The plan had always been that the latest incarnation of the legendary Land Rover Defender would be offered with choices; this has come to fruition. Following on from the ultra-modern and critically acclaimed Defender 90 and Defender 110, the new Defender 130 adds another dimension to the all-conquering family of all-terrain vehicles; this time with room for up to eight adults across three rows of full-size seating.
Like it’s smaller siblings, the new 130 body design borrows its name from the original Defender family, the longest model in the line-up. Eight people, across any terrain, must be the ultimate demonstration of the Defender’s copious talents.
On The Outside
The silhouette remains the same but has been elegantly extended by 340mm at the rear to provide enhanced interior space across all three rows, without at all compromising the all-terrain capabilities.
The Defender 130 features an extended rear overhang that provides even greater interior space in the third row of seats and load area. Buyers can enhance the looks further with the all-new Sedona Red exterior colour option, exclusive to this model. All variants are fitted with a panoramic sunroof as standard, with a second sunroof above the third row also featuring.
Interestingly, to maintain the distinctive rear design of the Defender, Land Rover engineers have crafted a subtle boat tail-style uplift that also maximises the unparalleled all-terrain capability customers expect from Defender, providing a departure angle of 28.5 degrees. The surrounds for the rear LED lighting units have been re-engineered to maintain the three distinct lines that define Defender’s side profile as they rise subtly towards the rear.
On The Inside
For an added touch of class as befits this prestige vehicle, Land Rover is introducing enhanced colour and material options for customers looking for an even more refined, roomy experience whilst retaining the tough, rugged character. Up front, the Defender 130 features a larger 11.4 inch ‘Pivi Pro’ touchscreen as standard following its introduction on Defender 90 and 110. This allows enhanced control over the vehicle’s core functions via a crisp and intuitive display. The curved glass interface provides fast, state-of-the-art functionality and is responsive as soon as the vehicle is started, with a simple menu structure and ‘Software Over The Air’ capability, so it is always up to date.
The British brand’s engineers have created an impressive interior by effectively maximising the amount of usable space, without the need for a large on-road footprint. The elegantly extended rear creates uncompromised accommodation in the third row, with enough width to provide comfortable seating for three adults, while the Defender’s familiar outline ensures generous headroom in all three rows.
Additional touches to ensure a comfortable passenger experience in the third row, include heated seats, padded armrests, well-thought-out storage plus USB-C provision to charge devices on the move. Carpets are also fitted throughout, including the load space as an extra premium touch.
Large windows provide excellent visibility in all three rows of seating while the standard-fit panoramic glass sunroof, which is complemented by a second sunroof above row three, makes the interior light and airy for everyone. Additional comfort is provided by ventilation for each row, with additional ducting providing more heating and air-conditioning capacity via the optional and desirable Four Zone Climate Control, exclusive to the model.
It’s not all about the front seats passengers either. Passengers in rows two and three also benefit from a small stadium rise, for superior visibility. Getting into the third row is effortless, as the row two seats slide and fold forwards to provide wide access. From the tailgate, customers can simply lower the Defender’s Electronic Air Suspension with buttons inside the load area to aid with loading items into the rear.
At the back there’s a spacious and practical load area, with up to 389 litres of cargo volume even with the rearmost seats in place. When the seats are not in use, they stow to create a large loading space, giving customers the ultimate choice in configuring the interior arrangement that best suits their needs. They are split in 40:20:40 configuration for added convenience.
On The Road
Expect the drive to be typically Land Rover. There’s unlikely to be much if any difference between the various models in this regard, although the ‘departure angle’ is not quite as impressive as the smaller 110. The Defender 130 is available with a powerful and efficient choice of electrified power-trains, including the P300 and P400 mild-hybrid Ingenium six-cylinder petrol versions, and the D300 Ingenium six-cylinder diesel.
Mild-Hybrid Electric Vehicle (MHEV) technology underpins Land Rover’s engines here providing seamless responses as well as enhanced fuel economy. It uses a 48V belt-integrated Starter Generator that harvests energy normally lost under braking and deceleration, that is stored and utilised later in the journey, while also making the stop-start system more rapid and efficient.
Every Defender 130, we are assured, is fitted with Land Rover’s Intelligent All-Wheel Drive system plus the tried and tested eight-speed ZF automatic transmission; all as standard. Every 130 is fitted with Electronic Air Suspension with Adaptive Dynamics and Land Rover’s advanced Terrain Response system for unrivalled all-terrain capability and driver confidence in all environments.
The Electronic Air Suspension system allows for up to 430mm of articulation, with 75mm of additional lift at the front and the rear in off-road height to clear obstacles and assist when fording up to 900mm of water. The Defender’s off-road capability is managed by the aforementioned Terrain Response system, which allows the driver to fine-tune the driving experience to any terrain via the Pivi Pro screen on the dashboard.
The foundations for the Defender’s all-conquering all-terrain capability rely on Land Rover’s aluminium-intensive monocoque D7x architecture. The Defender is three times more rigid than traditional body-on-frame designs and features the basis for the all-independent air suspension, twin-speed transfer box and Intelligent All-Wheel Drive system.
In short, this masterpiece of all round, all-terrain engineering is just about the best vehicle of its type anywhere in the world. You can find out more about importing the fine eight-seat Land Rover defender 130 by contacting us here at MHH International.
