A majority of Land Rover SUVs get a dizzying number of trim levels to choose from and the all-new Defender wasn’t an exception. However, the upcoming 2023 model will see more than a couple of its trim levels dropped to simplify the ordering experience for the shoppers. As such, the 2023 Land Rover Defender 90 will be offered in a total of 5 trim levels along with a premium base price of $51,700 for the base S trim. The base trim gets a handsome list of standard features such as 19-inch wheels, leather upholstery, 12-way semi-power-adjustable front seats, a premium 10-speaker Meridian audio system, and a digital driver’s instrument cluster among a few other features. Upgrading to the SE trim gets only a few upgrades such as bigger 19-inch wheels, a panoramic sunroof, 14-way power-adjustable and cooled front seats with memory settings, and an upgraded 14-speaker Meridian audio system. The X trim is customized from the factory for even more hardcore off-roading and gets mechanical upgrades such as an electronically locking differential, air suspension with ride height adjustments, and an enhanced Terran Response System. The top-end V8 trim gets a supercharged V8 motor, bigger 22-inch wheels, and a host of convenience and creature comfort features.

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The base trim along with its long list of standard onboard and safety techs makes a solid buying option. However, we would recommend the X trim for a better off-roading experience while the top-end V8 is best suited for performance lovers.

Release Date

The 2023 Land Rover Defender 90 has been released and is available for purchase through the brand’s official website and official dealerships.

To have satisfactory performance, the original Defender had to wait for some time after its launch but it never thrilled any speed-lovers across the globe. However, the legendary British carmaker decided to slap in a supercharged V8 on the all-new Defender but the buyers need to shell out a hefty price for it. On the base variants, the 2023 Land Rover Defender 90 will get a 2.0-liter turbocharged I-4 motor that packs in an adequate punch for moderate off-roading along with handling day-to-day driving needs. The motor makes a maximum of 296 horsepower along with 295 lb-ft of torque and is mated to a standard 8-speed automatic transmission. By default, the Defender gets a 4WD layout as standard along with a 2-speed transfer case with low-range gearing for tackling off-roading. Moreover, the Defender gets the latest version of the iconic Terrain Response System from the brand and the more off-road-centric X trim gets an enhanced version of the system as well. With the base motor under its hood, the Defender can sprint to 60mph from a standstill within 7.7 seconds while a quarter-mile sprint takes 16.4 seconds to complete.

The Jeep Wrangler is an iconic off-roader too that has been around for a long time. Under the hood, the Wrangler gets FCA’s favorite and trusted 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 that finds its way into several Dodge and other Jeep vehicles. Even though the Wrangler makes lower power and torque than the Defender, the acceleration times are marginally better than the latter. The Toyota 4Runner gets a tried-and-tested yet aged 4.0-liter V6 that also makes lower power and torque figures than the Defender. Despite that, the 4Runner has almost similar acceleration times to the Defender. The Ford Bronco, from its compact 2.3-liter EcoBoost motor, makes the highest amount of torque among the rivals here and is the quickest one here too.

2023 Land Rover Defender 90 Ride and Handling

In general, serious off-roading vehicles tend to offer ponderous handling on paved roads, mainly due to their stiff suspension settings. With the latest Land Rover Defender, you can say goodbye to that fact. The lower trims of the Defender ride comfortably on a majority of tarmac conditions, soaking up almost everything coming its way, just like a luxury SUV. The steering feels precise and light at low speeds while increasing speed sees it weighing up nicely. The default Terrain Response System works like a charm while off-roading but it is best to keep it in normal mode while driving on the roads.

2023 Land Rover Defender 90 Braking Performance

The 2023 Land Rover Defender isn’t a light SUV by any means and to tame all the heft, the vehicle gets a set of capable brakes too. At the front, the Defender gets 13.7-inch rotors while the rear wheels get 12.8-inch rotors. With this setup, the SUV comes to a complete stop within 129 feet.

