2023 Land Rover Defender: Reviews, Price, and more

The Land Rover Defender of 2023 is very versatile. It has a classy exterior and interior design is unstoppable off-road and elegant on the pavement. There isn’t anything to complain about with the Defender unless you frequently need a third row. Living true to the illustrious model name, the 2023 Land Rover Defender is the epitome of a luxurious off-road vehicle. The car is as capable as it is tough-looking, but it falls short of competitors in terms of interior quality.

Between 14.2 and 16.5 feet long, the Defender. Its gross vehicle weight rating is between 6,415 and 7,120 pounds, while its curb weight ranges from 4,550 to 5,735 pounds. The 2023 Defender is produced by Land Rover in Slovakia.

Our Opinion

In 2021, the Land Rover Defender took home our esteemed SUV of the Year award, and it has maintained its allure ever since. A few infotainment upgrades and a condensed selection maintain the freshness of Land Rover’s revived classic.

The majority of off-road SUVs have subpar pavement dynamics (looking at you, Wrangler). With great body control and a compliant suspension, the Defender defies the trend. As you move farther from civilization, the Defender once more combines comfort with amazing capabilities.

Although the interior of early-built Defenders raised some questions regarding build quality, it is now attractively designed and has a sizable 11.4-inch touchscreen. Passengers won’t go without luxury as long as you don’t need to transport more than five people. One of our favorite examples of classic boxy cool is the exterior.

It’s difficult to find fault with the Defender other than a flagrant disdain for fuel efficiency. Few cars can make the entire staff smile as the 2020 Land Rover Defender did, as we noted in our first test.

Overall Rating: 7.6

The 2023 Land Rover Defender’s position as the 17th-best SUV in the category of Luxury Midsize SUVs is determined by its rating. Based on our examination of 24 pieces of research and data items from different sources, the Land Rover Defender currently has a score of 7.6 out of 10.

Is the 2023 Land Rover Defender a great SUV?

The Defender is a top-notch SUV, no doubt. It can travel farther from the trodden route than other utility vehicles and behaves nicely when driven in populated areas. All three of the available engines have quick acceleration, and the technology and interior elements are simple to use. There are two-door and four-door options, with the latter providing plenty of second-row room, a sizable cargo compartment, and optional third-row seating.

The inside of this Rover isn’t as luxurious as that of many competitors, and it gets average fuel economy.

How is the performance of the 2023 Land Rover Defender?

The three engines that Land Rover classifies with alphanumeric codes—P300, P400, and P525—remain available for the 2023 Defender. All four wheels receive power from all three through an eight-speed automatic transmission.

A 2.0-liter turbo-four with 296 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque powers the standard P300. For an SUV this big, Land Rover claims the four-door Defender P300 can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 6.6 seconds. Although all Defenders are efficient, the two-door P300 has the best city/highway fuel economy at 18/21 mpg.

We’ve been spending our testing time in the Defender P400, which upgrades a 3.0-liter inline-six engine to produce 395 horsepower and 406 lb-ft of torque. Although Land Rover claims the P400 should be capable of a 5.8-second 0-60 sprint, our dragstrip time was 6.5 seconds. The efficiency of 17/22 mpg is about on par with the P300.

The P525 vehicle’s supercharged V-8 engine is the most potent available option. Maximum power output is 518 horsepower and 461 lb-ft. For four-door Defenders, the estimated 0-60 time lowers to 4.9 seconds, while the fuel economy plummets to a dismal 14/19 mpg. V-8 Defenders start at roughly $105,000, so buyers should be prepared to pay at the pump and upfront.

What about the safety features?

A full suite of active safety features, such as a 360-degree video system, lane-keeping aid, automated emergency braking, and blind-spot monitors, are included with the Defender. All that remains to be included are automatic highlights and adaptive cruise control. The Defender has not undergone any crashworthiness testing by the IIHS or the NHTSA.

Should You Buy the 2023 Land Rover Defender?

If you want a luxurious car with great off-road ability, you should get a Defender. With starting costs in the mid-$50,000 range and a broad list of standard features, it’s a good value for the luxury midsize SUV class.

But it’s worthwhile to research some rivals. When the pavement stops, domestic models like the Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco may compete head-to-head with the Defender due to their significantly cheaper starting prices. You won’t have to give up off-road prowess for other Land Rover models, like the Land Rover Discovery, which are more upscale inside and a better choice for daily driving.

