It's not everyday one gets to test-drive a $160,000-plus car in the Arabian desert, or watch on as a man, revving profusely, attempts to conquer an almost vertical mountain of sheer sand in said car.
Despite my relative noobery in the motoring field, one day in March I found myself behind the wheel of Land Rover's newest iteration of the Defender, the 130, in the vast desert ahead of an imminent sandstorm, steering the Sedona Red model through the unforgiving terrain - while muttering profanities, of course.
It's here I got to experience the Defender 130, a grunty utilitarian off-roader disguised as a luxury soccer-mum-SUV, in all its glory. After the 17-hour flight from Auckland to Dubai, we hit the road in our fleet of 130s to an area a little off the beaten track: the sand dunes of Abu Dhabi.
While the latest addition to Land Rover's Defender lineup may struggle to fit in a standard car park, in the desert, it's at home - climbing the sheer slip face of a sand dune with relative ease. Like its predecessors, the 130 presents a powerful performance utility vehicle, embossed with the Land Rover badge of prestige.
As with my previous car reviews, I like to make a short disclaimer that if you're expecting a comprehensive, detailed breakdown of its performance and power a la Top Gear, this isn't it. However, as Newshub's lifestyle editor, motoring does fall under my jurisdiction, which means some pretty cool opportunities do come across my desk. So when I was invited to the UAE to experience the new Defender for myself, I leapt at the chance.
With that being said, here's what you can expect with the Defender 130.
An overview
The goal of the 130 was to "complete the family" of Defenders, according to Land Rover, rounding out the lineup of its ancestors, the 90 and 110.
One of the 130's key selling points is that it's bigger than its predecessors: there's an eight-seater model (as well as a fiver for people who prioritise play over passengers). The classic Defender silhouette has been lengthened by 340mm for enhanced interior space with an extended rear overhang, providing a maximum load capacity of 2291 litres and 2516 litres respectively.
This is a big boy, no doubt about it - but the stature doesn't compromise its all-terrain capabilities. To reiterate, we conquered sheer faces of sand with minimal slippage and no serious injuries: so I can confidently say that if you're concerned about a little extra length, you haven't put the 130 through its paces.
The eight-seater features a two-three-three configuration, but fear not, third-rowers: the 130 has been designed with interior space as a priority, so even those relegated to the back row have plenty of leg and headroom.
Whether you're cruising the motorways of Dubai at 160km/h or conquering sand dunes, the 130 never falters in its comfort - even in the third row. Passengers are cosseted in heated leather seats with padded armrests, plus there's thoughtful storage options and USB provisions to charge devices on the go. The 130 features standard electronic air suspension for enhanced comfort, along with all the bells and whistles that make the ride more enjoyable: think climate control, advanced Cabin Air Purification Plus, and a customisable 11.4-inch Pivi Pro touchscreen, allowing you to effortlessly control driver settings and functions via an intuitive display, complete with Apple CarPlay and other connectivities.
Specifications
The Defender 130 is available in SE, HSE, X-Dynamic and X specifications - although the HSE is currently only available from Land Rover New Zealand - as well as a First Edition. The First Edition is available in three high-specification configurations, each with a distinct colour and design theme:
- Fuji White with extended bright pack with light oyster full windsor leather interior and natural light oak veneer
- Sedona Red with ebony full windsor leather seats and smoked oak veneer
- Carpathian Grey with vintage tan full windsor leather and rough-cut walnut veneer.
The First Edition model builds on the HSE specification with an extensive equipment list including Matrix LED headlamps, heated second and third-row seating, four-zone climate control, Meridian sound system, Driver Assist Pack and privacy glass. All feature 20-inch alloy wheels as standard, with a choice of P400 petrol or D300 diesel Ingenium six-cylinder powertrains.
Design
As a person who knows a little about cars but is more interested in the aesthetics, the design of the 130 was an immediate standout. The model I was lucky enough to test-drive came in the newly minted, exclusive Sedona Red colourway. It's a stunning, rich colour, particularly in the bright UAE sun.
The exterior features 20-inch alloy wheels, roof rails and a panoramic glass sunroof (plus a second for the third row). There's a full range of exterior accessories on offer for further customisation, and via the optional Bright Pack, customers can choose between two distinctive exterior finishes spanning silver and chrome detailing or gloss black lower bumpers.
