2020 Land Rover Defender Review 

The expression on your face when you hit the side step.....priceless.

My 2020 D7X 110 now has approximately 12,000 miles on the odometer. I took possession of my P400 in early September. It has been in 19 states and has tackled plenty of challenging terrain. From Moab, to Telluride and Ouray, crossing 5 - 13K passes in Colorado, and 2 dozen 12K summits - you name the Pass, and my Defender has been through it, including Cinnamon Pass in the dark of night after a 16 hour trek through Creede. It has been in the sands of Coskata Woods in Nantucket, and Cape Fear on the OBX. My Defender hauled a Series IIa (6000 lbs on the hauler) over 4,000 miles - up and over the Rockies. It hauls my wife's 25' Airstream effortlessly. Having owned over 30 Land Rovers, don't be so quick to sell this vehicle short. I was one of those Series owners who howled when LR came out with a V8, coil sprung, disc brake Defender and look how that turned out? Time will tell.

There are a few elements that remind me of my old Defender. But it’s a different car for a different age. What I really like about the new Defender is that a cross-country road trip can now be as enjoyable on the tar as it is on the dirt, without compromising either. I think it is a perfect all-rounder. And the looks have grown on me.

And no, I don't think it retains the heritage. The old Defender was a workhorse that you can mod and work on. The new one is just another fancy Range Rover with a few more capabilities.

There is no heritage to the old Defender other than a couple of visual clues. The old defender was a go anywhere vehicle which could be repaired easily with whatever you had to hand. I can't imagine this on the Gibb River Road, one sensor goes on the suspension and your in limp mode for the rest of the journey. I think Land Rover have shot themselves in the foot here. Using the new Jimny as an example, Suzuki cannot make enough of the quick enough to meet supply demands. Most people love the Jimny for it's simplicity, cheap price and real off road ability, which are 3 things missing from the new Defender.

From a bunch of Land Rover nuts, I think you nailed Ronny, a honest straight-up review as always. It is impossible to compare the new Defender to the old Defender, they are made from two completely different sets of technology. Is a horse the same as a camel? No.

I'm actually quite surprised.... that it didn't break down for this entire 20 minute video! Impressive!

Big no for me!!! Its like if Toyota said the new Hilux was the new 70series, it’s just so wrong

That was a good honest review, Ronny. No mockery. Speaking as an ex-Tdi Defender owner, no, it's not a direct replacement for the old Defender but that doesn't bother me. Landy owners love their trucks, even the ones that leak, rust and rattle but they can't expect JLR to keep making 'em like that.

Your colleague at TFL have one: broken 2 times in 300 miles and less than a month of ownership. All issues have been related to the electronics...

I’ve only had mine since August but I have nearly 2,000 miles and three short off road trips to get to know the vehicle. It’s been flawless so far and I really enjoy driving it. I agree with the comments related to the lack of heritage and tech but I think the 2020 Defender makes up for that in comfort and capability. If, and it’s a big if, long-term reliability is there, this is a winner!

Please get your hands on the Ineos Grenadier when it comes out!

Finally a real trusty reviwer!!!! THANK YOU THNAK YOU THANK YOU

TFL cars just got theirs and within 300 miles had 2 issues. Not trusting so much electrical tech when I’m out in the middle nowhere.

Should of named this the new DISCOVERY and developed the DEFENDER to what the INEOS GRENADIER is...

Been waiting for this one!

Folks brought a Discovery Sport and we attended a Landrover drive day which was fantastic in teaching all the tech. Each to their own. Little too much tech for my liking but if the Ineos Grenadier (based on the old defenders) ever goes into full production... now that could be an interesting 4x4.

Great review Ronny, I think the soccer mums will love it!

the only guy on youtube that I would trust on for offroad reviews xD

Finally, a proper 4x4 review for the Defender

Land Rover should be adopting the KISS principle imo

Have owned 8 Landrover’s, my D240 SE is amazing and carry’s the brand well into the 21st century.All new cars are high tech now, like everything, information is all online, would have been a better review with 5 minutes research, but still a good review.

