• 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: Ford’s High-End Failure
  • Ram Returning to Midsize Pickup Segment; Shows Dealers a Concept EV
  • Why Isn’t That EV Charger Working?
  • Ford Will Trust The Truck — The New One Built at BlueOval City
  • Cupra Could Be Headed to the U.S.
  • March New Vehicle Sales to Rise 6.2% Over Last Year
  • Hyundai, Kia Recall Warns Owners of 570K Vehicles to Park Outside
  • Ford Facing $3 Billion in Losses on EV Business for 2023
  • Higher Interest Rates, Bank Failures Pose Challenge to Car Business
  • General Motors to Face Class Action Lawsuit
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 Infiniti QX80
    • A Week With: 2023 Genesis GV80 Prestige 3.5 Turbo
    • First Drive: 2024 Dodge Hornet R/T
    • First Drive: 2023 Dodge Hornet GT
    • First Drive: 2023 Genesis Electrified GV70
    • First Drive: 2023 Nissan Ariya e-4orce AWD
    • A Week With: 2023 Jeep Compass Limited
    • A Week With: 2023 Cadillac Escalade V-Series
    • A Week With: 2023 Volvo XC40 AWD Ultimate
    • First Drive: 2024 Subaru Crosstrek
    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 > First Impression: 2021 Land Rover Defender 90 First Edition

        First Impression: 2021 Land Rover Defender 90 First Edition

        Rugged design, go anywhere versatility.

        Paul A. Eisenstein
        Paul A. Eisenstein , Publisher & Editor-in-Chief
        May 21, 2021

        When you reach the end of the road you just might have to take a leap of faith — or so it seemed when I took a Land Rover Defender to the Holly Oaks Off-Road Park a few months back. While it isn’t quite the equivalent of a trip to Moab, Utah, the suburban Detroit park offers a real test for any off-road vehicle, including some perilously steep and sandy hill descents.

        The new Defender 90 features a wheelbase that is 14 inches shorter than the 110 model.

        To cut to the chase, the Defender proved itself rough and absolutely ready for anything I could throw at it. And the news is about to get even better for off-road fans. The SUV I took to Holly Oaks was the Land Rover Defender 110. Now, the British automaker is rolling out a short wheelbase version, the Defender 90. Cut down by 14 inches, it boasts even more impressive numbers when it comes to what matters for serious off-roaders, such as approach, departure and breakover angles.

        I had my first, brief chance to drive the Defender 90 this week. A run back to Holly Oaks will have to wait. But I did get to check out the classic utility vehicle’s manners where they’ll matter most for the typical owner — on-road. Here’s my initial reaction.

        Styling

        Lore has it, what became Land Rover was born in 1947 on a Welsh beach when Maurice Wilks, the chief engineer for Britain’s Rover Co., sketched out a rough silhouette in the sand. Today’s Defender is the most direct descendant of that SUV.

        The last-generation Defender was yanked from the U.S. market in 1998 and pulled from production entirely in 2016. The new version shocked traditionalists when it debuted, adding some curves to the line’s traditionally slab-sided design. But you won’t confuse the 2021 Defender with the car-based crossovers that dominate the road today. It still harkens back to the basic theme Wilks sketched out nearly three-quarters of a century ago.

        If anything, the 2021 Defender appears wider and more solidly planted than the last generation, with broad shoulders giving it a confidence-inspiring sense of muscularity. The nose, with its distinctive lighting, and the hood, with hidden cut lines, add a sense of modernity even while the overall look is timeless, as you would expect of an icon.

        The new model features two engine options: an inline-4 putting out 296 horsepower or an inline-6 at 395 hp.

        There is relatively little difference in the overall look of the Defenders 110 or 90, but for the shorter wheelbase — and that actually offers an advantage for serious off-roaders, with a 38-degree approach angle, a departure angle of 40 degrees, and a 31% breakover angle. I expect that to make it even more suited to a run through Holly Oaks.

        Inside, the Defender 90 retains the same basic layout, albeit solely two rows, and can be ordered in either a five- or six-seat configuration. It also is available with a variety of materials, from luxurious leather to more practical fabrics and synthetics easily cleaned out after a day on the trail. Exposed rivets and a magnesium crossbeam on the instrument panel add to the sense of ruggedness. But the Defender 90 nods to modernity with a wide touchscreen atop the center stack that adds a variety of functions for off-roaders, such as showing your tilt angle, as well as images from the SUV’s many cameras.

        Performance

        As with the rest of its line-up, Land Rover offers an assortment of powertrains, dependent upon market. For the U.S., two options are available, the base 2.0-liter turbo-4 shared with Jaguar making 296 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. It’s reasonably peppy and more than enough, both on and off-road.

