Land Rover Defender vs Peugeot E-2008

What's the difference?

The Land Rover Defender 130 P500 V8 is big, roomy and great to drive. It’s supremely plush without sacrificing practicality and if you’re in the market for a spacious, comfortable and refined package and aren’t afraid to open your wallet, then this long Landie is well worth your consideration.

Do you need the V8? Of course you don’t – and the diesel variants make a lot more sense anyway in terms of day-to-day fuel efficiency – but, geez, it's a lot of fun to drive.

The Peugeot e-2008 GT looks stylish but it’s definitely a compact SUV and that means it will only suit a small family. Or even a grandparent who has to occasionally ferry the grandkids around.

I like how easy it is to park and its stylish packaging but the cabin feels small. The practicality just wasn’t there for my family this week and the price point isn’t quite right for the features you get.

My son liked its looks but didn’t get excited about it.

The Defender 130 measures 1970mm high, 5358mm long (including rear-mounted spare wheel; 5099mm without), and 2105mm wide (with the wing mirrors out). It has a 3022mm wheelbase and a listed kerb weight of 2745kg (unladen).

It is big, but really it’s no more intimidating to drive than a Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series or Nissan Patrol.

Upper large SUVs have a Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries-defined footprint bigger than 9801mm – think 300 Series LandCruiser (close to 5.0m long), Hyundai Palisade (almost 5.0m long) and Nissan Patrol (almost 5.2m long).

In terms of styling, the 130 strikes an effective balance between the distinctive shape and spirit of the old-school Defender with the new-generation’s pomp and presence – and the striking Carpathian Grey paint on this variant complements that blend.

The current-generation Defender is no city-soft shadow of its former adventure-tackling self that Landie lovers everywhere feared it might be. But it’s modern and sleek enough to put the minds of urban dwellers/weekend warriors at ease.

The e-2008 looks super cute! I love the intense 'Vertigo Blue' paintwork on our test model. It makes it pop.

In fact, all the paintwork colour options look bright and happy and that describes the styling of this car.

The e-2008 has stacks of personality and sports Peugeot’s signature three-claw LED lights at the rear but the daytime-running lights almost look fang-like, which gives it an edgy look.

The GT comes with a contrasting black roof, the same shade applied to the mirrors and 18-inch alloy wheels, which further enhances its street-cred.

The cabin is gorgeous with the premium-look trims and contrasting green stitching.

The dashboard features sharp cutaways and shiny chrome accents but it's the 10-inch multimedia system and 12.3-inch 3D digital instrument panel which give the cabin a 'wow' factor.

Its a good-looking little SUV inside and out.

The Defender 130 is well-suited to people-carrying duties thanks to its three-row seating.

And don’t forget this test vehicle has (optional) Captain Chairs in the second row. 

The cabin has a distinctive premium look and feel about it, without sacrificing anything in terms of just how practical it all is. It’s a pleasant mix of durable materials – carpet mats and soft-touch surfaces – and stylish touches, such as a metal Defender-stamped section in front of the front passenger. 

Layout is user-friendly and this is an easy cabin in which to swiftly become comfortable as all controls easy to locate and operate even when busy negotiating with your teenagers who gets what song next.

Storage spaces include a deep centre console, glove box, twin cupholders between driver and passenger, sunglass storage, door pockets and shallow spaces positioned about the cabin for your everyday carry gear.

Charge points include USB-Cs up front and a wireless device charging tray.

The driver and front passenger get ample room and plenty of amenities and those behind them also fare well with adequate room for everyone – even those in the third row. 

All seats are comfortable and the front seats are 14-way power-adjustable with heating, cooling and memory.

The second row – two outboard Captain Chairs in this test vehicle – have a headrest and armrests for both passengers.

The third-row seats are heated and configured in a 40/20/40 pattern.

The rear cargo area is small in this seven-seater, although it offers a listed 389 litres with all three rows up and in use. That area has a sliding cover (which conceals your valuables from the prying eyes of nefarious types), cargo-restraint points, power sockets and a shallow underfloor storage space.

With the third row folded down, there is a listed 1232 litres of space. The maximum loadspace volume behind the front row is a listed 2231 litres.

There is a lot more to admire inside this Defender’s cabin for those who love the interiors of plush SUVs, but rather than spending my time stroking leather accents, going ‘ohhhh-ahhhh’ over a sunroof or reflecting on the butt-warming benefits of a heated seat, I like to actually drive. 

So I did. A lot.

The e-2008 looks great but what about the practicality? Well, let’s just say the front row benefits the most in terms of everything – space, comfort and features. If you’re a super tall family, this might not be the car for you.

