I've had the opportunity to off-road in Jeeps in the oast and their off-road abilities are amazing. I've never off-roaded a new Defender, as it's a newer vehicle, so I'm wondering if anyone has off-roaded both of these how do they compare? Is one clearly a better off-roader than the other?
New Defender 90 vs. 2 Door Wrangler Rubicon
- Thread starter Humvee4us
- Start date
I'm also wondering how detrimental it might be that the Defender doesn't have front lockers.
XJLI
Adventurer
If you’re getting into situations where you need more than the rear locker and extraordinary traction control you’re on the wrong trail and should have brought something with solid axles. I’m saying this as a LR4 owner who’s buy a D110 if I could.
I was also thinking about the axles. Being IFS am I likely to pop a CV or some component of the IFS on the Defender?
And how much less likely to break something if it's solid axle?
XJLI
Adventurer
The likelihood of you breaking axles in a JL or Defender while on stock tires is near zero.
plainjaneFJC
Deplorable
This is an apples and oranges comparison. But the defender for an on road luxury car, but the Jeep for an off-roader. Really opposite ends of the spectrum.
plainjaneFJC
Deplorable
RoverFan
Member
Are we talking a double-duty daily driver and weekend light trail warrior? The Defender. Are we talking I want to go anywhere without wrenching? The Wrangler.
Modern Land Rovers are pointed squarely at the pavement crowd, and are therefore limited by that audience's desire to have absolute comfort. To be fair, they also do amazing things when viewed though that lens.
Wranglers have come a long way, but overall quality is still poor when compared to Rovers. I think my much newer Raptor's interior is of inferior quality compared to my lux package D2, and far inferior to my LR4's, though. That said, Wranglers are turn key rigs with as much capability as your wallet allows. On the road, the Defender drives like any BMW though and feels like a vault on wheels (even a little better than the LR4 that preceded it). The Defender blows the Wrangler out of the water in fit and finish, rattle control, etc.
The new defender is the most rugged of the ugly bunch LR offers these days and surprisingly durable for a "luxury" vehicle. I say "luxury" because Land Rover gave the interior a Honda Element makeover and its kind of middle of the road "meh". It's not really luxurious for the money, and it's techy spots are not really analogue rugged even compared to a L322. It's like the outside, not exactly rugged but better than the melted Peep marshmallow D5 that I can't believe people actually buy.
If I had to choose for the 75-85K a loaded I6 Defender 110 costs, I'd scour Autotrader for a 392 Wrangler or the rare Bronco Raptor that shows up around MSRP in the middle of nowhere USA. Or, go get a V8 LR4 for 1/3 or less of the price, have a nicer interior and more room than the Defender, better looks than both (when modded for sure), and a V8!
Modern Land Rovers are pointed squarely at the pavement crowd, and are therefore limited by that audience's desire to have absolute comfort. To be fair, they also do amazing things when viewed though that lens.
Wranglers have come a long way, but overall quality is still poor when compared to Rovers. I think my much newer Raptor's interior is of inferior quality compared to my lux package D2, and far inferior to my LR4's, though. That said, Wranglers are turn key rigs with as much capability as your wallet allows. On the road, the Defender drives like any BMW though and feels like a vault on wheels (even a little better than the LR4 that preceded it). The Defender blows the Wrangler out of the water in fit and finish, rattle control, etc.
The new defender is the most rugged of the ugly bunch LR offers these days and surprisingly durable for a "luxury" vehicle. I say "luxury" because Land Rover gave the interior a Honda Element makeover and its kind of middle of the road "meh". It's not really luxurious for the money, and it's techy spots are not really analogue rugged even compared to a L322. It's like the outside, not exactly rugged but better than the melted Peep marshmallow D5 that I can't believe people actually buy.
If I had to choose for the 75-85K a loaded I6 Defender 110 costs, I'd scour Autotrader for a 392 Wrangler or the rare Bronco Raptor that shows up around MSRP in the middle of nowhere USA. Or, go get a V8 LR4 for 1/3 or less of the price, have a nicer interior and more room than the Defender, better looks than both (when modded for sure), and a V8!
DCH109
Adventurer
After owning a newer Discovery (similar electronics to the new Defender) and Owning a Jeep JK 4 door with a manual transmission. Here are my thoughts on the subject.
Take the Defender and tow the Jeep to the trail, then wheel the Jeep. Be it over Engineer Pass, or any of those passes or Moab trails I would take the Jeep every day.
Why?
My Jeep has 33" tires 3" lift 3:73 gears and loaded was a slug on the highway. Noisy (I have a hard top), slow, and in a headwind with the RTT, it was everything I could to to stay at 70MPH on a flat. Yes better gearing will fix that, but after driving from Virginia to Colorado it is just OK.
The Rover however was amazing on the highway and zero fatigue on the driver.
The electronic in the new Land Rovers are amazing they damn near drive themselves, heck if it is stuck give it a few moments and it will readjust and continue on.
Not once this summer wheeling my Discovery did I ever feel it was not capable and not once did it ever falter, and that is the problem, it takes all of the fun out of offroading and back country wheeling. It was the most boring drive I ever had. I did similar trails in my Jeep and it was a blast, the smile was ear to ear. I think even in an automatic Jeep I would have had just as much fun.
My thoughts.
Take the Defender and tow the Jeep to the trail, then wheel the Jeep. Be it over Engineer Pass, or any of those passes or Moab trails I would take the Jeep every day.
Why?
My Jeep has 33" tires 3" lift 3:73 gears and loaded was a slug on the highway. Noisy (I have a hard top), slow, and in a headwind with the RTT, it was everything I could to to stay at 70MPH on a flat. Yes better gearing will fix that, but after driving from Virginia to Colorado it is just OK.
The Rover however was amazing on the highway and zero fatigue on the driver.
The electronic in the new Land Rovers are amazing they damn near drive themselves, heck if it is stuck give it a few moments and it will readjust and continue on.
Not once this summer wheeling my Discovery did I ever feel it was not capable and not once did it ever falter, and that is the problem, it takes all of the fun out of offroading and back country wheeling. It was the most boring drive I ever had. I did similar trails in my Jeep and it was a blast, the smile was ear to ear. I think even in an automatic Jeep I would have had just as much fun.
My thoughts.
plainjaneFJC
Deplorable
If you are just doing stuff like Engineer Pass why bother towing the Jeep, the Defender would do fine. They drive tours all day long on stock 4wd pickups up that road.
DCH109
Adventurer
You missed the point.
It was not about what you rae ding off road, it was about how boring the Rover is vs the Jeep.
The technology in the new Rovers are to the point all you are doing is steering the vehicle. There is no fun or challenge in that, amazing on the highway and amazing off road but due to the technology, while common sense is still needed, skill is not as much aside from picking the right line (in my opinion on driving mine). If anything I think you would get in more trouble because of the overconfidence you will feel from the vehicle.
The Jeep (in manual trans anyways) is still fun and requires you to think, there is no computer to slow you down or calculate about what traction is needed to what wheel etc.