That would have to be one of if not the BEST car review I have ever seen! Fantastic work Ronny 👏 👍

Fantastic review Ronny, only review I've seen worthy of watching so far on the Defender.

Good unbiased review

great review Ronny! cheers i love my 2020 110, just over 3000km now all the rivers and sand it breezed through (mates fully decked out original 110 kept up) granted it is not as simple as an original but its a dam sight nicer to drive not quite the street cred at landy days as my series 3 but LR fans still love the new one when they see it. it is nice when my wife drives it though, a couple of extra safety features are always good

Very good report unbiased and true observation, being an old def owner i belong to the "its not a defender" brigade, but youve just convinced me its a new up to date defender and very practical, thanks

Ronny sending proper respect from Ontario Canada

Great video Ronny! I am a fan of yours from Canada and I'm happy to see you testing the new Defender. As a Range Rover owner for the past 14 years, I've learned a thing or two about those magnificent beasts ( took me a while though). I'm not sure what the trim level of your Defender was, but it may or may not have had the electronically controlled (locking) rear differential.Some lower spec models only have centre diff lock. In Off Road Mode you can watch on the screen the diff locks at work in real time .They come on and off as needed. The breaks work hard to stop any spinning wheel , but the electronics can only do so much without the rear diff lock option which would have made a big difference in Rock Crawl mode (had you turned the dial to the correct setting). Also, Land Rovers although they are full time all wheel drive, under normal drive, (i.e. not activating the Terrain Response System) are driving with open differentials (centre and rear) and they will not lock unless they are set by the driver through the TRSystem . Thus, if you're not aware of that , one can easily get cross axelled and the vehicle will get stuck (seen that a few times). Unless you activate the Snow, Sand or Rock Crawl mode the vehicle is useless off-roading . Also the gas and break pedals modulate differently when the programs are activated. Once you get familiar with the modern Land Rover 4WD system and learn how to use it properly, they are very capable vehicles off road, but not really meant for Off Roading. Expensive to fix if they break down, but if you maintain them properly they are good trucks ( I don't care what others say, I love my Rover). Hope you get another chance to drive the Defender and play with it again. Have fun! :)

The price makes it not a replacement for the old one for me. There is a huge jump in price from the old to the new, even taking into account the 4 years of non-production between them. I wanted a no-nonsense utilitarian vehicle at a low price point. Instead we got given another Discovery - with computers everywhere. Good luck trying to get them diagnosed and fixed in the middle of the Sahara. Roll on the Grenadier.

An awesome review with pros and cons. Thank you.

Always a good video Ronnie.

I still recon that the old defender is better in every way.....

Ronnie, we know what you would have done because you've already done it. You bought the Hilux :)

Great Review Ronny. All The Best

Great honest informative video..refreshing to see we can still get real car reviews ..brillant

I prefer the new Suzuki Jimny instead of that expensive LR which is NOT a real of road car

Its basically just nice grocery getter that occasionally gets taken to the beach. Just not built for the tough stuff

Great review Ronny!

I quite like it. Grew up on a farm driving the old skool defenders and although they were fine in the field they sucked when you actually had to take them on to the road to be perfectly honest. The new one does both. I actually think its a vehicle I could use and want to use every day.

I work in a related field to car sales ( finance ) and had the opportunity to have a candid conversation with a sales rep about these vehicles. The consensus is God help you if any of these automated systems break out of warranty. Repair costs are staggering.

It's basically the next generation LR3 and LR4(Discovery 3 and 4).Once the kinks of the first editions are ironed out, I think it is going be an epic overlanding rig. We have an LR3 with 250,000 medium to hard KMs on it in Northern Canada, and it has been great. Nothing comes remotely close for the great road manners, and great offroading. My old series, and willys jeep are probably better in certain offroad conditions, and our BMW X5 is better on the highway, but the Landrover is hands down the best all around overlanding rig. Defenders are not great if you are a true overlander that puts on 10-60,000 km a year. Most of this driving is on good roads. It's all about compromise.

