Serious off-roader that needs frequent charging

Land Rover's plug-in hybrid electric vehicle has a small operating range

- Lee Nian Tjoe

Its name sounds like a Wi-Fi router, but instead of going wireless, what the Land Rover Defender 110 2.0 X-Dynamic HSE PHEV needs is a power socket to plug into.

That is because the latest variant of the distinctive sport utility vehicle (SUV) is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) with a small operating range, and needs to be charged quite frequently to exploit the full benefit of the setup. The combination of the 2-litre turbocharged engine with the 55kW motor gives the Defender 296hp and 625Nm of torque.

The PHEV replaces both the non-plug-in hybrid 2-litre and the 3-litre Defender variants to sit below the 5-litre V8 Defender, a vastly more powerful (517hp) variant.

Besides streamlining the powertrain options to the Defender lineup, the 110 is now available only with five seats. The seven-seater option has been dropped.

The area where the third-row seats would have been is now part of the boot, but the space is slightly compromised with the hybrid system's 19.2kW battery forming a bump on the floor.

While it may not be likely that many will take a $450,000 car (after adding the certificate of entitlement) to play in the mud, the Defender is a serious off-road machine, supposedly more capable than its predecessor.

The cabin looks and feels rugged enough to be hosed down if needed. The storage under the armrest is likely waterproof, judging by the thick rubber seals under the lid. Many of the high-contact surfaces are soft to the touch and feel plusher than they look. Other comfort features include ventilated front seats and a panoramic glass roof.