The Defender nameplate is one that is steeped with heritage and mysticity.

It was born out of necessity. The Brits needed an off-roader that’d do everything and go everywhere. There’s an endearing character about a rugged, no-nonsense utilitarian vehicle, and these traits have won the hearts of millions the world over.

Defender die-hards pour hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars into keeping their ageing off-roaders on the roads. The reincarnation of the Defender then, has some really big shoes to fill.

Retro-Inspired Looks

There’s nothing retro about the way the modern Defender looks. I’d describe its overall styling as retro-inspired. Cues from the OG have been adopted, albeit softened and modernised to suit the tastes of the modern car buyer.

Think of it as distilling the stylistic essence of what made the old car so charming in the first place. Then reimagining what it’d look like if it was designed today, but in keeping with said essence. Familial cues are especially obvious when looking at the car from its rear three quarters. The rear haunches are an apparent throwback to the original car.

The front fascia also has all of the classic’s styling too, though reimagined for the 21st century. The headlights and their surrounds have been fused into a singular unit, and a lot of the front-end elements have also been rejigged. This creates a car that looks equally at home prowling Orchard Road as it does mud-plugging in an off-road trail further up North.

Functional yet Luxurious Cabin

Throwback styling has also been applied to its interior. Though the form-to-function ratio has been heavily skewed towards the former in its reimagination. Where the OG Defender had a cabin that had the shapes and surfaces to support its functionality, the new car comes equipped with several luxuries.

And it does this whilst preserving the general shape of its predecessor. Soft touch but durable-feeling materials have been used throughout the cabin, including on the main dashbar and the centre console. The test car featured here is the entry-level Defender 90, so it comes with a smaller infotainment screen. It also lacks fully-powered seats, a result of the chip shortage triggered by a recent pandemic.

But this doesn’t take away from the overall experience. The infotainment screen still has all of the features and connectivity of the higher-spec Defenders, just that it is in a smaller form factor. Space also isn’t something that is affected by its trim level – the 90 is sufficiently comfortable in all seats, with excellent head and leg room in both rows. Light is also in no short supply, courtesy of all-round good visibility, and the alpine windows.

Satisfyingly Mechanical Drive

Despite modern Land Rovers coming with what could possibly be the most sophisticated off-road software on the market, the Defender actually feels refreshingly mechanical. The steering feels properly old school, sans all of the drawbacks that you’d get from an actual old school steering box.

It feels modern where it needs to be too. For instance, the air suspension means the Defender rides really well, and handles decently too. Body roll is detectable (and expected, since this is a high-riding SUV), but it never felt unwieldy. The suspension loads up nicely, and gives the driver confidence behind the wheel.

Big wheels and chunky side walls also contribute to the good overall ride quality. It also minimises the risk of kerb rash, as the tyres take most of the battering. The engine in this base car is also extremely impressive. You might assume that a 2.0 litre four pot would be underwhelming in a car as large as this. But there’s a good amount of grunt in the powertrain package.

Also, despite the fact that it is heavily turbocharged to make all of its 296 bhp, there’s still sufficient low-RPM grunt. The Defender never felt anaemic, and makes a good sound whilst putting down all of its 400 Nm of torque. JLR claims it’d do 0-100 km/h in eight seconds, and there’s no reason to doubt their claims!

Best Value Luxury Off-Roader?

There are many luxury SUVs available on sale right now. But there aren’t very many that can go as far off the beaten track as a Defender. Those of equal mechanical prowess will set you back significantly more, which really highlights the value of a Defender 90.

In this specification, it may not come with the largest screen or the biggest engine. However, it isn’t like you’ll ever need that in Singapore to begin with. You are getting a lot of car for your money, even with this base Defender, and it truly lives up to the characteristics of its legendary predecessor.

If you need a rugged, go-anywhere companion in your life, and have some (or a lot of!) spare cash lying around, this is a vehicle that you need to seriously consider!

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