2023 Land Rover Defender 130 Review

Does Land Rover need a third three-row SUV? That’s just one of the many questions the new 2023 Land Rover Defender 130 presents.

For those unfamiliar, the Defender 130 is an elongated version of Land Rover’s most off-road capable SUV. It’s a vehicle that ties the entire Land Rover gang together. Joining the two-door 90 and four-door 110 as the third member of the Defender family, it also features three-rows of seating, much like the Discovery, and Discovery Sport.

Since its inception, the Defender 130 has received more than its fair share of scorn from the motoring world. Due to its extended length and awkward proportions, many write this SUV off as an unnecessary, unwarranted addition to the Defender family. We though think that’s a bit harsh, and after a week with it, found plenty to the like about the Defender 130.

Despite its extended length, the Defender 130 still focuses on off-road capabilities. It may now be a people hauler, but it’s a people hauler that wants to take unmaintained trails. Imagine if a Jeep Wrangler, Ford Bronco, or Mercedes-Benz G 550 had a third row grafted on to it. That’s what Land Rover did with the Defender 130 and to us, it makes a lot of sense. There isn’t a lot of choice when it comes to 7 or 8 passenger vehicles out there that can really travel far off the beaten path.

A vehicle measuring a stretched length of 211.7 inches (5,377 mm) isn’t going to have the best breakover, approach, or departure angles for off-roading. With a stock ground clearance of 8.5 inches (218 mm), this is true for the Defender 130. But thanks to its air suspension, in off-road mode, ground clearance increases to 11.5 inches (290 mm). This allows for a breakover angle of 27.8 degrees, an approach angle of 37.5 degrees, and a departure angle of 28.5 degrees.

Are these some of the best off-road capabilities? No, and the 130 won’t be able to go some places its smaller siblings can. But it will go places most three-row SUVs can’t even dream about.

Unsurprisingly, the 2023 Land Rover Defender 130 drives like an off-road orientated SUV. Body motions are noticeable during every maneuver, as braking, acceleration, and cornering all produce a bit of sway from the big sport ute. It’s not unruly like a Jeep Wrangler, but don’t expect responses like a BMW X5 with the Defender. Think more along the lines of the Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen to get an idea of the sophisticated, yet rugged driving experience.

Despite a bit of body-roll, the Land Rover handles predictably and is direct in its actions. With an as tested weight of 5,570 lbs. (2,527 kg), it’s not svelte by any means, but is lighter than other large three-row SUVs like the Wagoneer, Cadillac Escalade, and Lincoln Navigator. The Defender 130 is also rated to tow upwards of 8,200 lbs., although Land Rover Canada has it only rated at 3,000 kg.

All extra-long Defender 130s come with Land Rover’s 3.0-liter turbocharged inline six-cylinder mild hybrid powertain. It develops 395 hp and 406 lb-ft. of torque. Coupled to an eight-speed automatic transmission, the brand claims this large SUV can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just 6.3 seconds.

Driving around town we fully believe that. There’s plenty of power on tab regardless of engine or vehicles speed. City or highway, the Defender pulls forward with purpose whenever the accelerator is applied liberally. The engine also produces a nice deep tone, that’s louder than we expected, but not annoyingly loud either. It plays well into the rugged feeling of the SUV.

Of course, a big powerful SUV is going to have a sizeable appetite for unleaded fuel. The Defender 130 is no different in this regard. But the slight weight advantage mentioned earlier, and the mild hybrid system, do their best to counter things. Officially it’s rated at 17 mpg (13.8 L/100 km) city, and 21 mpg (11.2 L/100 km) highway, which is not great, but also quite competitive for the size, utility, and capability of this Land Rover.

Pricing for the Defender covers a large spread. The base two-door Land Rover Defender 90 S has a starting price of $56,575 USD ($71,445 CAD). Stepping up to the stretched-out Defender 130 requires $69,475 USD ($95,445 CAD) for the base model.

Our tester, a Defender 130 First Edition, came with three additional option packages: the Off-Road Pack, Towing Pack, and Cold Climate Pack. This put the as tested price at $89,475 USD ($106,865 CAD). That puts the vehicle firmly in price range of the four full-size SUVs we compared last month.

The entire premise behind the Defender 130’s existence is to offer a third row of seating. As a vehicle elongated to accommodate this after the fact, it’s easy to be suspicious as to how useful that rear-most row would actually be. Thankfully, Land Rover has done some clever packaging here to make the Defender 130’s rear row incredibly spacious.

Not only is it the most useful third row within the Land Rover family, but it’s also one of the best found in any SUV currently on sale. With 39-inches (990 mm) of headroom, our six-foot tall tester had ample headroom in the third row. The legroom may sound limiting at just 31.7-inches (804 mm), but cut-outs in the second-row seats allow third-row passengers to place their feet under there. Proper height seat cushions, well place armrests, and a separate glass roof panel complete the accommodating rear-row package.

Six adults could easily drive in the 2023 Land Rover Defender 130 for hours in complete comfort. They’ll just have to pack light though as there is only 10.2 cu ft (289 L) of cargo capacity when all seats are occupied. That number does of course expand significantly to 76.1 cu ft. (2,155 L) when the middle and third rows are folded flat.

Drivers sit high up off the road, peering over the roofs of minivans and most other SUVs. The entire dashboard contains numerous storage nooks of various sizes. This theme continues with the center console that features two tiers of storage. Best of all, there’s a cooled compartment under the middle armrest, for keeping various food and drinks frosty.

For those unfamiliar with this Land Rover’s interior, it houses exposed rivets and metal trim pieces as a throw-back to Defenders of old. It’s a nice blend of retro touches and modern style, and in no way comes off tacky. The infotainment system is straight forward to use, but we wish for a bit better layout when navigating between menus.

While on minor gripes, we have a few more for the 2023 Land Rover Defender 130. On our test vehicle, the driver’s side mirror doesn’t adjust high enough for our liking. It was always pointing slightly downward no matter what we tried to do. Compounding this issue are the vehicle’s poor sight-lines. A thin rear window is further hampered by the exterior spare tire and the long sides of the vehicle produce various blind spots.

Rounding out our grievances, sometimes the steering wheel mounted buttons didn’t always respond to our commands. We found we had to be very deliberate when pressing a button and not be too quick.

Still, there is plenty to like about the new, longer Defender. It’s happy on any terrain, is luxurious, has an accommodating third row seating area, and a punchy drivetrain. It doesn’t hurt that it’s also styled lovely inside and out, if one can get over a few awkward angles.

In the end though, this is a niche version of a niche vehicle; a luxurious, off-road SUV that seats 8 people. It’s more vehicle than most will ever want and even fewer will ever need. But, for those who are in the market for something just like this, the 2023 Land Rover Defender 130 is a well-executed package.

FAQs

What is the difference between a Land Rover Defender 110 and 130?

The basic differences are the 130 has an extra 17-inches of length and an extra row of seats in the back. 

Do the Defender 130 seats fold flat?

Yes, both the second and third row of seats fold flat to expand cargo capacity.  

Is a Defender a good daily driver?

Yes, the Defender offers a comfortable, posh driving experience. Just be prepared for a bit more body roll.