cabin and it's obvious how dated Solihull's finest is compared with its younger counterparts. Yet for those who love a helping of retro motoring, the cramped shoulder width, minimal knee-room and handbrake jammed up against the left leg are minor ergonomic quibbles.

And the lack of driver comfort is compensated for by the luxuries of air-conditioning, heated seats, twin cup- holders and electric windows. Oh, and there's a CD player in the middle of the gunmetal-effect plastic console.

If the front seats are a squash, the other seven chairs in the long wheelbase 110 version do at least offer the kind of people-carrying qualities that can only be matched by a minibus. There is no shortage of practicality, either, as the middle three seats split and fold down like an estate car's, while the four chairs suspended from the cabin's side panels all have seatbelts. There are grab rails, too.

Power for the Defender range is still provided by the acclaimed 2.5-litre Td5 direct-injection turbodiesel, with 127bhp and 211Nm of torque digging in deep from 1,950rpm. There's more clatter than a tap-dance routine, but Defender fans won't mind that in exchange for the Td5's solid transfer of power to the four driven wheels via a drive-by-wire electronic throttle system.

The long five-speed gearshift is as notchy and wand-like as ever, and if the driving surface becomes stickier than treacle sponge, there's also the extra low-ratio gearbox and a differential lock to select. But urban roads and motorways are, on average, in better shape than off-road trails, where the Defender's ground clearance and suspension are so effective. Which means the Landie's ride quality on tarmac is not the smoothest by a long chalk.

Although the steering feels vague at best and requires maximum concentration from the driver when negotiating a junction turn, the standard-fit ABS-assisted brakes and a traction control system provide welcome safety nets for the Defender's hefty frame. And if you regularly need to tow more than a box trailer of garden rubbish, then the Landie makes a fine choice.

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FIRST OPINION

    Land Rover's ageing workhorse will never lose its character, but the progress of modern life is making a mark. With remote central locking, CD player, air-conditioning and ABS, this top-level new Defender could even be seen as an alternative lifestyle statement for city dwellers.
 

AT A GLANCE

    Revised Defender on sale now
    New trim levels for 2003
    XS has standard luxury kit
     
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