Land Rover Defender 90 on long-term test: Iconic, legendary, unstoppable – the original Defender had it all but the new version is aimed at a softer driving, SUV-loving audience. Can the short-wheelbase 90 live up to expectations?
Our car: Land Rover Defender 90 D250 SE
List price when new: £51,205
Price as tested: £61,125
Official fuel economy: 32.8 mpg
Fuel economy on test: 27 mpg
Prising a Defender out of Land Rover these days isn’t easy. Chocolates, flowers, gentle cajoling – the waiting list for eager buyers is currently up to a year, so that means “get to the back of the queue” for the rest of us.
In the end, however, we took delivery of a 250 SE, a short-wheelbase 90 model, used to film an episode of Top Gear in Scotland. This particular car has, therefore, probably suffered more abuse in a week than the average buyer could dish out in a lifetime.
Land Rover is constantly updating its model line-up, so the SE and the cheaper, entry-level S have now disappeared on the company’s configurator. Instead, the £58,875 HSE is the entry model, unless you opt for a commercial Defender, plus VAT. Why? The company says this is due to the microchip shortage which has reduced its offering, along with pretty much all manufacturers.
Even so, our car has the same six-cylinder, 3.0-litre, 249hp diesel engine as the HSE with mild hybrid technology (MHEV). Don’t expect startling economy, as in this case MHEV just tweaks the torque when accelerating from standstill and aids the stop-start system.