Pros and Cons

How Much Does the 2023 Land Rover Defender Cost?

Pricing for the four-door Defender 110 model starts at $53,400, while the two-door, short-wheelbase Defender 90 starts at $54,000. The two-door Defender X costs $88,300, and the four-door Defender X costs $90,800. Costlier Defender V8 models: The price range for a two-door vehicle is between $107,900 and $115,000, while that for a four-door model is between $111,300 and $118,400.

Which Land Rover Defender Model Should I Choose?

Base, Defender S, Defender X-Dynamic, Defender X, Defender V8, and Defender V8 Carpathian Edition are the six trim levels available for the 2023 Land Rover Defender. Four-wheel drive and eight-speed automatic transmission are included as standard equipment on all versions. We describe each of the three accessible engines in further detail below.

The Defender 90 is a two-row, five-seat model with two doors, and the Defender 110 is a four-door variant with five seats as basic seating and an additional two seats available as an option. Because they come with a big list of standard equipment, a strong basic engine, and much of the off-road prowess of the more expensive trims, the lower trims are better values than the higher versions that are better equipped.

Land Rover Defender

The 296-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine is standard on the 2023 Land Rover Defender 110, which has a starting price of $53,400. Wade sensing, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a universal garage door opener, proximity keyless entry, cloth upholstery, dual-zone automatic climate control, eight-way power-adjustable and heated front seats, a two-speed transfer case, the Terrain Response system, hill descent control, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and an 11.4-inch touch-screen infotainment system with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, wireless device charging, and satellite radio.

Forward collision warning, forward automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, a surround-view parking camera system, safe exit assistance, lane departure warning, lane keeping assistance, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring, traffic-sign recognition, and rain-sensing windscreen wipers are just a few of the Defender’s standard active safety features.

The Activity Key, a Wi-Fi hotspot, heated second-row seats, a center console refrigerator, a 10-speaker Meridian audio, tri-zone automatic climate control, cabin air ionization, and front fog lamps are among prominent optional features.

Off-road tires, an electronic active differential, and a power outlet in the home are all included in the Off-Road bundle. All Terrain Progress Control, Terrain Response 2, and extra programmable terrain settings are all included in the Advanced Off-Road Capabilities bundle. Additional option packs come with features like adaptive air suspension, ambient interior lighting, and advanced tow assist.

Land Rover Defender S

Starting prices for the Land Rover Defender 90 S with a four-cylinder engine are $54,000 and a six-cylinder engine is $66,000. Defender 110 SE with the six-cylinder starts at $69,200, and the Defender 110 S with the four-cylinder is $57,200.

Alloy wheels, auto-high-beam headlamps, 12-way power-adjustable front seats, leather upholstery, a 10-speaker Meridian radio, and a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel are additional amenities in these models. Windsor leather upholstery, extended leather interior surfaces, a panoramic roof, and a partly fabric roof are among the new possibilities.

Land Rover Defender X-Dynamic

The six-cylinder engine, a panoramic roof, distinctive exterior style, a 14-speaker Meridian surround-sound radio, and ventilated front seats with memory settings are all standard on Land Rover Defender X-Dynamic variants. Front seats with 14-way power adjustments are also an option. Both the Defender 90 X-Dynamic and Defender 110 X-Dynamic have starting prices of $69,000 and $72,200, respectively.

Land Rover Defender X

The selling price of the Land Rover Defender 90 X is $88,300, while that of the Defender 110 X is $90,800.

The Defender X also comes with extended leather-wrapped interior surfaces, a power tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, 14-way adjustable front seats, Terrain Response 2, configurable terrain response, All-Terrain Progress Control, an electronic differential, a rearview mirror camera, and partial Windsor leather upholstery as standard features.

Land Rover Defender V8

The Land Rover Defender 90 V8 ($107,900) and Defender 110 V8 ($111,300) have supercharged V8 engines that produce 518 horsepower, and their feature lists are quite similar to those of the Defender X.

Land Rover Defender V8 Carpathian Edition

With unique interior and external design embellishments, the Land Rover Defender Carpathian Edition enhances the V8 trim. The 90 Carpathian Edition starts at $115,000, and the 110 Carpathian costs $118,400.