• News
  • Guides
  • Reviews
  • Media
  • About
  • News
  • Guides
  • Reviews
  • Media
  • About
Sign up Now (For Free)

Sign up for our newsletter and receive the latest automotive news in your inbox!

Invalid email address
We promise not to spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Thanks for subscribing!
News
Read Now
  • All News
  • Automakers
  • Automobiles
  • Auto Shows
  • Business
  • EVs & Environment
  • Guides
  • Lawsuits/Legal
  • Regulatory
  • Ride-Sharing
  • Safety & Recalls
  • Technology
Recent
  • The Rearview Mirror: All That the Name Implies
  • Top Tips for Improving EV Range in Cold Weather
  • Mercedes is First Automaker to Offer True Level 3 Hands-Free Driving System in the U.S.
  • Audi Introduces Fourth “Sphere” Concept: Activesphere
  • Jaguar Land Rover Posts First Profitable Quarter in Two Years
  • Musk Confirms Cybertruck Production Tracking for End of 2023
  • Polestar Raises its Game with the 2024 Polestar 2
  • Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda Steps Down, Hands Reins to Lexus Chief Koji Sato
  • Environmental Groups Chide GM for ICE Investments
  • Tesla Sets New Financial Benchmarks, But Misses Analysts Targets
Editor’s Choice
    Reviews
    Read Now
    • All Reviews
      • Feeder
    • Classic Cars
    • Concept Cars
    • Convertibles
    • Coupes
    • Crossovers/CUVs
    • Diesel
    • Hot hatches
    • Hybrids
    • Luxury Vehicles
    • Minivans
    • Muscle Cars
    • Pickups
    • Sedans
    • Sports Cars
    • Super Cars
    • SUVs
    Recent Reviews
    • A Week With: 2023 Ford F-150 Raptor R 4x4 Super Crew
    • A Week With: 2023 Genesis Electrified G80 AWD
    • A Week With: 2023 Land Rover Defender 110 V-8
    • First Drive: 2023 Honda Pilot TrailSport
    • A Week With: 2023 Jaguar F-Type R Coupe
    • A Week With: 2023 GMC Yukon Denali Ultimate
    • A Week With: 2023 Genesis GV60 Performance
    • A Week With: 2023 Chevrolet Suburban Z71
    • A Week With: 2023 Lexus UX 250h F Sport
    • A Week With: 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQB 300 4Matic
    Editor’s Choice
      Guides
      Car Warranty
      • Endurance Warranty Reviews
      • BMW Extended Warranty
      • Extended Warranty For Cars Over 100k Miles
      • Extended Car Warranty Cost
      • Subaru Extended Warranty
      • CarShield Reviews
      • CarShield Cost
      • Aftermarket Car Warranty
      • CARCHEX Warranty Reviews
      • Reputable Extended Car Warranty Companies
      • Used Car Warranty Companies
      • Best Car Warranty
      • Is CarShield A Scam?
      • Mercedes Extended Warranty
      • CarShield Plans
      Insurance
      • How To Identify A Car Insurance Company
      • Geico Mechanical Breakdown Insurance
      • How Far Back Does A Car Insurance Company Look
      • Mechanical Breakdown Insurance For Used Cars
      • State Farm Mechanical Breakdown Insurance
      • Mechanical Breakdown Insurance From Progressive
      • Dollar A Day Insurance
      • Auto Insurance For SSI Recipients
      • Car Insurance Rates After A Suspended License
      • Auto Insurance For Salvage Vehicles
      • Average Cost of Dodge Ram 1500 Car Insurance
      • Car Insurance Florida
      • Full Coverage Auto Insurance
      • GrubHub Insurance
      • Amazon Delivery Auto Insurance
      Shipping
      • Car Shipping Companies
      • uShip Reviews
      • Auto Shipping From California To Hawaii
      • Montway Auto Transport Reviews
      • Cheap Car Shipping
      • Easy Auto Ship Reviews
      • Auto Shipping Miami
      • Auto Shipping To Alaska
      • Car Shipping Cost
      • Auto Shipping Hawaii
      • Auto Shipping Puerto Rico
      • Sherpa Auto Transport Reviews
      • Auto Shipping Atlanta
      • Auto Shipping Boston
      • Auto Shipping. Chicago
      About
      • About Us
      • Contact Us
      • Terms of Use
      • Privacy Policy
      • Affiliate Disclosure
      • Sitemap
      TheDetroitBureau.com

