Thread: Laymans Review - 2007 Defender (for Scallops)

Here's a "non-professional" review from a bloke in the UK who drove one for a week or so. Different perspective than the normal motoring journo:


Warning: Do Not Test Drive A New Defender!
Well I've just finished 6 days working on the launch of the new Defender. That's 6 days on-road and off-road for about 6 hours a day, glorious weather, fantastic scenery, a fabulous off-road track, a great vehicle, and getting paid as well...

Anyway, having spent many hours in the new vehicle what do I think?

WARNING: DO NOT TEST DRIVE A NEW DEFENDER

Why? Because if you do, you sure are going to have to find about £20K and buy one!

The new 4 cylinder 2.4 diesel engine is superb. Powerful and flexible, and it is married perfectly to the new 6 speed gearbox. 1st gear is lower than before and the top (6th) gear is higher than the old unit. This means that the gears are all spread out a little and are really able to take advantage of the new engine.

Add to the above the new dash layout and heating, well rather call it a furnace, and you have an incredibly smooth and quiet vehicle that along with the clutch pedal, which is 20% lighter in operation, a very positive gear change and you have a Defender that is civilised and easy to drive. certainly all of the 'other halves' who drove it when out with me were very surprised and pleased to see just how nice it was to drive. Most they said that they would NOT drive their partners current TD5 Defender but they would be happy to drive the new one. Could be good or bad news that chaps.

Why has it taken 60 years to sort out the heater? Well, whatever reason they have, Land Rover have certainly come up heating trumps now. When out on the road I did a little experiment with each set of passengers. I turned the heating on from cold to hot and the average time it took for the rear seat passenger to feel the heat was about 5 seconds. Within 30 seconds they were too hot and we needed to turn off the heating and open the windows. When did you ever hear of THAT in a Defender?

The new folding rear seats proved very comfortable with favourable comments from all rear seat passengers.

On road the new Defender is head and shoulders above the previous model.

How about off road then. Simply the best.

The new lower 1st gear combined with the increased torque and the anti-stall technology makes for a vehicle that feels like it is being towed up the steep slopes by a winch! This set up gives fntastic control on the down slopes with superb engine braking.

Every Defender driver that I took out with me ended the session with a huge grin on their faces - and many were reaching for their cheque books there and then.

So be warned, to drive it is to want it. No, to drive it is to NEED it, to lust after it, to fall in love with it. Anyway if you do then you had better get your order in soon, these new Defenders are going to sell like hot cakes.

Keith Hart
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www.photo4x4.co.uk Photographic Expeditions in the Scottish Highlands

Now I want one too.
LRA should send me one to test in WA on indefinate loan. Keep dreaming I suppose.