The Jeep Wrangler has a ponderous braking performance since it gets smaller, with 12.9-inch front rotors. With that setup, it stops from 60mph within 135 feet, a longer than average distance for the class. The Toyota 4Runner rather impresses with its 125-feet stopping distance despite weighing very close to 5,000 lbs. The Ford Bronco utterly disappoints with its braking prowess and has a long stopping distance of 149 feet.

While venturing off the roads, the last thing that should cross your mind would be running out of gas. To contend that, we have seen off-roading enthusiasts carry extra fuel in jerry cans in case of emergencies as well since capable off-roading SUVs and vehicles usually lack in terms of fuel efficiency. It cannot be said that the Land Rover Defender is extremely fuel efficient but it gets the job done with some decent EPA ratings. Inside the city limits, the SUV returns an average of 18mpg while highway driving bumps up the number to 21mpg. The big 23.4-gallon gas tank takes care of driving range woes to a significant extent and offers nearly 500 miles of highway driving range.

The Jeep Wrangler fares better than the Defender 90 in terms of highway and combined mileage ratings. However, its small 17.5-gallon gas tank results in some subpar driving range figures when compared to the rivals here. The Toyota 4Runner is the least fuel-efficient off-roader here with a mere16mpg of city mileage. It gets a sizable 23-gallon gas tank that allows it to offer some decent driving range figures though. The Ford Bronco is the most fuel-efficient SUV here courtesy of its superior EcoBoost engine tech.

The Defender that retired had a crude cabin with just the basic amenities in place and did not bear any resemblance to any of the modern SUVs from the brand. However, with the all-new Land Rover Defender, it changed significantly. The 2023 Defender’s cabin will get several design cues borrowed from the more luxurious Range Rover models starting with the multi-spoke steering wheel. The dashboard has a utilitarian design with a two-tone color theme while the driver gets an all-digital instrument cluster, and there sits a big infotainment display in the middle of the dashboard too. The gear selector, engine start-stop button, and climate controls are placed with a unique layout and are mounted on the dashboard. The center stack is wide and hides a big storage space under the armrest. The front seats provide ample headroom and legroom, even for tall adults while the rear seats are almost equally spacious too. The cargo capacity is, however, tighter than some of its rivals but it is expected from a two-door off-roader.

The Jeep Wrangler’s cabin feels even cruder as compared to the Defender’s cabin but it offers slightly more practicality such as a washable interior along with removable doors. The cargo space is even smaller on the Wrangler than what you get on the Defender. The Toyota 4Runner is nearly as capable as both the Defender and the Wrangler, while it gets a much better interior. Other than a better styling, the 4Runner offers more convenient features onboard but misses out on some you’d find inside the Defender. The Ford Bronco gets a nice and feature-packed interior with a retro-modern design. The cabin is more spacious than both the Wrangler and the Defender and offers a much more spacious cargo compartment too.

Some of the key interior features available with the 2023 Land Rover Defender 90 include:

• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• Panoramic sunroof
• 14-way power front seats
• Heated & ventilated front seats
• LED ambient lighting
• Wood interior accents
• Front console refrigerator
• Cabin air purifier

How intuitive is the 2023 Land Rover Defender 90’s infotainment system?

The global chip shortage has hit the automotive industry quite hard and automakers have been reeling under the pressure of the same. As a result, big and fancy infotainment systems have been getting ditched by carmakers and replaced by simpler and smaller units. The 2023 Land Rover Defender will also get a smaller 10.25-inch touchscreen display in place of the 11.4-inch unit. The user interface remains the same though along with the features. The standard features on the base trim include Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, a wireless device charging pad with a signal booster, satellite radio, and remote monitoring and control capabilities via smartphones. The audio system gets upgraded to a fantastic 10-speaker Meridian unit on the S trim while the SE gets a 15-speaker Meridian unit.