      More than just “another” place to find news, reviews, spy shots, commentary, features, and guides about the auto industry. TheDetroitBureau doesn’t stop with the press releases or confuse a few lines of opinion with insightful, in-depth reporting.

      Contact Us

      Like what you see? Have some ideas for making The Detroit Bureau.com even better? Let us know, we’d love to hear your voice.

        Media
        Listen Now
        • Headlight News: All Episodes
        More from TheDetroitBureau
        • Guides
        • Latest News
        • Auto Reviews
        • Podcasts
        Headlight News

        TheDetroitBureau.com’s Headlight News offers a look at the past week’s top automotive news stories, as well as what’s coming up in the week ahead. Check out the week’s top story and our latest review…along with a dive into the past with this week in automotive history.

        home > reviews > A Week With: 2023 Land Rover Defender 110 V-8

        A Week With: 2023 Land Rover Defender 110 V-8

        When the Range Rover just isn’t macho enough.

        Jeff Zurschmeide
        Jeff Zurschmeide , Executive Editor
        Jan. 25, 2023

        The Land Rover Defender really got its start with the original Land Rovers, which are now called Series Land Rovers to distinguish them from later vehicles from the British automaker. 

        2023 Land Rover Defender 110 V-8 front 3-4
        The 2023 Land Rover Defender 110 V-8 is a go-anywhere luxury beast.

        The first Land Rovers went mostly unchanged from 1948 to 1985, with a variety of wheelbases, body styles, and drivelines. Land Rover made more than a million of them, and the original Rovers became the stuff of legend. 

        In 1983 Land Rover brought out the next generation of the same basic idea with the Defender, and made another million Defenders until the end of production in 2016. Note that the Defender was not officially imported to the United States after 1997, though many made their way across the Atlantic as gray-market vehicles. 

        After a four-year Hiatus, Jaguar Land Rover rebooted the Defender name on a new luxury SUV platform. Make no mistake, this new Defender has absolutely nothing in common with those old aluminum boxes on wheels except for the name. 

        Overview

        The 2023 Land Rover Defender 110 is a high-luxury, high-dollar SUV that maintains the rugged off-road chops of the Defender, but with all the modern technological benefits and a sport-luxury interior. Where the original Land Rovers were quite slow and even underpowered on pavement, the new Defender can be specified with a state-of-the-art 5.0-liter V-8 engine and an 8-speed automatic transmission instead of the old manual gearboxes. 

        2023 Land Rover Defender 110 V-8 side
        The entire outside of the 2023 Land Rover Defender is an homage to the original Defender, but modernized.

        If you can name a tech feature, the Defender has got it. Realistically, it’s probably more capable off-road than the old Defenders, but you wouldn’t want to damage it. 

        Exterior

        The entire outside of the 2023 Land Rover Defender is an homage to the original Defender, but modernized. It’s similar in nature to the rebooted Ford Bronco or the GMC Hummer. It’s squared-off, blocky and macho. 

        You can get it in a two-door short 90-inch wheelbase, a four-door 110-inch wheelbase, or a 130-inch extra-long wheelbase design. Unlike prior generation, there’s no pickup truck cab version; they’re all SUVs. 

        Interior

        Our test vehicle was a high-line trim model, with the optional V-8 engine, so it has everything that Land Rover could put into the vehicle. The seats are trimmed in Dinamica Suedecloth, and they are both heated and ventilated with power everything. The second row is also heated. In a nod to off-road usability, the floor is covered in rubber mats. There’s three-zone climate control and get this — a refrigerated compartment in the center console. 

