It’s only every so often that a really inspiring product hits the new car market. On first impressions, the new 2022 Land Rover Defender 90 short wheelbase seems to be one of those rare occasions. We’ve just sampled the D200 in base trim and can’t get enough of it.
The new Defender is currently available with a string of turbocharged petrol and diesel engine options – even a P400 294kW inline-six and 386kW 5.0L supercharged V8 – and in short wheelbase 90 body style and regular 110 form. You can also get it, depending on the engine, in S, SE, and HSE trim, as well as a unique ‘X’ trim.
We’re really attracted to this base-spec D200. Why? Firstly, it comes with a creamy-smooth 3.0-litre turbo-diesel inline-six, featuring mild-hybrid technology. Although it is the entry diesel, it still offers plenty of oomph and overall appeal.
Peak power is 147kW, which is just about perfect for this style of vehicle, while a massive 500Nm of torque is available from just 1250rpm. This allows you to cruise along effortlessly, but it also provides decent overtaking grunt and more than enough push when the going gets rough.
We also really admire the design of this thing. The short wheelbase form gives it a playful, cartoonish character, while the interior is almost ridiculously practical. Land Rover has obviously taken in loads of customer feedback in coming up with this package, because this interior does everything. It’s incredibly versatile.
We will of course be putting together a full review and 0-100 video soon to go over the finer stuff, but in the meantime check out our POV-style video review below for more. It includes some off-road testing, a 0-100km/h run, and interior walk-around.