Amazing review - no bias, no B.S. Just good reporting. And you are 100% correct - the old vs the new are from two different technical eras. This is a good all-arounder, whereas the old one is a no-nonsense off-roader weapon. As much as I love and respect the original, I DO like the new one, though.

Great Question Ronny, of course the world is full of choices and thank goodness for that. I think this is a good start for Land Rover to re invent their relationship with the wilderness in the 21st C. Keep up the great reviews.

The death of an icon!! RIP Defender (real Defender)

Good to see something new like this on the channel - in saying that not a fan. I bet you're looking forward to seeing what the ineos grenadier is going to be like though. I recon (subject to price) it will be a serious contender for anyone who is keen on y62s, 79s etc

Ronny been hitting the gym 💪💪 keep it up mate

Best discovery Land Rover ever built

It's a disco not a Defender,all that tech is going to be a nightmare when it starts to play up...starts at 69,990 + better more basic 4x4s out there....If and when the Ineos Grenadier comes out I think it will be a winner..

I dont see a lot of “old” Defender owners talking about getting one but a LOT of Disco 3 and 4 owners are. They dont want outright offroad performance just enough to get them were they want (usually towing something huge)

Amazing video, thanks from NZ

Really impressed with the quality of the review on this one, it's too easy for people to say something stupid about reliability, then say it's not a real defender and done. Looking forward to seeing more of your videos

09.23 ...Ronny's O'f*ck look...what have I done

Ronny over here in the UK there are loads at dealership's with problems from ABS light, engine management lights on, air suspension not working and computer crash going into limp mode lol

Great timing Rohny, i released a L322 (newer range rover) off road test video on Saturday. Seems like they both share a lot of technology. Thanks for sharing 👍

I love that extra fitted bar upfront

Nah I stick with old steel defender rather than plastic defender

It s horrible

I bought it being aware that it's a different animal than the old Defender (which I had too 20 years ago). My idea of this car, which works for me if time will prove it, is that it's a nice comfortable SUV very suitable for road traveling, having at the same time much better capabilities than an average SUV. Reliability has to be proven, I just got it and not yet tested due to Covid19 lockdown...

Honest-no bull shit review. Great video. Keep up the good work, mate...👍🏼👍🏼

I love how every off-roader gets a bullbar in Australia.

Love the review Ronny. Seems to have a lot of hate on it for its tech and electronic gizmo's. Like every car, it's all good until it breaks and that includes vehicles without the tech and electronics. If people didn't want tech to evolve we'd still all be getting 100 miles to the bale of hay. Pricey it may be but you get what you pay for. Even a farm spec 79 series needs money thrown at it to get a decent amount of luxury. Each to their own. Nobody's forcing you to buy it. Loving the cameras. Always handy to be able to see what's going on around you. Wish there was a decent after market option for vehicles. I think the rim size suits it for looks but it may not be practical if you were somewhere with a popped tyre tyring to get a spare. Looks very comfy inside. Nice review

Cool..I was waiting for this one...

Well well well this would be the best non bias and absolutely honest review i have seen for this vehicle Ronnie .You told it how it is ,what ,where and when especially on the rocky incline where you explained about wheel lift and wheel spin ,BUT it got there no matter what and the sand driving explaining how the driver must study this machine.I own a Discovery 3 and will always disconnect DSC when in sand mode .This comes to you as you said after you get to know your machine as it is with any modern 4x4 i guess. I am sure you were suprizingly impressed with this vehicle and as you say JLR have built this vehicle to target a market other than a hard core off roader .I am sure it is just as capable as an off roader as it is as a awesomely comfortable family wagon. Well done mate !!!

Land Rover, please make one of these without the electronics and the air suspension. Give us a simple version, coil springs, larger wheels (smaller rims) and real lockers.

In terms of comparison to the original Defender, its night and day, the original was a post WWII design, how can something designed 60-70 years later ever compare. That said I think they should have gone the same route as the Ineos Grenadier, which looks set to be true to the original Defender, the new Land Rover defender is defender in name only.

