Land Rover Defender 90 2022 review: S - off-road test

A 22MY Land Rover Defender 90 S P300 in standard guise has a manufacturer suggested retail price of $87,073. 

As standard this variant has a well-stocked features list that includes a 10.0-inch Pivi Pro touchscreen multimedia system, with wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto, DAB radio, a six-speaker audio system, two-zone climate control, keyless entry and push-button start, as well as plenty of driver-assist tech such as AEB, adaptive cruise control, driver-condition monitor, blind-spot assist, tyre pressure monitoring system, trailer stability assist and a 3D surround camera.

A 22MY Land Rover Defender 90 S P300 in standard guise has a manufacturer suggested retail price of $87,073. (image: Glen Sullivan)

Our test vehicle, however, has a stack of options fitted so its price as tested was $95,172, excluding on-road costs. Those options were folding fabric roof ($4810), Clearsight interior rear-view mirror ($1274 ), leisure activity key ($910), electronic active differential with torque vectoring by braking ($806), cross car beam finish-white ($299), 18-inch 10-spoke style Sparkle White steel wheels (no cost option), and Pangea Green metallic paint (no cost option).

Our 90 also has an onboard air compressor in the rear cargo area, which makes it convenient to adjust tyre pressures to suit the terrain.

As standard this variant has a well-stocked features list that includes a 10.0-inch Pivi Pro touchscreen multimedia system. (image: Glen Sullivan)

So, it's pretty bloody pricey, but not as expensive as higher-specced variants in the new Defender range and because of that it retains its appeal if you’re considering one of this mob as your next off-roader.

It’s worth noting here that, in true Land Rover tradition, Defender buyers can option up their vehicle with a multitude of accessories and Packs, which include grouped accessories to suit your particular bent, i.e. Adventure, Explorer, Country or Urban.

The Defender 90 S P300 has a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine (producing 221kW at 5500rpm and 400Nm at 1500-4500rpm), matched to an eight-speed automatic transmission. 

It has permanent all-wheel drive and a dual-range transfer case with high- and low-range 4WD. It also has a bunch of driver-assist tech aimed at making your life much easier as you traverse sand/mud/snow/water, but we’ll get stuck into that later – scroll down to ‘What's it like for touring?’ if you can’t wait.

The Defender 90 S P300 has a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, matched to an eight-speed automatic transmission. (image: Glen Sullivan)

The Defender is claimed to be able to do the 0-100km/h sprint in 7.1 seconds, and, while I never tested that claim, I can confirm that this has plenty of punch off the mark and when required to overtake on open roads.

Defenders have always had a decent rep as being real-world functional inside and nothing’s changed, except the interior is now better designed, better equipped, much more modern and much more comfortable than it ever was in the old Defenders.

The interior of our test vehicle is described as “Acorn Grained Leather and Robust Textile Seat Facings with Lunar Interior”. I don’t know what that all means but I like this Defender’s interior because it’s a pleasant and functional space.

This is an impressive blend of durable materials – rubber mats, carpet and soft-touch surfaces – and classy, classic touches, such as a Defender-stamped metal section and grab handle in front of the front passenger. 

The interior is now better designed, better equipped, and much more modern and comfortable. (image: Glen Sullivan)

Storage spaces include centre console, glovebox, twin cup holders in between driver and passenger, sunglass storage, narrow door pockets, and shallow spaces here and there for all of the gear you have in your pockets.

Charge points in the front of the cabin include sites for USBs and a 12V.

Up-front and in the second row, there is plenty of room, and the seats are quite supportive and comfortable.

The second row is a 40:20:40 folding configuration with a centre armrest. Second-row passengers have air-vent controls and USB charge points in the rear of the centre console. Side windows do not open, but the distinctive Defender alpine windows either side at least allow light to stream in from above giving the space back here an open, airy feel.

The second row is a 40:20:40 folding configuration with a centre armrest. (image: Glen Sullivan)

The rear cargo area is small, offering a claimed 397 litres. With the second row folded down there is a listed 1563 litres of space available. Unfortunately, the second row does not fold anywhere near flat to the floor, which is annoying if you’re looking to pack gear in here.

The S-spec cabin has rubber flooring and rubber flooring in the rear cargo area.

The rear cargo space has a 12V plug, cargo hooks, tie-down points and a loadspace cover.

Prior to this test, I’d only ever driven the 110 version and always came away from the experience impressed with its sheer drivability on- and off-road. The good news is that the Defender 90 is just as good, if not better.

Firstly, let’s get some dimensions out of the way for those of you who love a good set of numbers: the 90 is 4583mm long, 2008mm wide, 1972mm high, and has a 2587mm wheelbase, making it not such a short wheelbase, especially when that length is more than 10 inches over the 90-inch mark referred to by the ‘Defender 90’ designation*. (* Thanks to my CarsGuide colleague, Mal Flynn, for reminding me of that.)

It has a listed kerb weight of 2073kg and a turning circle of 11.3m.

On the road it is nothing short of a revelation – especially considering the spine-cracking punishment that went hand in hand with driving or riding in a Defender of old.

The Defender is quiet and refined, with noise, vibration and harshness levels effectively sorted out. (image: Glen Sullivan)

The new-generation 90 is composed and very comfortable at all times. 

Steering is well-balanced and this Defender always feels highly manoeuvrable.

Throttle response is smooth, and the 2.0-litre petrol’s 221kW and 400Nm is on tap whenever you need it – for a zippy standing-start or to safely overtake another vehicle on the highway.

The eight-speed automatic transmission is cluey and smooth, but the small shifter is a bit fiddly to work.

Road-holding is very impressive and there’s only ever a hint of body-roll when you get particularly energetic with it.

The Defender has a listed kerb weight of 2073kg and a turning circle of 11.3m. (image: Glen Sullivan)

The Defender is quiet and refined, with noise, vibration and harshness levels effectively sorted out. There is some wind rush around its big wing mirrors, but that noise is not intrusive. 

This Defender is not equipped with the variable air suspension that some other more expensive Defender variants have, but its coil spring set-up performs well to contribute to a general sense of controlled ride and handling. Bonus: comfort levels for all inside the vehicle remain consistently high, no matter what.

A bit of a niggle: the Clearsight interior rear-view mirror, the goal of which is to mitigate the driver's compromised vision to the rear (blocked by the second-row centre head-rest and the rear-mounted spare wheel) is a nice idea but the reality is that, when you flip a mirror-mounted switch to activate it, this smart rear-view mirror depicts a slightly warped, out-of-focus version of what’s behind the Defender via a camera and, as such, tends to strain my eyes even after brief periods of use. Great in theory, less so during real use – or maybe my eyes are to blame? I’ll let you know…

On the road, the Defender is nothing short of a revelation. (image: Glen Sullivan)

Official fuel consumption is listed as 10.1L/100km.

On our test, which included a lot of low-range 4WDing, we recorded fill-to-fill fuel consumption of 12.6L/100km.

The Defender has a 90-litre fuel tank so, going by that fuel-consumption figure, you can reasonably expect a driving range of approximately 665km from a full tank, but that’s after factoring in a safe-distance buffer of 50km.

The Defender is covered by a five year/unlimited km warranty with five years roadside assistance.

A five-year/102,000km (whichever occurs first) service plan is available for $1950.