Land Rover Defender 90 India Review: First Drive On A Rainy Day Disclosed Its Capabilities

While the earlier Defender was basically an off-roader, the new one is much more modern and yet still tries to keep the essence of its predecessor.

Land Rover Defender 90 India has been launched at around Rs 77 lakh

Call it luck or bad luck but it rained like it rarely ever has in Delhi the day we were testing the Defender 90. Lucky because it gives a chance to check out the lofty claims of the Defender being more than a mall hopping luxury SUV and unlucky because a drop of rain chokes our roads with traffic. That said, we were determined to have fun with this Land Rover no matter what the weather throws at us, and besides, it is built for this right?

The Defender as we have spoken in our previous review of the 5-door 110 is a go-anywhere luxury SUV that is a modern take on an icon which the Defender has been. The Defender name belongs to an old off-roader on which Land Rover literally became famous along with the big Range Rover. While the earlier Defender was basically an off-roader, the new one is much more modern and yet still tries to keep the essence of its predecessor.

Brutally speaking, the Rs 77 lakh starting Defender 90 is just too posh and nice to be muddied up but on a rainy day, it did bring us back safely. First, a bit more on the 90. The 90 is the shorter 3-door version of the new Defender and it does lose the massive length of the 110 and that is an advantage. At 4,583mm, it is short enough to squeeze through narrow roads and parking spots. As a city car or even taking on road trips where the road becomes narrow suddenly, the 90 is an asset. I think it looks cooler too and more of a hardcore off-roader than its 110 sibling which due to its length is more luxury SUV. You cannot mistake the massive wheels, square styling and the spare wheel at the back for anything else. Be prepared for a lot of stares!

Of course, inside, the 90 is much shorter than 110 in terms of luggage space or rear legroom. However, the actual rear-seat space is not bad once you have managed to get in via the front doors which is not the easiest. However, it can hold four/five passengers easily while luggage capacity, which again admittedly, is much smaller than the 110, is pretty decent too. The interior design is the same as the bigger brother 110 and comes with all the tech/luxury but with a proper off-road vibe. In other words, the interior is not lifted from a luxury sedan. The switches are big (easy to access when off-roading) and not everything is controllable via a touchscreen. There are big grab handles while the interior comes with rubberised flooring which can be brushed clean. Yup, Land Rover says this is meant for proper off-roading.

We did not indulge in proper off-roading due to rains making things difficult but the 90 has a better approach and departure angles over the 110 plus it is more nimble too. What we did try and we used it all of the time is the massive ground clearance which is extendable and the specially developed "wade" program which actually makes wading through water up to 900mm deep possible. With rains, some of the roads were flooded and it's 291mm ground clearance came in handy. While all cars were stuck trying to find the edge of the road which is the least flooded, the 90 took on massively flooded roads with ease. Not something I would do with any other luxury SUV.

Yet, when the road dries up the Defender 90 plays the luxury SUV part pretty well too with light steering, decent ride quality, and the 300hp 2.0l petrol having enough punch for it to handle the weight. In fact, due to being smaller, the 90 is more fun to drive than the 110 and is pretty quick- probably as quick as you need a massive SUV to be. The 90 then is something I would choose over the 110 for its compactness, performance, and looks but the 110 still remains the more practical choice though. However, we can see off-road enthusiasts with deep pockets like the Defender 90 more due to its increased aggressive personality plus the cool factor of three doors.  Either way, the Defender marches ahead of other SUVs with its combination of luxury plus off-road ability.

What we like- looks, on-road and off-road capability, performance, quality

What we do not- 90 lacks luggage space and is not as practical as the 110