Land Rover Defender

Land Rover Defender sits among JLR's toughest SUV offerings. It shares the luxury spotlight with Discovery and Range Rover Sport. Its boxy shape tips a hat to the original Defender's legend. The design blends rugged off-road muscle with premium cabin luxury. This is the Land Rover that chased James Bond on screen. It starred in both Spectre and No Time to Die. The Defender cares more about getting the job done right. It would rather conquer a mountain pass than impress a valet.

​How does it drive? Great off-road ability usually hurts on-road manners and steering feel. Not with the Defender. It drives like a proper luxury SUV should every day. The 8-speed automatic gearbox shifts smoothly and almost invisibly. Braking feels easy in city traffic and stop-and-go jams. The base 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine produces 300 PS and 400 Nm. It handles highway overtakes and city commutes with equal confidence. The 3.0-litre mild-hybrid diesel pushes out 300 PS and 650 Nm. That massive low-end torque makes hill climbs and towing effortless. Step up to the 5.0-litre V8, and you get 525 PS. The flagship Octa packs a 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 with 635 PS.

The Defender 110 weighs around 2,186 kg in base variant. Larger alloy wheels add firmness over broken Indian roads and potholes. On standard suspension, the ride stays composed and well-mannered overall. Air suspension, available on higher variants, softens bumps beautifully. It also raises ground clearance to 291 mm for serious off-roading.

Adaptive cruise control works smoothly on the highway without jerky corrections. The 360-degree camera system helps in tight parking spots and trails. Large windows and well-sized mirrors give excellent outward visibility everywhere. Navigating Delhi traffic or Ladakh switchbacks feels equally manageable.

​How comfortable is it? The Defender rides with the refinement you expect at this price. The cabin stays remarkably quiet, even on rough surfaces and at speed. Road noise and wind noise remain well-controlled throughout most driving situations.
The driver's seat offers a wide range of electric adjustments. The second row in the 110 feels genuinely spacious and airy. Headroom, legroom, and shoulder room remain plentiful for tall passengers. The tall roofline and large glass area create a bright, open cabin feel. Air suspension lowers the ride height for easy entry and exit. Large doors and multiple grab handles make access convenient in the 110. Getting into the rear of the three-door 90 remains awkward, though. We recommend skipping the optional front centre jump seat entirely. It eats into useful storage space without adding real practicality.
Child seat installation in the 110's second row is straightforward and easy. The 90's narrow door opening makes passing a seat through difficult. The climate control dials double as drive mode and seat controls. This dual-function design takes some getting used to at first.

Is it a good value? The Defender starts at around ₹1.03 crore (ex-showroom) in India. Prices go up to ₹2.60 crore for the range-topping Octa variant. The main rival, the Toyota Land Cruiser 300, starts at around ₹2.16 crore. A sensibly specced Defender 110 blends off-road grit with on-road polish. It justifies its premium over simpler options like the Jeep Wrangler easily. The aluminium D7x monocoque structure feels rock-solid from every angle. Panel gaps are tight and consistent, as you'd expect at this price. It sits below a Mercedes-Benz GLS in outright luxury feel, though. But it offers far more rugged capability than most luxury SUV rivals.

JLR India offers a standard warranty of three years with unlimited kilometres. Extended warranty packages are available through authorised JLR service centres. Some competitors like Toyota include complimentary service packages, but JLR does not.

How's the fuel economy? The 2.0-litre petrol returns an ARAI-rated mileage of around 14 kmpl. The 3.0-litre diesel delivers roughly 12–14 kmpl as per ARAI figures. The V8 variants drop to around 6–9 kmpl depending on driving style. Real-world mileage typically falls below these official ARAI-certified numbers. City driving with frequent stops brings the figures down even further. The diesel engine remains the most practical choice for everyday Indian driving. It balances performance and fuel costs better than the petrol options.

Personality matters a lot to the Defender, and it delivers. This generation nails the classic Defender's boxy, upright proportions perfectly. It looks imposing and cool from nearly every angle on Indian roads. The front end could look a bit bolder and more aggressive, though. Optional plastic pieces on the bonnet draw mixed reactions from owners. The Defender drives with composure and dignity on highways and off-road. Its Terrain Response 2 system handles everything from sand to rock crawling. Electronic controls make off-roading seamless, even for inexperienced drivers. Purists might miss physical diff-lock levers and low-range buttons, though. Still, the Defender's effortless approach to any terrain is hard to beat.

How's the tech? The Pivi Pro infotainment system looks sharp with crisp graphics. The touchscreen responds quickly and feels free of annoying lag issues. However, the menu structure can feel complicated and sometimes frustrating. Finding specific settings requires too many taps and swipes sometimes. Volume controls sit on the screen's right side, away from the driver. The built-in navigation display looks polished and works well on Indian roads. The Meridian audio system delivers rich, detailed sound quality throughout the cabin.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connect wirelessly via the front USB-C port. Phone connectivity can sometimes drop or reconnect inconsistently, though. More USB charging ports up front would be a welcome addition. JLR's software updates arrive over-the-air to improve features over time.

How's storage and cargo? The Defender 110 offers 397 litres of boot space with seats up. Fold the second row down, and you get up to 2,231 litres. The rear seats feel heavy and need some effort to fold flat. Air suspension can lower the vehicle for easier cargo loading at the tailgate. Unlike most SUVs, the Defender uses a side-hinged tailgate, not a liftgate. The mounted spare tyre on the tailgate adds weight when opening it. Interior cubby holes work for small items but not larger bags or purses. Rear passenger storage options could use improvement for everyday convenience.
The Defender's towing capacity reaches up to 3,720 kg when properly equipped. That beats most off-road SUV rivals available in the Indian market. The 89-litre fuel tank ensures long highway runs between refuelling stops.