Land Rover Defender 130: price, road and off-road test

5.35 meters. Before you ask and ask us, we will answer you right away. This is the length of Land Rover Defender 130, the eight-seater version of the British off-road vehicle, the protagonist of our test drive. 30 cm longer than the 110, this variant has the same wheelbase but obviously offers greater roominess. For the rest, it remains the Defender that we have already come to know, always ready for anything. Let’s go for a ride to refresh our memories, on and off the road.

The modern design of Land Rover Defender

Robust and imposing but with a modern look, new Defender wanted to maintain an angular appearance even if the lines are now much more softened than in the past. In any case, the wheel arches and mudguards recall the solidity necessary for off-road use and are capable of accommodating rims up to 22′. At the front, the LED optical signature stands out, with the circular headlights that are also re-proposed with a vertical orientation at the rear, on the sides of the classic spare wheel hooked to the tailgate.

Unique features

New Defender definitively says goodbye to the frame with side members, with the new D7x platform, a more extreme evolution of the one used for Discovery, which is made up of an aluminum monocoque structure, the most rigid ever produced by Land Rover, capable of a torsional stiffness of 29 kNm/degree, three times higher than that of a traditional body/chassis structure. Land Rover engineers have rethought the positioning of some components, allowing for shorter front and rear overhangs. In this way the off-road capabilities of the new Defender have been enhanced

Defender 130 interior

The cockpit still has the minimal but still highly technological dashboard of the other versions, with the digital dashboard and above all the 11.2” curved screen for the infotainment system based on the latest Pivi Pro update. From here you can manage all the features, starting from the connectivity and then ending with the set up relating to the off-road experience. Terrain Response 2 is always the most valid of allies and thanks to its predictive nature it makes the car ready for any type of situation. Also on Defender 130 we find the technology to read and face fords up to 90 cm deep, as well as various systems to monitor the dimensions of the car at every moment of the drive thanks to a network of 360° perimeter cameras that are very useful both during maneuvers and when away from the asphalt. For the rest, the stability can be appreciated very well despite the tonnage of over 2,200 kg dry. Under braking the weight can be felt and also when cornering when proceeding at higher speeds but overall the drive is always pleasant, with very precise steering. The shock absorbers know how to smooth out all the bumps and one always has the impression of being driving something unstoppable. Also thanks to the engine which in our case is the D300, the 3.0 six-cylinder with mild-hybrid technology capable of delivering 300 HP and a good 650 Nm of maximum torque.

Price and conclusions on Defender 130

Defender 130 proves to be an unstoppable SUV on a par with the smaller versions, both on and off-road. Away from the asphalt, it proves it can handle any situation thanks to Terrain Response and other features that make it a superior category off-road vehicle. Having overcome the obstacle of a weight that in some cases makes itself felt, even in daily driving conditions the Land Rover flagship model will be able to play its cards to the fullest, without constituting too great an obstacle also in terms of consumption. The versatility of the interior spaces is also to be appreciated, with the possibility of reclining the seats and creating an unparalleled load space, with the occupants of the third row who are still comfortable and able to easily access the last seats. Also on Land Rover Defender 130 these two souls coexist, that of a premium SUV and that of a car dedicated to off-roading. Although the departure angle is reduced, the 8-seater version of the British off-roader does not lose its all-terrain capabilities. We conclude with i prices and layouts: the new Defender 130 is available in the SE, HSE, X-Dynamic and X versions, with a price list starting at 89,300 euros.