        The upgrade is a 3.0-liter inline-6 that combines both turbocharging and supercharging, as well as a fuel-saving 48-volt mild hybrid drive. It takes the numbers up to a more spritely 395 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque, the latter number particularly apparent for serious off-roaders. The I-6 also reduces 0-60 times from 7.7 seconds to 5.8, according to Land Rover.

        All versions of the Defender come with standard all-wheel drive. Locking differentials, front and back, help enhance grip in rough conditions. They’re optional on some trim levels, standard on others.

        The shorter wheelbase allows for improved off-roading capability.

        Technology

        Like the larger 110, the Land Rover Defender 90 features the latest JLR Pivi Pro infotainment system and a wide-format 10-inch touchscreen. I quickly learned to appreciate having so much information displayed simultaneously. Another plus is that the system has the capability of using smartphone-style over-the-air updates.

        Pivi Pro comes with a WiFi hotspot and standard in-dash navigation. You’ll also get both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The base audio system uses six speakers but you can upgrade to either a 10- or 14-speaker Meridian package.

        Many of the tech features are aimed at off-road use, such as that Terrain Response Control system, and the numerous cameras making it easier to negotiate a trail. There’s also the ClearSight mirror which uses a camera to provide a slightly wider image than your conventional review mirror. It’s especially useful when you have a car full of passengers obstructing your view.

        The 2021 Land Rover Defender also features a broad range of advanced driver assistance technologies, such as forward collision warning with automated emergency braking.

        Initial Impression

        I plan to provide an update on how the Defender 90 performs off-road when I can spend at least a few days behind the wheel. That said, based on my time in the longer 110, I expect it to be one of the most competent vehicles I’ve ever experienced, managing even the toughest obstacles with athletic grace.

        Like the bigger version, the Defender 90 also provided a more than acceptable on-road driving experience. No, you can’t flog it like a sports car around tight corners, what with its high center of gravity, but it maintains composure under normal conditions and handled the rough pavement of Michigan roads much better than a key competitor like the Jeep Rubicon. The 3.0-liter I-6, meanwhile, provided more than enough power for keeping up with traffic and executing high-speed passes.

        The bottom line is that there are plenty of reasons to welcome back the Defender line-up and, in particular, to give a nod to the Defender 90, in particular. It’s not cheap, my tester going for $66,475 — including $1,350 in delivery fees — but for those looking for a distinctive design with go-absolutely-anywhere capabilities, the 2021 Land Rover Defender 90 is worth a close look.

        How to Care for Your Car

        Cheap Car Warranty

        Editor's Choice

        Best Extended Car Warranty

        Editor's Choice
        Recently Published
        2023 Infiniti QX80 front 3-4

        A Week With: 2023 Infiniti QX80

        March 24, 2023

        A Week With: 2023 Genesis GV80 Prestige 3.5 Turbo

        March 23, 2023
        2024 Dodge Hornet R/T blue driving front REL

        First Drive: 2024 Dodge Hornet R/T

        March 22, 2023

        What Are You Looking For?

        See More
        Buying an SUV or Crossover? See our recommended reviews and guides.
        Buying an SUV or Crossover? See our recommended reviews and guides.
        Reviews and Resources For Car Buyers and Owners
        Reviews of SUVs and CUVs, Warranty and Insurance advice, all collected by the Editors of TheDetroitBureau.
        Collection
        SUV Reviews and Guides
        Collection

        SUV Reviews and Guides
        Recommends
        Where Can You Get the Best SUV Warranty?
        Recommends

        Where Can You Get the Best SUV Warranty?
        Recommends
        Is Full Coverage Auto Insurance Right for You?
        Recommends

        Is Full Coverage Auto Insurance Right for You?
        Recommends
        Is it Cheaper to Add a Second Car to Insurance?
        Recommends

        Is it Cheaper to Add a Second Car to Insurance?
        Close
        Reviews and Resources For Car Buyers and Owners
        Reviews of SUVs and CUVs, Warranty and Insurance advice, all collected by the Editors of TheDetroitBureau.
        Collection
        SUV Reviews and Guides
        Collection

        SUV Reviews and Guides
        Recommends
        Where Can You Get the Best SUV Warranty?
        Recommends

        Where Can You Get the Best SUV Warranty?
        Recommends
        Is Full Coverage Auto Insurance Right for You?
        Recommends

        Is Full Coverage Auto Insurance Right for You?
        Recommends
        Is it Cheaper to Add a Second Car to Insurance?
        Recommends

        Is it Cheaper to Add a Second Car to Insurance?
        Close
        Share this article:
        © The Detroit Bureau 2023
        • Guides
        • Privacy Policy
        • Terms of Use
        • Affiliate Disclosure
        • Contact Us
        • Sitemap
        Follow Us: