Thread: 2020 Land Rover Defender review.

I'm not going to listen to any more offroad reports until I hear how a new Defender travels over the most atrocious roads I know. Namely those around the Mt Dare/ Dalhousie areas.

I go up there every so often (have friends live and work there) and prefer to just drive across the bush in preference to the established roads . The station owners grade their internal roads and I travel those when I can.

I think most will agree with me about so many of our bush roads being able to shake your teeth out over the corrugations...thats where I want to see a vehicle shine.

The station owners I know have possibly 100 Toyotas and I just cannot see them getting in and out of a nicely upholstered Landrover with cow**** and rocks and prickles on their boots, they wipe their dirty hands on the arse of their jeans and throw fencing gear and fuel/chainsaws and welders into the vehicles. I just can't see it unless LR release a utilty vehicle, a serious utilty vehicle.

If the D4 is anything to go by (and it is), it will eat those roads up.

It will never replace the working Cruisers out on the stations and it was never designed to. It has the potential to replace the 200s and Prados, but I can’t really see that happening.

Originally Posted by jon3950

If the D4 is anything to go by (and it is), it will eat those roads up.

It will never replace the working Cruisers out on the stations and it was never designed to. It has the potential to replace the 200s and Prados, but I can’t really see that happening.

I tend to agree. The Defender chassis and suspension has also been built significantly stronger than whats in the the current range to make sure it is extra heavy duty for a constantly hard life.

Originally Posted by jon3950

If the D4 is anything to go by (and it is), it will eat those roads up.

It will never replace the working Cruisers out on the stations and it was never designed to. It has the potential to replace the 200s and Prados, but I can’t really see that happening.

Correct,done those roads twice in the loaded D4,including the road up through Finke to Alice.
Corrugations were the worst i have ever encountered.
No issue at all,and my lower control arms, still lasted until 85K,more than many others.
Both front struts were replaced at that mileage as well,due to air leaks,but the shocks were fine.

That new Defender will do it easily.

I can't see this new Defender even putting a tiny dent in the LC sales,no matter what the new LC or Prado are like.
I think it is a lot smaller than an LC200 as well,particularly in the rear load area behind the second row seats.
Tiny Diesel engine,small fuel tank,the grey nomads that tow blocks of flats are not going to be interested.

I had a read of the review in the link, what new touring wagon isn't going to need a tow truck to save it if the electronics fail? And whens there's money involved in reviews whom are u going to believe? u don't here about the lc200 in reviews having a auto the surges all the time and won't stay in overdrive which requires a lock up , or that the blow by gets dumped into the left bank turbo, or the fact that they suck dust in through the back, or the fact that u have to raise the front so you dont feel like your driving on an angle or if a starter motor goes its a big job. thats my rant for the day as a former lc200 owner.


cheers
Chris

I suppose the real question is will JLR survive the COVID virus? All our thoughts re nee deefer irrelevant if it doesn't

Originally Posted by Meccles

I suppose the real question is will JLR survive the COVID virus? All our thoughts re nee deefer irrelevant if it doesn't

Agree, yep car companies going out the back door currently. Thank goodness LR is RHD origin as that’s another trick to drop the small RHD market for Europe and US based marques.

Very difficult times in India currently so Tata’s viability is the question as not sure who will take the LR pass the parcel next.

The Defer has CVDs so it will ride corrugations, outback tracks and roads beautifully.