I felt perfectly happy when it was just my son and me but as soon as my husband jumped in, it started to feel a bit claustrophobic in the cabin.

There are a few reasons why, though. You knock elbows with your front passenger, if you have a cup in one of the centre console cupholders it gets in the way of the transmission shifter and you knock your feet on the too-high door aperture. I felt clumsy getting in and out of this car.

That said, the seats are comfortable and you could easily do a longer trip in them. It's curious that the front passenger seat and the sunblind for the panoramic sunroof adjust manually. But all in all, I was happy with the comfort in the front.

Individual storage is decent up front for this class with a middle console, glove box, two drink bottle holders in each door plus two cupholders. There is also a large hidden storage cubby above the phone tray that I was able to pop all my loose items away in.

Individual storage is basic in the back seat with the only options being a couple of netted map pockets plus shallow storage bins in each door.

Generally speaking, space is lean in the second row. I’m 168cm (5'6") and sitting behind my driving position, my knees touch the back of the seat.

My videographer and I had a laugh when we were filming the video review for the e-2008 because it was so awkward for him (at 183cm / 6'0") to get comfortable in the back seat! I thus dub it only fit for kids on longer journeys.

The two digital screens look great and the 3D-effect instrument panel is a cool highlight but the multimedia system doesn’t seem to have a lot of accessible information or customisations available.

The screen responds quickly but sometimes the built-in satellite navigation is slow to load. However, I like how easy it is to connect to the wired Apple CarPlay plus it has wired Android Auto for those users.

Charging options are good with each row enjoying two USB-A ports and the front getting a single 12-volt socket. Disappointing that there are no other amenities in the back row, though.

The highlight of the car for me is the boot. It's a good size at 434L and I like the level load space. You have underfloor storage for cables and such but the compromise for getting all of this space is that you only get a tyre puncture repair kit. There’s also no frunk storage in this model.

I missed a powered tailgate because the boot lid is quite heavy to close but otherwise, the boot suited my little family’s needs just fine.

There is only one model available for the e-2008 and that’s the GT. Which will cost you $59,990, before any on-road costs, which places it right in the middle of its nearest rivals. Let’s look at some of the features you get for the price.

The interior gets most of the big-ticket items with synthetic leather and synthetic suede trims, a panoramic sunroof, a 12.3-inch 3D hologram-style digital instrument panel and 10-inch touchscreen multimedia system.

For comfort items, the driver’s seat is electric with adjustable lumbar support and a massage setting (although the ‘massage’ is very gentle). The front passenger’s seat is manually adjustable but both front seats feature a heat function.

Other standard features include items like dual-zone climate control, wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth connectivity, five seats (2-3 configuration), 18-inch alloy wheels, a built-in satellite navigation system and adjustable ambient lighting with up to eight colour choices.

The Land Rover Defender 130 P500 V8 has a 5.0-litre supercharged V8 petrol engine (producing 368kW at 6000-6500rpm and 610Nm at 2500-5000rpm), an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive system.

This is a very effective and fun combination of gutsy V8 and clever auto.

The Defender has permanent all-wheel drive and a dual-range transfer case with high- and low-range 4WD.

It also has Terrain Response 2, an off-road-focussed driver-assist system, which will make any off-roading newbie look and, more importantly, feel like a dirt-track driving champion.

The system includes switchable modes - 'Grass/Gravel/Snow', 'Sand', 'Mud and Ruts' and 'Rock Crawl'. 

This tech optimises throttle response, engine outputs, transmission shifts and diff control to best suit the terrain. It also has centre and rear diff locks.

The e-2008 GT has a fully electric powertrain and a lithium-ion battery that has a 50kWh capacity. The battery is located underneath the rear seats.

The electric motor delivers a maximum power output of 100kW and 260Nm of torque. It's official 0-100km/h sprint time is nine seconds.

So, it's not the punchiest EV on the market but it has enough power to tackle the open-road, if need be.

Fuel consumption is listed as 12.7L/100km and that's on a combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle. On this test I recorded 14.9L/100km.

The Land Rover Defender 130 P500 V8 has an 90-litre fuel tank so, going by my on-test fuel figure, you could reasonably expect a driving range of about 604km from a full tank. 

Fuel requirement is 95 RON premium unleaded. 

The e-2008 has a driving range of up to 328km (WTLP) and a Type 2 CCS charging port – which means you can hook it up to a fast charger.

The battery capacity means it can also accept a 50kW fast charger’s speed and will go from 0-80 per cent in as little as 30 minutes, which is very handy.

Peugeot's official energy consumption figure for the e-2008 is 14.5 kWh/100km and I saw my average flit between 17.3kWh to 19.5kWh on my travels after doing mostly urban driving this week. 

I will admit to feeling some range anxiety because of the lower driving range available.

What's it like to drive? It’s bloody great.

This is a big vehicle – have I mentioned that already? – but powered by this V8 the Defender 130 punches along with nary a care in the world. 

Throttle response is crisp, and the 5.0-litre supercharged petrol’s 368kW and 610Nm are always readily available for a snap-punch standing-start, or to smoothly and safely overtake other vehicles on the open road.

This Defender has an official 0-100km/h sprint time of 5.7 seconds and a listed maximum speed of 240km/h!

By the way, it doesn’t hurt that the V8’s growl is piped through quad outboard mounted exhausts.

The eight-speed automatic transmission is supremely clever but the shifter’s stubby size and awkward location (under the multimedia system’s touchscreen) is annoying.

Otherwise, this V8 130 is smooth and refined, with tremendous road-holding abilities despite a Landie legacy of past-generation Defenders being about as composed as dodgy tractors.

What’s more, comfort levels are exceptional in a vehicle model once considered a form of punishment in which to travel.

Steering has a well-weighted driver-friendly feel to it and this upper large SUV never feels too cumbersome to navigate through even busy city streets, even though it has a turning circle of 12.8m.

Some body roll creeps in every now and again – especially when you become energetic throwing this giant around corners, etc – but otherwise this big bulky vehicle is well controlled and comfortable.

The air suspension negates the majority of thumps and bumps you might be expecting to get from a vehicle riding on 22-inch wheels and low-profile tyres over irregular road surfaces.

Our test vehicle was on 22-inch rims and 275/45 R22 Continental CrossContact RX “SUV performance” tyres, which are fine for driving on sealed surfaces, but if you’re looking to do any off-roading in this Defender get a set of more appropriate all-terrains.

I wasn’t driving the 130 to test its 4WDing prowess this time, but it’s still worth noting the Defender’s off-road measurements include 293mm of ground clearance (with air suspension), a wading depth of 900mm, and approach, departure and ramp-over angles of 37.5, 25.8 and 27.9 degrees, respectively.

This Defender 130 has a gross vehicle mass (GVM) of 3380kg and a gross combined mass (GCM) of 6380kg.

It has an unbraked towing capacity of 750kg, and braked towing capacity of 3000kg (with maximum 300kg on the towball), which is somewhat of a disappointment and sub-par for the upper large SUV segment.

Besides the range anxiety, the e-2008 drives well. The power is a bit lacklustre compared to other EV models out at the moment but there is still plenty to access when you need it. I felt confident whenever I had to tackle the open-road or overtake.

The ride comfort is good with the suspension cushioning most bumps. The road noise can creep up a bit, especially at higher speeds but the e-2008 is otherwise fairly quiet around town.

I like the concise steering. It makes the e-2008 super fun to drive in the city! When you hit corners or wind at higher speeds, it can feel a bit light footed, though.

It sits low at 1550mm in overall height and that can mean that sometimes the visibility isn’t great if you pull up to a roundabout or traffic lights with a big SUV beside you. Otherwise, the windows are nice and wide and provide decent visibility.

The e-2008 is a good size to fit into small car spots in the city but the 180-degree rear-view camera isn’t as clear as I’d like. It’s still serviceable and I like the back up provided by front and rear parking sensors. It takes out some of the guesswork!

The e-2008 has a solid list of safety features and I like the adaptive cruise control's stop and go function. 

Other standard safety features, include blind-spot monitoring, daytime-running lights, forward collision warning, rear cross-traffic alert, lane keeping aid, lane departure warning, intelligent seatbelt reminders, traffic sign recognition, 180-degree view camera system, as well as front and rear parking sensors.

The rear seat also features ISOFIX child seat mounts on the outboard positions and three top tether anchor points but two seats will fit best. Front passenger comfort will be compromised when a 0-4 rearward facing child seat is installed.

The e-2008 doesn’t have an ANCAP rating but its fuel-based siblings achieved a maximum five-star assessment in 2019.

Surprising that it only has six airbags, which is low for a family car, but the curtain airbags do cover the back row.

The Defender has a five year/unlimited km warranty with five years of roadside assistance included.

The vehicle will let you know when it needs to be serviced – isn’t it bloody clever? – and prepaid service plans are set for five years/130,000km (maximum km) at a total cost of $3750.

The e-2008 comes with a five-year/unlimited km warranty, as well as an eight-year/160,000km warranty on the battery.

Servicing intervals are every 12 months, but it is normal to see EV servicing at around 24 months.

You can pre-purchase either a three- or five-year servicing plan, which are both cheaper than the pay-as-you-go option.

On the five-year plan, services average $200, which is good for the class.