The new version of Land Rover’s classic, go-anywhere British SUV is charming, civilized and pretty quick, thanks to its smooth powertrain. But frustrating controls, unimpressive fuel economy, and a high step-in height count against it.
With the optional mild-hybrid six-cylinder engine (denoted by the P400 badge; the standard turbocharged four-cylinder is the P300), our four-door Defender 110 (there’s also a two-door, Defender 90 model) test vehicle has strong acceleration on demand, and the eight-speed automatic transmission is very smooth. But we were frustrated with the slow-responding engine stop/start feature, which makes for a longer-than-necessary delay when getting going again from a stop. Our tested fuel economy of 18 mpg overall on premium fuel is also disappointing.