Great review Ronny. Solid, no bs facts. Hopefully reliability holds up, chances are slim but it just might. If it does then it's great for every consumer because competition is always a good thing, keeps the manufacturers on their toes

Very good test and video Ronny! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👍🏻😷 Greetings from Spain...

Nothing at all like the old defender, strange how a off road vehicle only brand doesn't really make even one hard core offroader like jeep does. Really think they messed this one up.

Hi Guys. I think for the money of new Defender you can buy any entry level ( ute , truck ) like a 2.4 GD6 Hilux. It has a rear diff lock. Good fuel consumption. Very reliable vehicle. Use the money you are saving and build a awesome overlanding vehicle or even something that can drive the hardest tracks.

As a previous td5 defender owner, in my opinion the new version is only defender by name. I've also experienced the ongoing frustration of failed electronics in a 2a disco. More electronics = more problems off road. Now happily driving a 76 series LandCruiser and loving my return to a more traditional and less techy vehicle. No more oil puddles either 🤙.

Pretty good review Ronny. Everyone who gets in a Landy with the tech gets stuck on sand until they figure the system out. It's been happening since the Disco 3.

That’s a Disco not a Defender. Defenders were the cheap, basic, simple, easy to repair, workhorse of the Land Rover range; this is none of those.....and that’s before you start looking at it from an Overlanders point of view.....

The thing is that JLR's customer base is now totally different so the focus of the car is different. They will sell far more of these for towing caravans and boats than they would if they made it more utility focused. The pickups have got that market covered and are far cheaper so no point going after that market any more. It's a shame as I loved the old defender.... This evolution is a business decision pure and simple ☹️

Great video and testing

This vehicle is only going to make my VDJ76 even more valuable, thank you Land Rover

As a previous Defender owner, no this doesn't appeal. Part of the joy was/is the simplicity, the purity of design and purpose. That's totally gone with this - more like a Discovery. Recent reliability appalling too.

I see why they are making this but they shouldn't call it a Defender.

Waiting for the video for long time.

Most of the people in the comments have never driven this defender or any defender, if you had (like me who owns both) you’d know this ain’t a cushy luxury Range Rover with some tech, this is much more of an off-road beast than the old defender and way more capable than any car on sale today, plus it has the added bonus of being very nice on the road

Hi Ronny Great, accurate and fair-minded review. Insightful comments re learning about the off-road systems and electronics and the tyre sizes. Too bad you did not engage rock crawl, also did you use the view that shows the wheel articulation and the level of slip-on each wheel? For the record, I don’t work for JLR, and I have the new one and replaced it with my Defender 90 2013 Puma. For the haters lets just unpack a few comments: Firstly the look, aka the design aesthetic, does it look like the old one? No, the old one was a classic of twentieth-century design, so why try and replicate it? Does the new design make reference to this older design aesthetic? Yes, it does a bit with the vertical lines and overhead windows. But it is nonetheless a distinctive design in its own right. Does it look like Disco? The implication being it is a trumped-up Disco or a Disco with a few more electronics. Manufacturers will bake in common attributes across their product range, so nothing wrong with that? But the car’s obviously different to a Disco, for example in terms of chassis and underbody protection; even the oh so critical wheel sensors are protected; unlike the D4. So, it’s an odd assertion to say it is just a Disco in disguise as if it needs to be quite different. In fact, this comment is bizarre given that in Australia we are a country of sheep who are too risk-averse to drive anything but HiLuxes and Landcruisers. I am thinking this car is more like a Landcruiser, a reasonable comparison given its size, and that is perhaps where JLR is pitching this product at. It's absolutely ludicrous to compare this to a Jiminy. For the record, the off-road geometries are the same as the old Defender. Another contention from the haters is you can't fix this, due to too many electronics, unlike the old one, when it breaks down in remote areas. A fair point, as this is yet to be tested in real conditions, but JLR claims the car will limp home no matter what. It will also sit in water for 1.5 hours before the electrics crap out. The Puma could not tolerate water in it is electrics and when it did break down the crammed in Ford Duratorq ZDS engine meant components were extremely difficult to access. Can you just bolt on stuff to this car like the old one? The answer is no. My biggest problem with the old Defender was not the car but the aftermarket add-ons. My old Defender was set up for remote area touring. It had a compressor (now built-in as an accessory), extra 45 l fuel tank (tank is now 85l), TPMS system (now built-in), and a dual battery system. But why would you add a dual battery system when portable lithium and solar are becoming cheaper and more efficient each year? Does it need a bull bar, maybe? But I think a roo hitting the monocoque body if the sensors don't stop you beforehand, is an acceptable risk. Yep, I do need to figure out how to install a UHF aerial and install a sand flag off the roof rack. Arguably the Ingenium engine development is more advanced because of EU standards than Japanese designed engines. The JLR design team on this car said they wanted to create a new legend and icon and time will tell if that is correct. This car has been closely designed with integrated engineering. More importantly, some of us in life are early adopters, we take calculated risks, and having one of the first of these is one of those risks. For all, you sheep with your same old, same old, unnecessary jacked-up suspensions, bolted-on bits of crap, constant know-it-all arguments about whose got the best mods, big dick carbon burning six-cylinder turbos and eights, and that constant need to tinker and fill up. I will see you on the French Line in the Simpson. Out there I am pretty sure I know which car has the least potential to have something go wrong with it.

