New Defender News

[gatorgrizz27]

Not sure if this video has been posted yet or not. I agree that the wheel spin from the traction control is SIGNIFICANTLY higher than my LR3. They state this one has no rear locker and they are using a custom TC settings. Apparently the increased wheel spin worked better on this particular route, but I have a hard time believing that unless the rocks are covered with a fine layer of dust and the wheel spin simply cleans them off, allowing grip.


My dad picked up a first edition last weekend, I haven’t seen it yet as I don’t live near him. He had a ‘15 LR4 previously.

Oh yeah, TFL guys are about the worst you could ask for in terms of off road driving skill level.

 

[naks]

Aussie review

 

[naks]

not sure if this has been posted here, but the brake failure/malfunction at the 50min mark is scary!!!

 

[naks]

"P300 new defender running @evocorsewheels thanks to @noroadclub running what looks to be 34 or 35 inch sand tyres in the middle east."

 

[Christian P.]

not sure if this has been posted here, but the brake failure/malfunction at the 50min mark is scary!!!

whooza scary indeed. Great video.

 

[naks]

Another brand 18" wheel with Sand tyres on:

 

[Blaise]

Not sure if this video has been posted yet or not. I agree that the wheel spin from the traction control is SIGNIFICANTLY higher than my LR3. They state this one has no rear locker and they are using a custom TC settings. Apparently the increased wheel spin worked better on this particular route, but I have a hard time believing that unless the rocks are covered with a fine layer of dust and the wheel spin simply cleans them off, allowing grip.


My dad picked up a first edition last weekend, I haven’t seen it yet as I don’t live near him. He had a ‘15 LR4 previously.

Oh yeah, TFL guys are about the worst you could ask for in terms of off road driving skill level.

Really annoyed that I gotta point this out but this particular truck also has lift rods (I messaged the guy on IG to verify) and that plus no rear locker is def not fun. Agreed that the wheel spin threshold seems high, still wanna see one with a rear locker actually working!

 

[ChasingOurTrunks]

Aussie review

Dear Land Rover,

People outside Australia want bull bars too.

Regards,

Rest of the World


(The guy in the video indicated that the bull bar was an Aussie-only accessory — That’s nuts, JLR!)

not sure if this has been posted here, but the brake failure/malfunction at the 50min mark is scary!!!

And that is shocking. I’m surprised that didn’t come up in the 2 million miles of testing that JLR did on this thing. I wonder how many of those millions were on road instead of off. Hopefully its a fixable software update, but based on what the guy said, the car actually overrode his input — if my foot is on the brake, I want the vehicle to not move. I do not want the vehicle to independently decide to release the brakes when my foot is pressing the pedal. Ever.

 

[T-Willy]

whooza scary indeed. Great video.

This is an alarming malfunction.

More alarming is the request by the "manufacturer's representative" not to publicize, a request that prioritizes sales over customers' lives.

 

[ChasingOurTrunks]

This is an alarming malfunction.

More alarming is the request by the "manufacturer's representative" not to publicize, a request that prioritizes sales over customers' lives.

I agree with the sentiment, but to play Devil’s advocate — “speaking to the manufacturer” may mean “the guy I have a relationship with at my local dealer” or it may be someone with actual authority at JLR. All of them represent the company, of course, but I would be much less concerned about that response from a local Dealer rep than I would if that response came from JLR official, and the video doesn’t really clarify the context in this case. I’m extra cautious as I’m relying on the captioning translation algorithm, and that can also introduce a lack of clarity in communications on stuff like this. Manufacturer = place where care came from. Dealer = place where car came from. Not saying this mistranslation DID happen, just saying it’s a point of clarification that’s necessary, and that we don’t really know what JLR’s official response to this problem is just yet.

Now is the time to perhaps oil and sharpen the pitchforks to get them ready...but I’m not going to wave mine in anger just yet until we know a bit more. Either way, that video must have reached JLR by now, so their official response will be the one I’m waiting for.

 

[A.J.M]

Today I drove this.
A D240 SE, Santorini black with cream interior.
With the explorer pack on.

I did over 100 miles, of various driving, in town, motorway, A roads, winding B and C roads.
Let my GF drive it.
The full works bar off road as the paperwork said not to use it off road or put animals in it.
Which is fair enough.

It doesn’t drive like my D3. Which I’ve had for 8 years and done over 107,000 miles in.

It feels smoother on roads, a bit more roll in corners but don’t feel like my D3.
Steering is good. Not floaty and vague thankfully.

Plenty of power and had better pick up than the D3, even with a remap.
I didn’t reset the mpg so can’t comment on that.
But it did sit happily at 70 doing 42mpg indicated. Which was nice.

Seats were very comfy, as someone with a bad lower back injury, I can find some seats crippling, the D3 HSE ones aren’t awful, but they aren’t brilliant either, even with fresh foam.
I found I could get a comfy driving position easily.
I do miss the arm rest of the D3 though. That’s something I didn’t like.

