02/04/2024 Our test vehicle, to give it full title is the Defender 110, 2 litre Si4 PHEV 75th Edition. At €123,160 (in Ireland) this five-door, five-seat special edition needs to be special. In 1948 the Series 1 was introduced at the Amsterdam Motor Show and in celebration Land Rover has made this striking edition, based on the HSE grade, with its unique colour scheme and painted wheels. The special comes with a choice of powertrains: a D300 diesel, P400 petrol or a P400e plug in hybrid (our test car). The 75th like all Defenders is avialble in two body lenghts, SWB (90, 3-door) or LWB (110). As you’d rightly expect there is a very good amount of standard equipment with Matrix LED headlights and Configurable Terrain Respoinse, a great 3D Meridian sound system, HUD (head up display) and creature comforts like a heated steering wheel and heated/coooled front seats.
Power comes to all four wheels from a four cylinder petrol engine and electric motor powered by a plug-in rechargeable battery. A 2 litre petrol engine in a workhorse the size of the 110 Defender seems ridiculous and in many ways it is but somehow there is sufficient power (404hp comined) and also the ability to travel in pure EV mode for peroids of time (circa 40km). I had a lot of fun pulling off and driving in urban areas under electric motor power and seeing people’s reactions as they expected a rattley diesel unit under the hood. Like all PHEVs you can choose when to use your electric power (EV mode) or leave the car in ‘hybrid’ mode and let it sort itself out. On the open road you can select ‘save’ mode and use the engine to generate electrcity that is then stored in the battery for later use. The rise of low and zero emission zones in urban areas – not to mention peer pressure, makes this a useful feature in the big ‘Landy’.
On the road the Defender drives really well. The automatic gearbox and electronically activated drive and differential locks are so civilised when you think of the mechanical levers and switchgear of the original. Defender is ridiculously refined, and ridiculously comfortable next to previous generations – they were all so primative and functional… and awesome!
In an old Defender I’d happily drive through any terrain without fear of being brutal or cruel to the car. Over the years there have been so many special variations of the classic design from military machines to ones for royalty – I’ve driven countless versions including the late Queen Elizabeth’s Defender (see below). I’ve driven Defenders through swamps, rivers and over mountains – without a care, but the new Defender is so pretty I’d be fearful of scratching its paintwork – even more so in the 75th’s Grasmere Green heritage colour.
Defender is a very handsome machine that is nearly too comfortable to drive – pureists would say there has to be misery behind the wheel 😉 The original was shockingly bad on the road with a terrible driving position but it was great too. Our test car is relatively fantastic to drive. You get a commanding view of the road from behind the driver seat. the air suspension lets you choose the ride height for th eterrainwhile the car has sensors and aids that make traversing any part of Earth a doddle. CCS charging in our PHEV means you can rapidly top up on electricty at public chargers although regular domestic AC charging is all any private user really needs to access. Defender 75th is immensely capable. It has genuine go anywhere ability.
Sadly at the moment 4×4 and SUVs are getting such a bashing, it’s hard to justify having one for the simple joy of it. These days unless you’re using it as a working vehicle, the way it’s designers intended, prepare a good defence with the SUV haters. New Defender has strayed far from its pure original roots and is now a highly capable luxury machine – look at the price tag of our test car! Right now, the 75th proved itself to be a head turner, gaining more nods of approval than scowls of disapproval. Michael Sheridan
