All of the abilities, none of the creature comforts

GPCAPT Grant MacDonald

Specs

Price – $50,000, depending on options. Engine – 2.5 litre five-cylinder, intercooled, turbo-charged, direct injection diesel – the same engine used in the 110. Max Power – 90kw at 4200rpm. Transmission – Five-speed manual with two-speed transfer case.

Potentially the most capable 4WD off the showroom floor, Land Rover’s Defender 90 Extreme was put through some gruelling tests in a recent foray into the Brindabellas near Canberra.

The Defender 90 is the short wheelbase version of the well-known 110s used by the ADF.

It has some creature comforts not found in the military version, but nowhere near as many as four-wheel drivers have come to expect from the modern range of 4WDs.

Convenience
With only two seats and the same luggage space as the longer wheelbase 110, there’s plenty of room for all the important gear to make your time in the bush very comfortable.

But, access to the rear luggage area is somewhat limited by the narrow central door. Even though I drove the vehicle for two weeks, I had trouble adapting to the ignition key being on the left hand side of the steering column.

Engine
With only 1725kg tare weight, the engine certainly produced plenty of power in all circumstances. I didn’t run a fuel economy check as it was used both off-road and on-road. There is also plenty of power for the on-road, with a braked trailer towing capacity of 3500kg.

Safety/ Brakes
Permanent 4WD with fourwheel disc brakes and transmission drum brake for the handbrake. Centre locking differential and it comes complete with four-channel, all-terrain ABS, four-wheel electronic traction control, front and rear anti-roll bars and front and rear coil springs.

Comfort
From the floor-mounted hand brake that presses against your left leg, the shoulder against the door pillar in a normal driving position and the complete separation between the air conditioning system and the heating system, the ergonomics of the cabin leave a lot to be desired.

Negatives
Not the vehicle for people looking for a town car that can perform well in the bush. The ergonomics come as a sharp surprise in a modern 4WD.

Summary
This is a serious off-roader for people aiming to do some serious off-road work. Quirky in its internal treatment, with styling lines that go back to the very first Land Rover (including the vents under the windscreen), it is a vehicle that seems to grow on people.