        2023 Land Rover Defender 110 V-8 rear 3-4
        You can get it in a two-door short 90-inch wheelbase, a four-door 110-inch wheelbase, or a 130-inch extra-long wheelbase design.

        One point to make about the Defender, the rear hatch isn’t a hatch. It’s a door that opens from the left side. That’s not the best for access, but it’s unique. 

        Powertrain

        As is typical with Jaguar Land Rover products, you have a range of engine options with the Defender. The base engine is the parent company’s Ingenium 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder. You’ll find that engine in various Jaguars and Land Rovers like the Jag XF sedan and the Range Rover Evoque. It’s been around for a while now and it’s a solid performer with 296 horsepower. 

        You can also get a 6-cylinder mild hybrid with 395 hp. However, our test vehicle came with the 5.0-liter V-8 with 518 hp and 461 pound-feet of torque. This is the top of the line and only the most expensive Range Rover models have more power. 

        Behind the engine is an 8-speed automatic transmission with full-time all-wheel drive and a 2-speed transfer case. The Defender includes Jaguar Land Rovers well-developed All Terrain Progress Control and Terrain Response 2 automatic programming. Basically, this SUV is much smarter than you are when it comes to navigating off-road, and you should just let it do its thing if you find yourself in the wilderness. 

        For our test model, towing is rated at 8,200 pounds, and the Defender 110 is rated for about 1,400 pounds of payload, including passengers.

        2023 Land Rover Defender 110 V-8 interior
        A 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster is standard, as is a 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen.

        Safety and Technology

        Neither the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration nor the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety have evaluated the Defender, but it comes with a good list of safety tech features. Land Rover has their REMOTE system for emergency collision notification, stolen vehicle locator and remote starting. The Defender also comes with all the usual traction and stability controls, plus emergency braking support. 

        On the luxury side, you get adaptive cruise control and a speed limiter to keep you at or below the posted speed limit. There’s a 360-degree camera and 360-degree parking radar, blind-spot monitor, lane keeping, traffic sign recognition, and a rear traffic and clear exit monitor as well. In short, it’s an up-to-date SUV. 

        A 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster is standard, as is a 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come standard. So too does wireless charging, which is integrated into a vertical slot the that conveniently holds your phone in place while its charging. That said, the charging indicator icon is too small to be legible.

        On the dash, Land Rover provides an 11.4-inch screen for infotainment, including navigation. That’s connected to a 700-watt Meridian sound system. One last piece of tech is the camera-based rear view mirror, which I really like. 

        2023 Land Rover Defender 110 V-8 cockpit
        There’s three-zone climate control and get this — a refrigerated compartment in the center console.

        Driving Impressions

        The Defender 110 is a pretty big SUV, and it rolls on some pretty aggressive off-road tires, so don’t treat it like a sports SUV on pavement. If you want that, you can save some money and pick anything from the Range Rover lineup. Get the Evoque, it’s great for that. But provided you keep things under control, the Defender is comfortable and easy to drive. 

        The one thing I found annoying is the way the Defender moderates takeoff from a stop. All of these vehicles have to damp down the power for low-speed driving, or they’d be jumpy if you so much as breathe on the gas pedal. 

        But the Defender is so damped down that you have to give it more accelerator pedal than you really expect to get it to move. Consequently, it can feel a little sluggish off the line until you learn how much foot to put down. 

        I didn’t do any off-roading in my week with the Defender, but I have faith in Land Rover. I’ve used the company’s All-Terrain Progress Control before and its near-magical in its ability to gain and maintain traction. If I had to pick an SUV to traverse the Amazon basin, I could choose a Defender with confidence. 

        Bottom line: If you want a big off-road capable SUV and you’re willing to spend the money, this Land Rover is a great option. 

