Land Rover Defender 130 HSE 8-Seater Review

Having driven the Defender 110, the Defender 90, and after taking one special 75^th Limited Edition car up though the mud in Malaysia, we are by now no stranger to the Land Rover's iconic off-roader.

But due diligence requires that I take a quick prod at every button in this off-roader as I leave the showroom, and the car still manages to catch me by surprise, displaying two faces as I flick the switch of its ClearSight rear-view mirror.

A quick look around confirms that I'm not looking at two stowaways that have hidden within the cavernous interior of this Defender 130. Rather, the two are seated in the Hiace stopped behind me, the car's roof-mounted camera giving the impression I'm seated high above my two supposed passengers.

The Defender 130 gets an additional 340mm over the Defender 110 added to its rear overhang, allowing it to offer more room for rear passengers and cargo

Longer, certainly. But is it that much more spacious?

This Defender 130 is undoubtedly a large car. At 1,970mm tall, you're practically seated as high off the ground as any driver in a typical light commercial vehicle. But the real story here, of course, is its length.

Measuring in at 5,358mm long (340mm longer than the Defender 110 variant), this Defender 130 stretches further from head to tail than the Bentley Bentayga EWB or the Mercedes-Benz GLS.

The added length means that there's enough knee and leg room for all six seated in the two rear rows, although those in the third row will still be wanting for shoulder room

All this added length, however, has only come courtesy of an extended rear overhang, which means that firstly, the car's departure angle has been decreased to 28.5 degrees, as opposed to the 40 degrees offered by the Defender 110.

More relevant to owners here in Singapore is the fact that all this added space benefits passengers in the third row most. Getting into and out of this last row is still a bit of a fuss, with a narrow aperture provided between the second row of seats and rear quarter panel.

But once seated and with the second row slid forward to evenly split the available space, all six here will be able to find knee room here that will beat any compact executive sedan. There's still not that much shoulder room at the third row for three adults to be truly comfortable on longer trips, but if such an arrangement is necessary, they can at least take heart in the fact that there's air-conditioning vents here, as well as a dedicated sunroof to alleviate any claustrophobia.

The 3.0-litre unit doesn't feel laboured, despite having to carry the car's 2,528kg weight

How does it drive?

Reserve the driver's seat for yourself and you'll find that piloting this Defender is not as difficult as that generous length suggests. With exactly the same 3,022mm wheelbase as the Defender 110, this Defender 130 is as easy as before to squeeze through city streets. Its boxy shape, large mirrors, and tall seating position make it easy to judge just where the corners of the car are.

And equipped with this 394bhp 3.0-litre engine, the car hardly feels strained even when you take it out on faster roads as well. Sure, push the car hard and the engine emits a high-volume roar that isn't particularly pleasing on the ears. But keep the rpms low and its an utter peach, emitting a bit of a burble and delivering its 550Nm of torque from a lowly 2,000 rpm.

The combination of a tall body and a soft, cosseting ride from the air suspension here makes body roll inevitable - and there's quite a bit of it to be had in this Defender 130. Thankfully this comes in a steady, predictable manner that just about instils enough confidence within you to take on quick directional changes at speed.

All your air-conditioning and off-road driving modes are easily accessible from this control panel, making changes on the go easy

And is it easy to live with?

First things first: That spare wheel and tailgate which is hinged on one side makes accessing the boot impossible if you're backed into a lot in a multi-storey (and remember, you'll need to back all the way in owing to the length of the car).

Elsewhere, the car is actually not as much of a hassle to live with. That air suspension means egress and ingress is perceivably easier than in the Defender 90 that we drove (which rode on steel springs and does not have the advantage of a lower access height). 

And the Pivi Pro infotainment system, now housed within an 11.4-inch screen, is not only intuitive to use, but also delivers utilises a colour palette that is just outright charming.

Exposed screw heads on the doors give the Defender an appealing industrial aesthetic

So, should you get one?

At $548,999, this Defender 130 is asking for a sizeable premium above the $491,999 Defender 110 in 'XS Edition' trim also equipped with the same 3.0-litre engine (other trims and drivetrains for the Defender 110 are available here on an indent basis, all prices as of 13 September 2023).

If your pockets are deep enough so that that you can shrug off that premium, this Defender 130 certainly is a unique proposition: You'll be able to ferry eight adults in comfort in a vehicle that comes with all of the rugged, industrial style of the rest of the Defender range. 

The Defender 110 should easily win the hearts of those that need to ferry people alongside a whole load of cargo

But for those to whom paying $57,000 does not seem worth it when you consider the fact that the Defender 110 is still able to ferry seven in reasonable comfort on shorter journeys, do also think about this: Both cars don't come with enough cargo space to house the luggage of seven or eight even for a quick weekend journey up North.

So, in practice, the more adventure-oriented are most likely to use either cars with only five seated within. And when used this way, this Defender 130 offers a total of 1,232 litres of cargo space as opposed to the 743 litres in the Defender 110. I reckon that makes enough of a difference to mean going from just having enough boot space for five, to having the additional capacity to carry equipment for a cycling trip and some hiking gear, or being also able to carry the camping equipment associated with a proper off-road adventure.

And isn't go-anywhere and do-anything capability what always made the Defender so well loved?

Shopping for a large, three-row SUV? There's also these options to consider:

The Hyundai Palisade comes with a bold exterior, and plenty of creature comforts within as well

The Mercedes-Benz GLE, meanwhile, comes with imposing good looks, and a refined drivetrain

There's also the Audi Q7 to consider, with its high cabin isolation and comfortable ride