My instinct when something with a locker lands in my driveway is to lug it deep into the woods. Anything less would be a journalistic dereliction of duty; if it’s a 4×4, I have to use it, right? But a closer look at the habits of SUV buyers reveals something less interesting.
Most SUV buyers—especially at the higher end—don’t really take advantage of all that rock-crawling capability. Or even the four low legs. Those features are nice to have for the annual camping trip, but what’s far more important is day-to-day livability.
With that in mind, I used the Land Rover Defender 110 S as a housewife. I did grocery shopping, I drove friends, I got stuck in tedious traffic jams on the 5th highway and I slogged through potholes in industrial areas. A week in the Defender made me understand the suburban desire for the Rover—despite it being a luxury SUV for moms. mustbut there is still a downside.
| Brief Specifications | 2024 Land Rover Defender 110 S |
| Machine | 3.0-liter I-6 hybrid with turbocharger |
| Output | 395 Horsepower / 405 Pound-Feet |
| Efficiency | 17 City / 20 Highway / 18 Combined |
| Basic price | $67,900 + $1,475 Destination |
| Sales Date | Now |
Let me state the obvious: The Defender 110 S is absolutely incredible on paved roads. In my test vehicle, with the Advanced Off-Road Capability Pack ($750), Off-Road Pack ($1,550), and Air Suspension Pack ($1,500) selected, the Defender had 11.5 inches of ground clearance, a 38.0-degree approach angle, and a wading depth of 35.5 inches—numbers that would beat a four-door Jeep Wrangler or an Ineos Grenadier.
Despite its unibody construction, the Defender can handle a 10,000-pound winch mounted on its front bumper. Off-road, it’s virtually unmatched. With an as-tested price of $81,103—more than a fully loaded Lexus GX 550 Overtrail+ or Jeep Grand Cherokee—it should be.
But this week I’m really playing housewife, with guests in town and errands to run, which means I don’t care about rock climbing. I care about how well it handles the trip to WinCo.
Pros: Roomy, solid cabin, comfortable second row, excellent off-road capability
Fortunately, the unibody construction helps the Defender feel like a road car, with sharp steering even with the Off-Road Package’s all-terrain tires. There’s very little vibration over rough bumps, and the interior remains quiet, even on poorly paved roads at high speeds. If I had to complain about one thing, it’s that the air suspension is firmer than I expected on the road. Despite the absence of body-to-frame bumps and pothole vibrations, the ride feels firm over rough roads.
The cabin addresses all of these issues with a very high level of comfort. It’s plush and comfortable, especially with its combination of durable, hard-wearing materials in high-use areas with touch points that are soft enough to still feel premium. It doesn’t feel like durability cosplay; it feels durable, but never comes close to being plasticky or cheap.
The seats are comfortable, with easy-to-clean leather and ample range of motion via a power-adjustment switch. The electric tilt-telescope steering wheel lets the Defender driver find an upright, ergonomic position. Visibility is also excellent, thanks to the forward-retracting windshield, squared-off mirrors and relatively low beltline. My rear passengers reported that the second-row bench seat was comfortable and roomy enough, even when three people were seated side by side.
Cargo space is also excellent. I had a book signing to attend, and I found that the Defender 110’s 34.0 cubic feet of cargo space could fit hundreds of books with plenty of room, thanks to its square, easy-to-load cargo area and wide cargo doors. in appreciate the air suspension height adjustment knob positioned in the trunk when loading a heavy box of books.
Unfortunately, the side-hinged tailgate—one of the last in its class now that the Lexus GX has switched to a traditional top hinge—became a problem when I picked up friends from the airport. There wasn’t enough room to let my friends walk behind the truck with another car behind us. It made quick pickups a headache, and since the Defender’s rear window doesn’t open, the side-hinged tailgate was a constant problem in everyday life.
Cons: Annoying side-hinged trunk, poor fuel mileage, annoying center console
Once the Defender was loaded and I was back behind the wheel, I found the 11.4-inch central screen easy to navigate. It was easy to scroll through common features and driving modes, and the system includes standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The screen is equipped with a few physical buttons, which is welcome in theory but frustrating in practice.
Selecting the heated seats, for example, requires at least three interactions (including a press and a twist) to turn them off. Selecting the fan speed is similar. I found myself looking away from the road at the unadorned center console far more often than I would have liked. I found the 400-watt, 10-speaker Meridian sound system underwhelming for an $80,000 car; even the less luxurious and less expensive Grand Cherokee offers 19 speakers, 950 watts, and much better clarity.
And the Rover isn’t cheap to drive, even with the mild-hybrid 3.0-liter turbocharged/electrically-supercharged straight-six engine that powered this Defender. It’s powerful for its class—395 horsepower, 406 pound-feet of torque—but its mileage is poor, at just 17 miles per gallon in the city and 20 miles per gallon on the highway. I never got close to those numbers, either. Even as I gingerly drove a friend with a broken neck, I managed to get about 15 mpg over a few hundred miles of driving.
The hybrid drivetrain feels responsive, very quick and very well-composed, and the eight-speed automatic delivers torque with confidence and smoothness. Be prepared to pay for the privilege.
The Defender in the County package—which adds special graphics, 20-inch steelie-style wheels, two-tone paint, a rear-mounted spare tire, and some tough-looking interior trim—looks ready for the trail, and makes the Defender even more handsome.
If I actually took the Defender into the woods to hunt foxes, I’m sure it would be unbeatable. But I didn’t. I did the usual SUV things, like picking up friends from the airport and doing grocery shopping, and there, I just wished the Defender 110 was a little more practical.
