- Doors and Seats
3 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
3.0DTT, 6 cyl.
- Engine Power
147kW, 500Nm
- Fuel
Diesel 7.9L/100KM
- Manufacturer
4XD
- Transmission
Auto
- Warranty
5 Yr, Unltd KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
2022 Land Rover Defender 90 Review
Land Rover's most iconic model has returned to showroom floors. Does the new Defender 90 translate well in the 21st century?
- A unique, fun and engaging car to drive around town
- Size and space make it more practical than you might think
- Great diesel engine; smooth, refined and efficient
- Second row doesn't fold flat
- Cost options quickly add up
- Not a whole lot cheaper than a bigger Defender 110
Introduction
As waiting lists stretch into the horizon for the new Land Rover Defender, punters have another option to consider: the short-wheelbase 2022 Land Rover Defender 90.
This is an important car for Land Rover. Not in terms of outright sales; current predictions are that the 90 to make up about 20 percent of overall Defender sales.
Despite only recently landing on showroom floors, the new Defender has quickly grown to become Land Rover's most popular model.
The importance is more symbolic for Land Rover. The modern-day Defender 90 is the most direct connection to the original Land Rover of 1948. The car which started and grew Land Rover into the well-known brand it is today.
These days, short-wheelbase four-wheel-drives are quite a rare breed. Only the tiny Suzuki Jimny and Jeep Wrangler spring to mind as current options. Once upon a time, manufacturers like Holden, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Toyota and Isuzu all offered short-wheelbase, two-door off-roaders.
And so did Land Rover. Short wheelbase was the bread-and-butter option back in those formative mid-century years for the British off-road brand, until the long wheelbase 109 and 110-inch variants progressively took over.
The Defender 90, which referred to the ninety-inch wheelbase - 2360mm - came and went from Land Rover showrooms over the years. It was a niche within a niche, after all.
Yes, rivet-counters. That's 92.9 inches. I know. Put down the pitchforks.
Now, it’s back. And although it’s still called a 90, the reference is even more inaccurate. This new Defender runs a wheelbase that measures at 2587mm, which translates into 101 inches in the old money.
Key details | 2022 Land Rover Defender 90 D200 |
Price (MSRP) | $81,166 |
Colour of test car | Fuji White |
Options | Folding canvas electric roof ($4810), Santorini Black roof ($2171), undershield ($1342), smart rear-view mirror ($1274), 18-inch alloy wheels ($1210), privacy glass ($999), Leisure Activity Key ($910), electronic active diff ($806), towbar ($372), heavy duty rubber mats ($338), matt black bonnet decal ($281). |
Price as tested | $95,679 |
Rivals | Jeep Wrangler | Toyota LandCruiser Prado | Suzuki Jimny |
Inside
The Defender 90’s interior is the same experience up-front as you’ll get in the 110. There’s plenty of storage on offer, and the choice of materials seem both hard-wearing and a little bit unique.
The front passenger grab-handle is wrapped in a neoprene style material, and the metal back plate on the dashboard is a genuine structural piece.
On each side of the 10-inch infotainment display is loads of storage, plus a USB power outlet. Further down, below your collection of buttons and dials for air conditioning and driving modes, you’ll see additional power outlets: 12-volt, USB-A and USB-C.
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If you don’t option up to a jump seat or centre console, the Defender’s gets a standard walk-through setup that works surprisingly well. It leaves a lot of free space between driver and passenger, and you genuinely can walk through to the back. Don’t forget, the gear shifter is located up high on the dashboard.
Storage is also decent in this setup with two cupholders, and a couple of spots to hold stuff like phones and wallets easily.
The canvas roof is undoubtedly expensive, at nearly five grand. But, it’s also something different and quite cool. The opening aperture is huge, and you can stand up through the roof to survey your surroundings. African safari, anyone?
The second row is surprisingly quite usable, comfortable and spacious. Adults can look over the headrests in front to see what’s going on, thanks to the raised seating position. Legroom and headroom is in decent supply, also. There are floor mounted cupholders, along with a couple of storage nooks.
Back windows don’t open, but they are big and allow even more visibility from the second row. Plus, the alpine windows above let in additional natural light.
While the seating capacity is five in total, three adults in the back would be a tight squeeze. But four adults would be plenty comfortable, provided they aren’t outrageously tall.
The boot is also surprisingly decent, measuring in at 397 litres. Or, I reckon you could fit six large backpacks in there quite comfortably.
The second row does fold forward, but not completely flat. The seats sit noticeably higher than the boot as well, leaving it to feel a little impractical compared to a completely flat loadspace.