        2023 Land Rover Defender 110 V-8 Specifications

        DimensionL: 197.5 inches/W: 82.9 inches/H: 77.4 inches/Wheelbase: 119 inches
        Weight5,735 pounds
        Powertrain 5.0-liter V-8 engine, 8-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive
        Fuel Economy14 mpg city/19 mpg highway/16 mpg combined
        Performance Specs518 horsepower and 461 pound-feet of torque
        PriceBase price: $111,300; As tested: $113,695 before $1,475 destination charge.
        On-Sale DateAvailable now

        Wrap Up

        There are many combinations of trims, engines, and vehicle sizes available with the Defender. First, you’ve got the three wheelbase lengths, and each of those has 4 or 5 trim levels. The most affordable Defender 110 with the 4-cylinder engine starts at $53,500, and the short wheelbase 90 starts just a little above that at $55,100. The long wheelbase 130 edition starts quite a bit higher at $68,000. 

        Things get more expensive very rapidly from there. The top Defender 90 V-8 Carpathian Edition stickers at $115,000, and the same trim in the 110 costs $118,400. In between you can get the 6-cylinder engine or the V-8, and a good selection of trims. 

        If I was buying a Defender with my own money, I’d head for the low end of the price range, mainly because I like the short wheelbase Defender 90 and I think the 4-cylinder engine offers plenty of power while being more in keeping with the original Land Rover spirit. Honestly, there’s not much in the five additional trim levels that I would want to pay for, but I would buy the rubber mats and towing hitch, so I’d bring my Defender in right at $58,825 including the $1,475 destination fee. 

        2023 Land Rover Defender 110 V-8 ­— Frequently Asked Questions

        Is the Land Rover Defender a reliable car?

        Motor Trend reported, “Yes, everything that ‘broke’ has been minor and relatively easy to rectify. I still wouldn’t hesitate to hop into the MT Defender for a cross-country overlanding expedition.”

        Can the Defender carry more than the Land Rover Discovery?

        In terms of overall cargo capacity, the Defender 110 offers an additional 4.5 cubic feet of space compared to the Discovery. 

        Is the Land Rover Defender a luxury car?

        Yes, The Land Rover Defender is a true luxury car. It carries a base price of $53,500. From there it spans the full range competing with both the Jeep Wrangler and the Mercedes-Benz G Wagen.

        How to Care for Your Car

        Cheap Car Warranty

        Editor's Choice

        Best Extended Car Warranty

        Editor's Choice
        Recently Published
        2023 Land Rover Defender 110 V-8 best front

        A Week With: 2023 Land Rover Defender 110 V-8

        Jan. 25, 2023
        2023 Honda TrailSport front 3-4 best

        First Drive: 2023 Honda Pilot TrailSport

        Jan. 24, 2023
        2023 GMC Yukon Denali Ultimate best

        A Week With: 2023 GMC Yukon Denali Ultimate

        Jan. 18, 2023

        What Are You Looking For?

        See More
        Buying a Luxury Car? See our recommended reviews and guides.
        Buying a Luxury Car? See our recommended reviews and guides.
        Reviews and Resources When You Are Looking For a New Car
        Collection
        SUV Reviews and Guides
        Collection

        SUV Reviews and Guides
        Collection
        Car Reviews and Guides
        Collection

        Car Reviews and Guides
        Recommends
        The Best Car Insurance Companies in 2022 (with Costs)
        Recommends

        The Best Car Insurance Companies in 2022 (with Costs)
        Recommends
        Best Car Warranties – 2021 Comparison (Factory & Extended)
        Recommends

        Best Car Warranties – 2021 Comparison (Factory & Extended)
        Close
        Reviews and Resources When You Are Looking For a New Car
        Collection
        SUV Reviews and Guides
        Collection

        SUV Reviews and Guides
        Collection
        Car Reviews and Guides
        Collection

        Car Reviews and Guides
        Recommends
        The Best Car Insurance Companies in 2022 (with Costs)
        Recommends

        The Best Car Insurance Companies in 2022 (with Costs)
        Recommends
        Best Car Warranties – 2021 Comparison (Factory & Extended)
        Recommends

        Best Car Warranties – 2021 Comparison (Factory & Extended)
        Close
        Share this article:
        © The Detroit Bureau 2023
        • Guides
        • Privacy Policy
        • Terms of Use
        • Affiliate Disclosure
        • Contact Us
        • Sitemap
        Follow Us: