Land Rover Defender

This upmarket SUV is more tempting than ever when you look at how much you can save by buying used

- GEORGE HILL [e-mail]

REINVENTING AN ICON can be like walking a tightrope. On one hand, you want to move your much-loved product into a new era and appeal to a wider audience, but on the other, you don't want to alienate existing fans. It's something that Amazon Studios will have to consider carefully now that it has control over the long-running James Bond franchise, and it's a challenge that Land Rover has successfully navigated with the Defender.

The modern interpretation of Land Rover's classic 4x4 has been a box office hit. Last year it was the brand's best-selling model worldwide, and it has outsold the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport since launch in 2020. As a result, plenty of examples are now available second-hand, many at relatively affordable prices.

In a similar vein to the original, the Defender can be had in a choice of bodystyles: a three-door 90, a longer five-door 110 (which is available with five, six or seven seats) and an even larger 130 that can seat up to eight people. This means it rivals everything from the BMW X3 to seven-seaters like the Audi Q7. It's also an alternative to old-school off-roaders such as the Jeep Wrangler.

The trim levels have been updated several times. The entry-level trim has fluctuated between S and SE, while HSE has remained a constant. There's also a range of sporty-looking X-Dynamic models, available with their own S, SE and HSE trim levels, as well as several limited editions. Our recommended regular S trim gives you plenty of kit, coming with a heated windscreen, two-zone climate control, heated front seats and adaptive cruise control.

WHAT'S IT LIKE TO DRIVE?