2022 Land Rover Defender 90 D200 | |
Seats | Five |
Boot volume | 397L / 1563L |
Length | 4323mm |
Width | 2008mm |
Height | 1974mm |
Wheelbase | 2587mm |
Infotainment and Connectivity
While there is a larger infotainment display available for higher specification models, the 10.0-inch infotainment display in the base model Defender offers plenty of technology and connectivity. There's Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, native navigation and digital radio.
The operating system is slick to use and look at as well, offering plenty of customisation and options without feeling too much like a labyrinth.
The instrument cluster in front of the driver, a kind of hybrid of analogue gauges and a digital display, is also loaded with usable and handy features. Aside from the usual features like controlling your entertainment and checking how much fuel you're burning, you can run a crisp full-sized map display to wow your friends or keep an eye on directions.
Having tyre pressure monitoring as a standard offering is handy as well, especially considering the road-tripping and off-roading ability of this Defender.
This new infotainment system – what Land Rover calls 'Pivi Pro', is wifi-enabled for high degrees of connectivity. We downloaded and installed an update on the car while we had it on test, and the connectivity can also help with managing service schedules and vehicle diagnosis.
Safety & Technology
Something the old Defender had just about nothing of – aside from seatbelts – was safety equipment. This has naturally changed with this new generation Defender, and has enabled it to garner a five-star ANCAP safety rating in 2020.
Standard safety equipment includes autonomous emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, forward traffic detection, clear exit monitor, lane keep assist, 360-degree camera, rear collision monitor, traffic sign recognition, adaptive cruise control and driver condition monitor.
Other technology, like keyless entry and push-button start, LED headlights, rubber flooring, two-zone climate control and a 12V outlet in the boot all help boost standard configuration.
At a glance | 2021 Land Rover Defender 90 D200 |
ANCAP rating & year tested | 5 stars (2020) |
Safety report | Link |
Value for Money
The elephant in the room for this Defender 90 is the fact that its $81,166 starting price not much cheaper than the larger five-door variant, which starts from a very close $82,466, for an entry-level Defender 110 D250, with a more powerful base engine.
The Defender 90 does the important short-wheelbase 4x4 stuff, feeling fun and funky. It has a great dimensional aesthetic, even though it’s markedly larger than other so-called shorties. Off-road, the big advantage comes with the improved turning circle and better ramp-over angle.
But at the end of the day, it's a less spacious and less practical version of the Defender. For almost the same money.
Comparing the Defender to other short-wheelbase four-wheel drives leaves it feeling expensive, as well. The Suzuki Jimny is a relative bargain at around $30,000 before on-road costs, and the Wrangler Limited starts from $52,750 plus on-road costs.
However, the similarities don't extend far beyond wheelbase. Both the Jimny and Wrangler are much smaller than the Defender, and don't carry the same punch of standard equipment like digital instrument cluster, big infotainment display and more driving aids than you can shake a low-range transfer case at.
In the case of the Jimny, the tiny, low-cost 4x4 sits in a different league when it comes to power and equipment. Rivals they certainly are not.
And with live axles on a traditional ladder chassis, the likes of a Jimny and Wrangler cannot hold a flame to the new Defender in terms of ride quality and refinement. Although, the classic four-wheel-drive chassis will still be preferred by many, and is easier to modify.
Good amounts of standard equipment help the Defender 90 feel less expensive as a base-model vehicle. And even though D200 is the entry-level diesel engine, having six cylinders and two turbochargers does help the appeal.
Starting ticking up some options however, and your eighty-thousand dollar Defender can quickly turn into six figures. Things like leather interior trimming are a big-ticket option, and the variety of mechanical upgrades like active differentials and more advanced driving modes also put a dent into the value equation.
At a glance | 2022 Land Rover Defender 90 D200 |
Warranty | Five years / unlimited km |
Servicing costs | $2650 5yr/102,000km |
Fuel cons. (claimed) | 7.9L/100km |
Fuel cons. (on test) | 8.8L/100km |
Fuel type | Diesel |
Fuel tank size | 89L |
Driving
The modern-day Defender 90 is left in a unique position. Unlike the solid-axle Jimny and Wrangler, the Defender rides on a modern aluminium chassis with permanent all-wheel drive and independent suspension.
And unlike the Wrangler, the Defender gets a range of modern turbocharged petrol and diesel engines at its disposal. There’s even a flagship supercharged V8 coming.
And of course, it's also much more expensive.