As well as the elongation, the 130's silhouette features a distinctive, subtle uplift in the rear designed to maximise its all-terrain capability, providing a rear departure angle of 28.5 degrees. For those who enjoy venturing off the beaten track, this is a nice advantage compared to the new off-roading models of competitor marques.
Inside, the 130 has been thoughtfully designed for passengers' comfort, with luxurious touches that echo the look and feel of Land Rover's flagship Range Rover. Think carpets, chrome and silver detailing, and heated leather. It's a very light and airy cabin that keeps everyone comfortable - even when scaling sand dunes or speeding in the (left) lane.
The stuff that needs subtitles
Unless it wasn't abundantly obvious, off-road is where the 130 truly shines: while it's perfectly pleasant to drive in all settings, its features are rendered a little less exciting, a little more redundant when cruising along a nice, flat stretch of motorway.
With that said, let's touch a little on its capabilities. Every Defender 130 is fitted with Land Rover's Intelligent All-Wheel Drive (iAWD) system and eight-speed ZF automatic transmission as standard. According to Land Rover (let's be real, most of us need subtitles for this part), the iAWD technology manages the powertrain and power distribution between the front and rear axles, optimising its on-road efficiency and all-terrain capability as necessary.
Every 130 is also fitted with Electronic Air Suspension with Adaptive Dynamics and Land Rover's Terrain Response system: in a nutshell, this allows the driver to fine-tune the driving experience to any terrain, on or off-road, via the Pivi Pro screen. We got to see this technology in all its glory: with a press of a button, you can select the driving mode that best suits your climate - think 'Sand', 'Rock Crawl', or 'Snow' - tweaking various functions to provide better traction and control. The car will adapt and adjust to any new terrain it encounters: as the Land Rover team put it, "think of being dropped on a frozen lake and being asked to take your first step". Each mode tunes the response of the throttle, brakes and transmission to deliver premium handling.
In off-road height, the suspension system - and 75mm of additional lift at the front and the rear - allows the 130 to clear obstacles with ease: it will even ford up to 900mm of water. Plus, there's towing capacity of up to 3000 kg with a detachable and multi-height towbar design.
For off-roading adventures, the 130 is also equipped with some pretty impressive technology: using the Pivi Pro infotainment and the global location system what3words, the driver can find and navigate to any 3m square on the planet without the need for a phone signal - promising accurate and precise navigation even in the most remote environments. That's pretty cool to me.
To conclude
The new Defender 130 is big and bulky, but it's a step up from its predecessors. It's still a Defender, from its classic silhouette to all-terrain capabilities, but it looks towards a new generation of drivers with its enhanced technologies and elevated exterior and interior design. It's a gritty off-roader packaged with the ergonomic, luxurious touches of a Range Rover, while still paying respect to its heritage. Of course, whether bigger equals better is ultimately up to you to decide.
While the general reader probably won't be putting the pedal to the metal in the desert anytime soon, this is a car designed for the explorer and their off-road excursions - not the highrise-dwelling city slicker. It also would make a practical but stylish vehicle for families - particularly large families with a taste for the outdoors. As I don't have a large family, children, or a taste for the outdoors, would I be splurging on a 130 anytime soon? No. But my memories of the car in the Arabian desert will last a lifetime.
The price: The new Defender 130 is available from $163,900 (OTR) in New Zealand.
Powertrains: The Defender 130 is available with a choice of electrified powertrains, including the P300 and P400 mild-hybrid Ingenium six-cylinder petrols, and the D250 and D300 Ingenium six-cylinder diesels. Only the D300 and P400 are currently available from Land Rover New Zealand.
Petrol
- P300 - 3.0-litre six-cylinder, MHEV, 300PS, 470Nm torque at 1500-4250 rpm
- P400 -3.0-litre six-cylinder, MHEV, 400PS, 550Nm torque at 2000-5000 rpm.
Diesel
- D250 - 3.0-litre six-cylinder, MHEV, 250PS, 600Nm torque at 1250-2250 rpm
- D300 - 3.0-litre six-cylinder, MHEV, 300PS, 650Nm torque at 1500-2500 rpm.
Lana Andelane travelled to Dubai to test-drive the Defender 130 as a guest of Land Rover New Zealand.
