2021 Land Rover Defender in-depth review – NEW engines already!? | What Car? reviews

April 21, 2023



Watch our 2021 Land Rover Defender in-depth review to find out how good this British 4×4 is both on and off road, if it’s really worthy of the hype – and why are there new engines already!?

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Video chapters:
0:00 Intro
1:51 Interior
3:11 Infotainment
3:39 Storage
4:14 Tailgate
4:52 Rear seats
5:12 Third row
5:45 Defender 90
6:39 Engines and performance
7:12 New engines
9:25 Offroad
10:06 Pricing
10:28 Trim levels
10:40 CO2 emissions
10:56 Depreciation
11:08 Reliability
11:21 Summary
11:49 Outro

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37 Comments
  1. A great, comprehensive and LIVE review. One I didn't fall asleep half way in it. Why don't we see more of this reviewer?

  2. Love all my Landrovers I have had over the years. Yes they get muddy (horsey and camp) but you don’t take the pee out of sport/supercar owners, cars that you cannot drive to their true potential on public roads. Yes most owners can’t park a mini let alone a defender, and just have it as a status symbol which is sad. At the end of the day it’s the new discovery (not that horrific thing that currently wears that badge)

  3. The emissions saving on-off mechanism is a total farce. Doesn't work at all and uses more fuel than it saves. As soon as the engine stops it starts up again. Now I always turn it off when I start up the car.
    My Landrover service agent in Auckland can do nothing to fix it.

  4. I wonder what the is the fastest this car can go specially it is not petrol?

  5. LANDROVER has decided to FIX THE UNRELIABILITY of the new defender by RETIRING THE NAME 'DEFENDER' and calling it the 'MOUNTBATTEN' as everybody knows it will end with A LOUD BANG and then a long search for bits.

  6. Great no nonsense video and will be watching more as they are posted. Thank you. (Range Rover Sport driver)

  7. Can you imagine the SAS air-dropping this Chelsea tractor into combat? What a betrayal of its pedigree.

  8. Reply
    Simple Cooking with Jobay April 21, 2023 at 5:01 pm

    What are the main issues or problems of owning this expensive off road vehicle, the defender? Please share your experiences.

  9. got a audi Q7 instead alot better……

  10. Hi, Why do you apark In the SUPERMARKET like this ? Why you cant do a reversed parking ? Its unprofessional explination about the back door .

  11. Despite its potential flaws, it looks amazing 😃

  12. Not a land rover. Lost your balls Landrover . My Landy is 22 years young and still what Landrover is meant to be. Used that Way too! Landrover Australia. That is an embarrassment of a 4×4.

  13. Amazing review. Thank you.

  14. I like the look of the old one better. It had character. They've gone from a 10 to mediocre with this one. Looks like all the other cars….. Boring

  15. Such a wonderfully designed and beautiful car but not once in 9 different RR’s have we ever kept for even a full year – pity really the Wranglers and
    Land cruisers were around 3-4 years.

  16. It does sort of look like a g wagon

  17. why did you park there instead of parking behind

  18. The thing with this car or even the country is you can't really take these places it supposed to do daily, all lands are owned and most of it is tarmac now. You need to be in the Australian outback or Africa for the daily naughty off-road…
    So the reason for having normal(ish) tyres on it rather than huge 35" tyres is probably for that reason and to keep it more efficient on the roads. In the UK using 35" isn't worth it in the long run.

  19. What is it with car journos slating the potential customers of 4×4 by talking about how they use it? Do they say a 911 is a waste of time because you don't constantly hoon it around? Or an MPV because you don't always carry kids? Also, it alienates the very people who are looking to buy the car / watch the review so have a think about it eh…

  20. Great review. What a pity that we don't see you driving this Land Rover wearing the rubberboots as shown on the photo!

  21. I laugh at Land Rover drivers as they never know when it’ll blow up or seize . Be kind.

  22. I came here to watch the excellent review but having some good friends that live in Cobham and who drive a … Discovery , the first minute amused me highly! Could extend to Esher, Thames Ditton, Molesey and Oxshot and it would be no different. Who remembers the viral video of the cyclist berating the Disco driver for eating her cornflakes that was just down the road here.

  23. It's Ugly.

  24. Give me the original any day! At least we DO take those off road.

  25. 2.0…

  26. I dont think I have ever seen a vehicle with such huge windscreen pillars that you actualy have to look round to spot the approaching cyclist from the left or right . . Absolutely lethal . I am writing to the society of motor manufacturers to complain about why they are so obtrusive to the drivers vision.

  27. Even if it had been a standard hatchback that idiot beamer driver parking so close would have prevented you from getting in the back. I drive a jeep wrangler and I park accordingly. If you can't back out of a parking space then quit driving.

  28. DO NOT BUY..asked for a buy back a week later..first problems: radio, reverse camera, traffic not showing, keyless entry, air suspension low in the morning…then after dealership downloaded new software in two visits, now keyless entry never works, sometimes traffic is off(4g), air suspension goes down in front only during an overnight…many other defenders are having these problems..I wanted my velar back that had 0 problems in 30K

  29. A Land Rover holding its value better than a Land Cruiser? Yeah, ok.

  30. its all very well with a brand new vehicle but what happens when after the guarrantee is up and the engine warning light comes on and wont go off . who can fix it ? is it diy freindly ? could a bunch of squaddies fix the electronic device that works the thingy on top of the widget and isolates the vehicle from starting when same group of soldiers are running from the taliban in their ancient but reliable Tata's ? or dont Land rover plan on selling to the MOD anytime soon ? Pile of steaming slovakian turd .

  31. Realistic review 👍

  32. What a brilliant car. Way better than the cramped and outdated old model but perhaps not as cool looking but way cooler than the washing machines you get from Toyota or the bland pointless unreliable German grey models. The new engines are mild hybrid so emissions down and drivability up. Will hold its value really well and there will be people still driving these in 30 yrs time with light bars big tyres and roof racks. They will also have the enormous back up of the after market spares and servicing that is available all over the world. Tell me if you could picture this with your German brand which will of gone to the recycling centre long before this ever will.

  33. Last interaction I had with an owner was a woman in a range rover who could not reverse 30 feet and turn around when my hgv was blocking the road.

  34. We bought one recently, 2021 model. We've owned Mercs, Audis etc – and this blows them away, even from an on-road perspective. Off-road it's extremely capable, which we use every few days venturing into the wilderness of New Mexico (mud, rock, sand, snow). We'll see about reliability over time, but it feels very well built. And, at least in the States, they're holding value and attract a lot of interest.

  35. good review, car is total disappointment, nothing to do with old defender, and believe me every land cruiser or simple pick up truck will hold value over time, even 20 years old land cruiser or any pick up truck shows reliability, this car will be nothing but expensive to fix nothing else, like old luxury bmw x5 or something, but I suppose it has his market place… most of people will buy it for looks, simple land cruiser prado is far better, and for work just about any pick up truck

  36. Lots of plastic

  37. When I saw that corel betting shop i stop the video and going to betting… if i get 500 pounds at least i can buy a pundo

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