On The Road
If you haven’t driven a Defender before you'll probably have plenty of preconceptions about agricultural machinery. But constant tinkering over the product's lifetime has helped refine its capabilities. The Td5 engine idles evenly and doesn't feel as if it's sat in your lap; engine bay soundproofing is much better than expected.
Engage the clutch (a bit on the stiff side but no doubt heavy-duty with it) and bite comes in with no obvious jerks or snatches. Low-down response can have you on the brink of stalling when pulling away, but overall there's enough power to keep the plot moving at a decent pace. Also helping expunge the image of a motorised brick is the ride which, while not comparable to 'modern' 4x4s, is not as bad as expected: "firm" is probably the best description.
With permanent four-wheel drive, cornering does not require split-second timing to hustle it through. Corner at a reasonable pace and it feels unshakeable, but we didn't feel inclined to push it too hard, assuming it would be a handful. Steering is on the heavy side and has a high ratio; a firm grip is required when manoeuvring, but in a straight line at high speed it's light enough for small corrections.
But some things can't be eradicated, even by years of development. Take that floor mounted gearshift. In keeping with the Defenders character, it moves from gate to gate with the slickness of a super-glued rhino and combined with the foot-pumping clutch it gives the left side of your body a full workout.
But if all this mediocrity makes the Defender sound pointless then there are two words that redeem it: "Off" and "Road". Hit the dirt, or at least the 4x4 course, and the Land Rover comes into its element.
Cambers, inclines and mud are meat and drink to the Defender, making those modern comfort machines seem a bit too cosseting. If your idea of arduous terrain is an unsurfaced road and the odd field you won't appreciate the built-for-destruction mechanicals. But if you need to climb over rocks and through forests, remember, the Land Rover will take a bash better than most - and look cooler for it.
Cab Comfort
The Defender's XS upgrade pack helps upgrade the basic interior, but if you can't life without state-of-the-art ergonomics look elsewhere. For example, heater switches are mounted on the sides of the driver's instrument pod and are sliding levers as opposed to dials.
Further wackiness can be seen in the driving position, which is restricting for six-footers and very much in the sit-up-and-beg mould - on the plus side it does give you a commanding view of the road ahead and, importantly, what the front corners are up to.
Manoeuvring in tight spaces is a prerequisite for this machine, and we're not talking about the car park.
The biggest development in the interior is the addition of a fascia-mounted console, housing the CD player, electric window and heated seat switches among other things. Immediate storage is not too bad, with an open glove box, several cubby holes and a lidded storage box between the front two seats. Speaking of seats, the rear bench should accommodate three passengers with no problems and has a 60:40 split for long loads.
