Main specs to consider if you’re buying a 2020 Defender

WHEN THE new Land Rover Defender lands in Australian showrooms in August, it will arrive with a nine-model line-up and a choice of three engines.

That’s just for the five-door 110 wagon, as the short-wheelbase, three-door 90 will come later in the year. Of significance is that the top-of-the-range Defender 110 X P400 costs almost $140, 000, while the entry level Defender D200 is close to half that at $69,990.

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The features list contains a minefield of options and packages, but here are some key things to consider when choosing the right Defender for you.

2020 Land Rover Defender spec highlights

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• The two diesel engines use the same 2.0-litre four-cylinder that makes 430Nm from 1400rpm, but the D200 produces 147kW and the D240 177kW.
• The D200 is only available in the entry level Defender, while the D240 is available right up to the First Edition model, but not offered in HSE or X trim levels.
• The petrol engine is Land Rover’s new 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder, which is boosted by both a turbocharger and an electric supercharger in what JLR calls a mild-hybrid system. The P400 engine makes 294kW and 550Nm from 2000rpm.
• The P400 is available in all Defender 110 models except base-spec trim, from the S up to X variants.

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• All Defenders come with an eight-speed automatic transmission and full-time 4x4 with high and low range. There is no manual gearbox and no single-range transfer case on offer.
• All Defender 110s come with extensive chassis electronics including stability and traction control, low traction launch, roll stability control, hill descent control, cornering brake control, and Terrain Response.
• Base Defender through to HSE spec all have standard Terrain Response while First Edition and X models get Configurable Terrain Response 2 as standard. TR2 is available on the lower grades as part of a features package.

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• All Defender 110s come with height-adjustable air suspension with adaptive dynamics. There is no coil spring 110 model in 2020.
• With the suspension raised the 110 claims 38°, 40° and 28° for approach, departure and ramp-over angles, as well as 900mm of wading depth. The Wading mode in TR2 can extend the suspension a further 70mm if it detects the vehicle is floating during water crossings.
• Wheel choice ranges from 18-inch white steel wheels through to 18-, 19- 20- and 22-inch alloy wheels. 18s can fit on any diesel 110, but the P400 has bigger brakes so 19s are a minimum with the petrol engine.

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• Option packs range from Cold Climate and Comfort packages through to Towing and Off Road packs.
• The standard Off Road pack is a $1448 option and gets you the electronic active rear differential, off- road tyres (not available on 22s), a 12-volt power socket in the cargo space, and black roof rails. It is available on base, S, SE and HSE models.
• The Advanced Off Road Capability pack costs $2210 and includes all the kit of the Off Road pack plus Configurable Terrain Response 2 and All Terrain Progress Control; a crawl control-like system that controls vehicle speed at low speeds. Again it is available on base through to HSE 110 models and would be recommended for anyone planning to take their Defender off-road.

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• The Comfort and Convenience pack adds LED interior lighting with changeable colours, wireless device charging, a Meridian sound system and a fridge in the centre console.
• Wade-depth sensing, traffic/speed sign recognition, 3D surround cameras, blind spot monitoring, 360-degree parking aid and cruise control are all standard equipment, as is a tyre pressure monitoring system.
• Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Navigation Pro, a 10-inch touchscreen and keyless entry are all standard across the range.

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• Seating can be configured for five, six or seven passengers. Two bucket seats are standard in the front, with a centre ‘jump seat’ an $1853 option for three passengers in the front. Front seats go from basic trims right up to 14-way power-adjustable heated and cooled leather jobbies.
• Rear seat options include 40:20:40 split or 60:40 split and can be heated. The third row seat is just for two passengers, and rear air-conditioning is available.

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• The only no-cost solid colour is Fuji White, with all the metallic options a $1950 extra. The white roof is only available with Pangea Green or Tasman Blue body colour.
• Defender can be configured with a full glass panorama roof or a unique canvas roll-back roof, which we’re keen to see.
• The winch seen at the front of many of these vehicles is a factory accessory. It’s a Warn Zeon winch, but the winch and mounting kit will be close to $10,000 extra.

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So the list of engines, options and packages is extensive and can be intimidating when you look at the full list. An easier way is to have a play on Land Rover’s online configurator to build your own Defender.

We went through the process and came up with our Defender of choice: a 110S D240 in Tasman Blue with a white roof; five seats in Acorn leather; the Country pack; Comfort and Convenience pack; Advanced Off-road Capability package; 18-inch alloy wheels with off-road tyres; expedition roof rack; and a handful of other convenience features. A quick add-up puts this car around $95K price mark, but you wouldn’t expect much change from $100K.

2020 Land Rover Defender prices

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D200: $69,990
D240: $75,900
S D240: $83,800
S P400: $95,700
SE D240: $91,300
SE P400: $103,100
HSE P400: $112,900
First Edition D240: $102,500
X P400: $137,100