We’ve got the entry-level diesel, called D200. Dont be fooled though, this isn’t the four-cylinder diesel of the same name last year. Instead, it’s the 3.0-litre, six cylinder Ingenium diesel. It’s twin-turbocharged and mild-hybrid still, but in its lowest state of tune.
There is 147kW available at 4,000rpm, and 500Nm is on tap between 1250 and 2250rpm.
P300 and P400 petrol engines are no doubt compelling options for a Defender, with 221 and 294 kilowatts respectively, and forced induction giving plenty of torque.
Petrol could also make better sense for some buyers, but this diesel engine is wonderful. It’s a magnificent return of the straight six diesel for me, with a lazy and fulsome delivery of torque in the lower rev range.
While this engine does noticeably lack a little of the urgent shove you’ll get from D250 and D300 Defenders (the latter reserved for the bigger 110), it’s never left feeling slow or doughy. The torque, available just above idle, is exactly where you want for smooth and effortless acceleration, and wafting around town.
The eight-speed automatic gearbox is responsive when it needs to be, and is smooth to boot. So when you want faster acceleration, this least powerful variant doesn't feel slouchy. Acceleration from 0-100km/h is logged in 9.8 seconds, according to Land Rover.
It’s an impressively refined engine, as well. It makes some nice six-cylinder notes when working hard, but is quiet on startup and while ticking over.
There is some wind noise apparent in the Defender at highway speeds, owing to the boxy shape and flat windscreen. It’s not bad, and is probably only noticeable because the rest of the car is so quiet.
Another question is off-road ability. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to scratch that itch this time around due to travel restrictions. I expect it to still be good, but not as good as the air-suspended Defender. We'll investigate further as soon as we're able.
Unlike the first variants of Defender that landed in Australia, coil suspension is standard at lower specification levels. You'll now find height-adjustible air suspension on the options list, at a price of $1309. And considering the price of other options, I'd personally find it hard to not tick.
Off-road, the more complex air suspension system brings plenty of clear advantages. In term of clearance, the static ride height of this Defender sits somewhere in between on-road and off-road height with air suspension.
On-road, Land Rover's air suspension also allows the Defender to waft over imperfections impressively well.
The Defender 90 on coils does lose that outright suppleness. It’s still comfortable, but there is a slighty firmer edge to the ride. It communicates the road surfaces more through the chassis, and leaves the 90 feeling something like a hot hatch: Playful, responsive and zippy, with a tight 11.3-metre turning circle.
More like a Focus ST then, except with a 20-inch lift and all-terrain tyres. And like the 110, this Defender 90 is surprisingly fun to drive at pace on the blacktop. There's a nice sense of balance, and road-holding feels good up to a point where the tyres start squealing and understeering in protest.
Key details | 2022 Land Rover Defender 90 D200 |
Engine | 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo diesel |
Power | 147kW @ 4000rpm |
Torque | 500Nm @ 1250-2250rpm |
Drive type | Full-time four-wheel drive |
Transmission | Eight-speed automatic, low-range transfer case |
Power to weight ratio | 66.0kW/t |
Weight | 2235kg |
Tow rating | 3500kg braked / 750kg unbraked, 6470kg Gross Combination Mass |
Turning circle | 11.3m |
Conclusion
Short wheelbase characteristics add an extra dollop of charm and aesthetic appeal, on top of the already enticing Defender range. And although it still remains capable of towing and off-roading, the Defender 90 will no doubt be a popular choice in urban areas.
It’s not as small, nor as unrefined, as a Suzuki Jimny, which makes it feel less charming in a way. We love the Jimny, because of its hilarious shortcomings. Something that the much more expensive Defender 90 wouldn't be able to shrug off as easily.
The Defender has less chinks in the armour. It’s refined, powerful, efficient. It’s also not as small, and has plenty of safety and technical features at the ready.
This new Defender isn’t a car that people look at and consider, because it makes sense from a practicality point of view. Most who want a Defender, will beeline for a larger and more practical 110 at the end of the day.
And a Defender 110 is only a few thousand dollars more, at the end of the day. You’ll pay more for the folding canvas roof upgrade than you would to set from a three-door to a five-door, for instance.
But, that doesn’t mean buying a Defender 90 isn’t a bad idea. It’s fun and unique, two elements that are often in short supply in most new cars. The second row isn’t useless, and neither is the boot. This means you can get away with using the 90 on daily duties, provided you’re not catering to a throng of kids and friends.
But you’ll appreciate the Land Rover Defender 90 particularly in some scenarios: When you squeeze into a tiny parking space, and when you catch a glimpse of it. Because there’s nothing else really on the road like it.