Some of the most notable infotainment features available with the 2023 Land Rover Defender 90 include:

• 10.25-inch touchscreen smartphone integration
• 10/14-speaker Meridian sound system
• Wireless device charging pad with signal booster
• Satellite radio
• HD radio
• Android Auto and Apple CarPlay

The exterior design of the Defender is reminiscent of the previous, especially due to the tall stance but the overall appearance has been done ground up. From the front, the SUV gets a distinctly aggressive look with those half-ring LED DRLs and LED headlamps while the front fascia bears no resemblance to any of the current vehicles from the brand. On the side, the SUV gets chunky and square-ish wheel arches while the front fenders get a black vertical trim insert to remind you that it’s a Land Rover. Being a two-door SUV, the rear windows get fixed glass windows and the roof gets roof rails too. From the rear, the SUV looks unique with that liftgate-mounted spare tire and the vertical LED tail lights.

The Jeep Wrangler is the most rugged-looking off-roader here with that iconic Jeep styling. Moreover, it has the least amount of exterior dimensions along with a short wheelbase that makes it an exceptional off-roader too. The Toyota 4Runner gets quite a rugged exterior design that looks aged but alright. Being the only four-door SUV here, it sure is the biggest one but that doesn’t hamper its off-roading prowess. The Ford Bronco is the radical-looking guy here with a distinct and muscular exterior design that gels well with the rugged nature of the vehicle.

Some standout exterior features include:

• LED auto-leveling headlights
• Front & rear fog lamps
• LED DRLs
• LED tail lights
• Puddle lamps
• Power-folding, heated exterior mirrors
• 18/22-inch alloys
• Black roof rails
• Front & rear skid plates
• Metallic grille

The current 2022 Land Rover Defender 90 did not go through the crashworthiness testing from both the NHTSA and the IIHS hence its official safety scores aren't available. However, it does get plenty of advanced safety techs as standard and the 2023 Defender will also continue with the same set of features as well. As standard, the 2023 Defender 90 will get forward collision mitigation, lane keeping assist, water depth sensor, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, and a 360-degree camera system among a few others. Apart from these, the SUV gets all the basic safety techs such as airbags, ABS, and traction control.

Some of the standout safety features include:

• Water depth sensor
• Hill Descent Control
• 360-degree parking camera
• Blind Spot Assist
• Lane Keep Assist 
• Automatic Emergency Braking
• Driver Condition Monitor
• Adaptive Cruise Control 
• Passenger safe exit system
• Head-up display
• Traffic Sign Recognition
• Rearview camera
• Forward Collision Warning
• Lane Departure Warning

2023 Land Rover Defender 90 vs 2022 Jeep Wrangler

The Jeep Wrangler needs no introduction and, despite being an aged contender, it’s still preferred over others for serious off-roading. However, the all-new Land Rover Defender fares a lot better than the Wrangler in almost every aspect and impresses with its luxury SUV-like ride too. In terms of pricing though the Defender is the more expensive one and it is justified with the long list of safety features and the capabilities it offers. For budget-oriented shoppers, the Wrangler seems to be the better option.

2023 Land Rover Defender 90 vs 2022 Toyota 4Runner

The Toyota 4Runner is one of the best yet old off-roaders in the segment that doubles up as a family vehicle too. Even though the more off-road specific trims of the 4Runner demand a higher price tag, the Defender overcuts the former with its steep base price right from its base trim onwards. However, the 4Runner falls short in front of the Defender in terms of off-roading tech, safety features, and ride comfort. Fuel economy figures are better on the Defender too due to its smaller motor.

2023 Land Rover Defender 90 vs 2022 Ford Bronco

The Ford Bronco made a grand comeback much like the Defender and lived up to the hype too with its impressive design and off-roading prowess. The Bronco has slightly better fuel economy numbers and is quicker than the Defender but, much like other rivals here, it lacks the comfort and safety features you’d find on the Defender. However, at a lower price point, the Bronco makes for a great alternative to off-roading enthusiasts.

You don’t mind the steep price tag and venture off the roads comfortably? Then the 2023 Land Rover Defender 90 might be a highly preferable option in the segment for you. Apart from the pricing, the Defender gets plenty of things right starting from the long list of standard onboard and safety techs to a comfortable ride, a comfy cabin, and impressive electronic off-roading aids that takes care of almost everything out there. Despite its impeccable performance in the unpaved areas, the Defender is also more fuel efficient than most of the rivals it faces in this segment but its higher starting price tag might veer off some shoppers.