Auto123 reviews the 2023 Land Rover Defender 130, which is big and luxurious but nonetheless a worth off-roader as befits the Defender name.
The Land Rover Defender is large not just in terms of size. It has been a favourite among off-roaders for generations, it has served duty on the farm and the battlefield and everything in between and it remains one of the most well-known automotive brands the world has ever seen. So much so, that a recent re-vamping of Land Rover’s lineup has seen the Defender become a brand unto itself.
The silver bash plate at the base of the front fascia is also a nice touch; it stood out well against my tester’s purple paintjob. A finish that doesn’t really do it for me. It’s classy enough, but it’s so dark that it’s almost apologetically saying “I know that technically I’m a red of sorts, but I’m dark enough that I almost look brownish in certain lights, and purple-ish in others.
Third row seating of 2023 Land Rover Defender 130 Photo: D.Heyman The big add with the 130 over the 90 and 110 is a third row of seating. It’s well-equipped with a sunroof all its own, cup holders, USB ports and enough space that adults can spend time back there without feeling like they’re doing time. It’ll mostly be kept for the kids, of course, but it’s nice to know that adults can use it thanks to 805 mm of legroom and 990 mm of headroom.
CarPlay and Android Auto apps both come wireless as standard, but unusually for me, I mostly used the native interface because it’s that good, providing the usual infotainment aspects but also drive aspects such as your steering angle indicator, wading depth indicator and so on. 2023 Land Rover Defender 130, side view Photo: D.Heyman Driving the 2023 Land Rover Defender 130 – 8/10Power comes for a single engine choice – a 3.0L turbocharged inline-6 with a 48V mild hybrid system, all combining to make 295 hp and 347 lb-ft of torque . Which is fine but the 130 does lose a couple of marks for not offering any other engine choices in Canada, even though Land Rover does have a selection of V8s and diesels to choose from in other markets.