Land Rover Defender: Exploring the wilds of Africa 

RoMiNic Ellazar the Defender is actually able to do it all - extreme off roading and be great to drive on road. Comfort, refinement and safety too. The Wrangler is not any of those things (other than comparable off-road ability). You pay more, but you get way more engineering and quality.

@Prakrit Biswas your point is moot when you consider this Defender is better than the old Defender... and every other off roader in every measurable way. Tell me which car you think is better than this and I'll tell you why you're wrong. 😂

​@@gc2234 What's exceptional on just SUV with one automatic locker? It still has mind on it's own and you better hope for the best it will serve you as needed. It's much better to have both manual electrical locking and Auto 4x4...At least new defender seems to have manual button for LO range as it shows on pics

You should watch our review then, take a look ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-rg9inpnrWkI.html

The Disco 4 was a good car, not quite to Freelander 2 standards but still pretty reliable. Everything produced since has been terrible.

I agree... If they would have branded this as a special off road LR5, LR6 or whatever number ther are on, i'd run out and buy one up!... It looks very fun to drive and is an attractive rig, however it just should not have a Defender badge, at least IMO.. A Defender should be built to compete directly with the tremendously capable Jeep Wranger Rubicon and Benz G Wagons.. Also at least IMO.

Look at their more in-depth review.

We can't wait until it arrives in Aus!

That’s a really good question

No, octane is not an issue as the engine management systems will compensate. Low sulphur diesel however is not available in many places so modern diesel engines quickly run into problems. Of the cars Land Rover took on this journalist tour half didn't make it.

@@byteme9718 Thank you and very interesting. Where can I find out more about the LRs that failed during this excursion?

@@byteme9718 Love to see where you got that information from that half didn't make it. Suspect you're spreading bullshit.

@@DWillis7 Of course it 's pure BS. Another one of those haters. Apparently saw some footage where at the start there were 6 or 7 vehicles. Later on the footage only featured 4.

Off you go then, see how you get on

Dosen't the Humvee have independent suspension. Correct me if I am wrong. By the way, would you be as comfortable, as unstressed in the 4Runner? The issue here is breadth of ability, a fact overlooked by most commenters.

The H1 is a MASSIVE purpose built military grade vehicle with a very specialized suspension, which was still built body on frame like a true truck and only has independent suspension because independent suspension is more stable at high speed over uneven terrain, so causes less driver fatigue in soldiers during long treks through the desert in Afghanistan (or whatever other country America happens to be invading)... This Defender is a mid size soccer mom friendly crossover, so not in the same realm of an Humvee, like at all lol... Some Trophy trucks used in professional racing sometimes use an independent set up too.. Those are also purpose built and real trucks.. Take a unibody built cars or crossover of road and you get constant dangerous wheel lift, which is dangerous, plus damaging to a vehicle over time, as well as constantly reducing much needed traction.. Off road vehicles need articulation to keep wheels on the ground during technical off road driving, so a solid axle (or 2 like in a Wrangler)are superior for technical off road driving... Between my husband and I we own 3 4x4s.. Mine is a 4Runner TRD Off Road, and my husband has a 4Runner TRD Pro and an 80 Series Land Cruiser... My last vehicle was an all independent suspension Grand Cheroke, which was better on the road but off road did constant tremendous wheel lifts, so i got rid of it.

Apparently that did not stop it. Another tester covered that articulation bit. Covers your question very well.

What did the video get wrong, mr expert?

Well since Land Rover is no worse than any other luxury brand like Audi and BMW (dead bottom of the table).... europe.jdpower.com/press-releases/2019-uk-vehicle-dependability-study#

I'm pretty sure these will be up to the job since they've been driven around these harsh Namibian roads for weeks... if not months... in the hands of numerous journalists... and no one has reported any issues?

it's a Land ROver and will not be cheap

@Joshua Jacob That was a statement based on history for the price of the brand they have a poor reliability record that is a fact.

Production is underway, and ramping up, in the new factory in Slovakia. First group of pre-prod cars went to this Namibian set of drives, the second group was for international journalists but has now been given to Red Cross for Covid19 support work instead. As far as I know dealers in EU/UK will get regular production first, followed by US and international. Would have been May-June for first deliveries, but virus may slow this a bit.

The G-wagen only debuted in 1979, the 70-series in 1984. Both could reasonably be upgraded to modern safety specs. The Defender debuted in 1948; there's only so much you can do to a 70ish-year old design to keep up with minimum safety standards. Why don't you complain about the demise Land Cruiser 40-series? The original Defender, awesome as it is, is a dinosaur. This new one is going to make waves, just watch.

@@jenskriek4280 Mercedes made a new G wagen with the same spirit and looks of the old one so did Toyota with 70 series you have to wait for months to get one of those, they did make new ones in the range that are making waves too but they kept the original retro ones as well, the new land rover is good i will get one my self but it's not the same, they should have kept the original or make one like it as with the other companies, you just never destroy a Picasso because there is a new Salvador Dali painting !

Jens Kriek Defender debuted in 1991 before that it was just Land Rover 110 from 1983 and Land Rover 90 from 1985 and before that it was series 1/2/2a then 3.

@@AJ-qn6gd It was renamed 'Defender' in 1991. Same vehicle. I drove a 110 in 1990.

Confidence, ride height? Seems the new Defender has them in spades from the reviews that I have seen. Ladder frame?

Weird you don't compare to real offroaders such as land cruiser s?

@@krispykruzer ah yes Toyota... So often highlighted by the fanboys as being the saviour of mankind.... Only 8 points ahead of Land Rover. 😂 Which taking into account that it's nowhere near as technologically advanced or capable off road / on road as a Land Rover.... is a pretty big win for Land Rover.

@@krispykruzer also... NOBODY is cross shopping a prestigious brand like Land Rover / Range Rover with a Toyota mate. 😂 That's why I compared Land Rover with other luxury brands... because if you're wealthy enough to buy a Land Rover, you aren't looking at Toyotas. 😂

@Prakrit Biswas it really doesn't make a difference because anyone that wants to buy a luxury off roader like a Land Rover would never compare it to a Toyota. Its not in the same league as a Land Rover. They would be comparing it to other luxury off roaders like Merc G Wagons and BMW X5s.

@Prakrit Biswas but if you did want a scientific comparison.... Here's the proof...turn on subtitles.... ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-9X6yMDHVmqA.html

Welcome to the Brave New World. Eight speed auto, ABS, ABD, HDC, Terrain Response and the list goes on. Who would have thought. I remember having to come out to lock hubs for the rough stuff. I will not go back, no thanks.

Alternatively the snowflake pretender

Do you also go on every Ferrari and Lamborghini video and complain about why their owner's don't redline them around a racetrack every day?

I think that 90% of old Defenders have seen a gravel road at the most extreme offroad. I frive a Disco Sport and have probably done more offroad and trailer (horses) driving than many Defenders on the road today.

@Prakrit Biswas I have no idea what you're trying to say... But from deciphering your broken English, I think you're trying to question why people buy Land Rovers.... Well the answer is, because you can drive it across the harshest terrains of Africa on the weekend, and then wash it off and drive it to the poshest city centre for a nice meal the next day. That's the beauty of owning a Land Rover.

'Rugged' and 'manly' ? Yeh, your sobriquet says it all.