However, it did feel more spacious inside, even without sunroofs which is something I would have as I like sunroofs.
It also felt like I sat higher up in it, Emma felt the same. She liked all the space, storage bits and the charging points.
The boot is definitely smaller, which is a shame but it’s not tiny so can still be used.

The clear view camera was brilliant. I never used it in “traditional” mode bar to see initially what it’s like. After a few minutes it was fine and you got used to it.

After 3 hours, we are both sold on one.
To the point that after we get a house, this is the next big purchase. Always good to get her onside with these things.

Verdict.

Brilliant all rounder. Not a Discovery to me.
Very much a Defender and worthy of the name.

Can’t wait to get my own and now I have Emma on board with the idea. It’s a done deal for us

However, that cream interior and wood trim is bloody awful.
Would never pick that, ever.

 

[T-Willy]

I agree with the sentiment, but to play Devil’s advocate — “speaking to the manufacturer” may mean “the guy I have a relationship with at my local dealer” or it may be someone with actual authority at JLR. All of them represent the company, of course, but I would be much less concerned about that response from a local Dealer rep than I would if that response came from JLR official, and the video doesn’t really clarify the context in this case. I’m extra cautious as I’m relying on the captioning translation algorithm, and that can also introduce a lack of clarity in communications on stuff like this. Manufacturer = place where care came from. Dealer = place where car came from. Not saying this mistranslation DID happen, just saying it’s a point of clarification that’s necessary, and that we don’t really know what JLR’s official response to this problem is just yet.

Now is the time to perhaps oil and sharpen the pitchforks to get them ready...but I’m not going to wave mine in anger just yet until we know a bit more. Either way, that video must have reached JLR by now, so their official response will be the one I’m waiting for.

Regardless of who the "manufacturer's representative" actually was, JLR should respond publicly. They should address the malfunction and the origins and ethics of the censorship request.

 

[ChasingOurTrunks]

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Today I drove this.
A D240 SE, Santorini black with cream interior.
With the explorer pack on.

I did over 100 miles, of various driving, in town, motorway, A roads, winding B and C roads.
Let my GF drive it.
The full works bar off road as the paperwork said not to use it off road or put animals in it.
Which is fair enough.

It doesn’t drive like my D3. Which I’ve had for 8 years and done over 107,000 miles in.

It feels smoother on roads, a bit more roll in corners but don’t feel like my D3.
Steering is good. Not floaty and vague thankfully.

Plenty of power and had better pick up than the D3, even with a remap.
I didn’t reset the mpg so can’t comment on that.
But it did sit happily at 70 doing 42mpg indicated. Which was nice.

Seats were very comfy, as someone with a bad lower back injury, I can find some seats crippling, the D3 HSE ones aren’t awful, but they aren’t brilliant either, even with fresh foam.
I found I could get a comfy driving position easily.
I do miss the arm rest of the D3 though. That’s something I didn’t like.

However, it did feel more spacious inside, even without sunroofs which is something I would have as I like sunroofs.
It also felt like I sat higher up in it, Emma felt the same. She liked all the space, storage bits and the charging points.
The boot is definitely smaller, which is a shame but it’s not tiny so can still be used.

The clear view camera was brilliant. I never used it in “traditional” mode bar to see initially what it’s like. After a few minutes it was fine and you got used to it.

After 3 hours, we are both sold on one.
To the point that after we get a house, this is the next big purchase. Always good to get her onside with these things.

Verdict.

Brilliant all rounder. Not a Discovery to me.
Very much a Defender and worthy of the name.

Can’t wait to get my own and now I have Emma on board with the idea. It’s a done deal for us

However, that cream interior and wood trim is bloody awful.
Would never pick that, ever.

Looks absolutley brilliant in black. Thanks for sharing your impressions as well.

Regardless of who the "manufacturer's representative" actually was, JLR should respond publicly. They should address the malfunction and the origins and ethics of the censorship request.

100% agreed. In this day and age, they should really know how important it is to have a response quickly — while many won’t watch the full hour long video, that part of the video can be reduced into a 2-minute GIF that can go viral on boards like these and other enthusiast sites literally in a matter of hours, and cause untold harm to the company if it gets traction. Risk to reputation and impact for JLR as a company aside, from a consumer perspective, this is important — as you can probably tell from my posts, I’ve been keen on this as my next rig, but that video is enough for me to pump my brakes a bit (no pun intended) until we learn more, and I can’t be the only one In that boat.

 

[Blaise]

not sure if this has been posted here, but the brake failure/malfunction at the 50min mark is scary!!!

Interesting. I had this happen in my Xterra and it's why I wired in a switchable ABS OFF feature. I was in Rausch Creek Off road park in PA and I lightly put my foot on the brake and I just slid slid slid with the ABS pulsing down the road. I was on very slippery ice which would be the same as far as what the system thinks is going on in this vid.

I only saved it by matching the revs back into 1st gear (in low range) and then pulling the e-brake.

 

[naks]

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