🤢🤢 thats not a defender that's more like a disco. They really ruined the defender 😔

Nice balanced review, Cher's Ronny.

It's definitely not hard core off roader, but something which was not mentioned was its on road handeling and comfort which would make it good choice for most people who just do the odd trip up the beach for camping.

I have a hard time thinking defender when I see that. Looks range rover to me... 🤷‍♂️🍻

I'd like to get a previous model but old used ones are more expensive than some of the new models...

The designers have done an exceptional Job at modernising the classic Defender shape! Awesome bit of kit technologically. Let's see how they go in the reliability stakes over the next year after they have made a few

Great Review!

No way! Imagine breaking some electronic for water damage, you'll need a helicopter to help you of the site. Some times old school is just better

I hear you on the tech end of things. The guys from TFL just bought one and have less than three hundred miles on it and it’s already thrown codes, went back to the dealer, and now they can’t get the cameras and a lot of the other tech to work after the dealer flashed it to clear the code. So glad I don’t own anything less than 20 years old!

This is my dream car!

All in all a Superb vehicle👌🏼👌🏼This is 2020😎

all that tech... nooooo, let me drive not it drive me and when it gose wrong. its going to cost. ow and whats that spinning under the bonnet? the flux capasitor eh lol

Well Ronny, you’ve just bought a Hilux, while the 2020 Defender was already available. Your preference has been expressed before this review.

I love the old Defender as my Dad had one when I was a kid. Times move on as does technology and materials they use to build. Have to say having been in the new 110 and seeing them more and more I have opened the barriers and think it’s awesome, like all new things they take time to get into peoples mind and skin and trust and I am confident that most will love it on and off road. Hope to get one October November but doubt it due to stock issues. Love your honest reviews regardless of brand and that is what is needed today and in the future eh, Cheers

Got to love that toy bar and toy sliders...looks a bit like Lego

The list of things wrong with this defender is to long to list. It's a Disco in disguise. Land Rover missed the boat big time to update a classic 4wd, maintaining everything which made it great while adding a few new touches for comfort and tech. If I won one in a comp I'd trade it in.

The old defender: I can fix almost anything myself. The new one: call the tow truck and pray 😅

Great review! Basically they took a different approach to engineering the vehicle. Even though a unibody the chassis is substantially more robust and stiffer, hence not an issue that it’s throwing corners in the air all the time. Forward momentum is important it requires more consistent throttle application to achieve as traction control needs input to kick in. The downhill assist works off the cruise control system settings, just down arrow ⬇️ for slower and up arrow ⬆️

I have been looking at these to buy and you have enlightened a few things that have swayed me to make it a big contender in my choices of vehicle to purchase, I won't be doing anything like you do in you're beast but still could if needed to I think 🤔 thanks for that review Ronny really appreciated 👍