Our 2021 Land Rover Defender 110's Most Comment-Worthy Features? Jump Seats, Capability, and More

We've covered lots of territory in our 2021 Land Rover Defender 110 long-term updates. During its year with us, we talked about the fact that our2021 SUV of the Year winner is the perfect all-weather alternative to a pickup truck, plus we hit the beach, raided the accessories catalog, and even encountered a few, well, problems along the way. Before we officially wrap up our Defender's time with us, we want to share with you some logbook highlights that haven't yet been covered in earlier updates. So here we go:

"Jump seat is nice, but it makes for a mediocre center console. "

I drove the Defender 1,000 miles from Los Angeles to Tucson, Arizona. The roof rack is super loud at any speed above 78 mph; it makes for a roaring, droning noise.[It subtly vibrates the rearview mirror, too.—Ed.]The lack of adaptive cruise is sorely missed, as well.

The middle front-row jump seat is nice in a pinch when you have six passengers, but it makes for a mediocre center console when it's collapsed.—Visual assets manager Brian Vance, at 12,000 miles

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"Wish I had borrowed it more often!"

I borrowed the Defender to help run the off-road section of a Motor Press Guild event. I last drove a Defender at the press launch, and I'd forgotten what a thoroughly pleasant and competent vehicle it is. The most amazing thing, to me, is that it is so competent off-road and yet so good to drive on-road. Vehicles like the Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco feel clumsy on-road, yet the Defender is not just competent on curvy roads, it's really good. Not quite sports-car good but certainly on the sporty end of the spectrum for SUVs. Great grip, nice steering precision and feel, and aside from a bit of body lean, very confidence inspiring. It's almost impossible to reconcile these great road manners with its incredible off-road ability.

Speaking of which: I used the Defender to set up and monitor some dirt trails in the Malibu hills, including a fairly steep descent. Amazing how easy the Defender made it. On sections where crossovers struggled due to loose surfaces, the 2021 Land Rover Defender 110 zoomed along like it was on pavement. It never once struggled for traction. The steep downhill (I call it the "Wet Yourself Descent") was almost a non-event, whether I used hill descent control (HDC) or low-range and engine compression to slow the SUV. I did the hill a few times, and the Defender would try to get a little sideways when doing it myself (and was easy to correct) but HDC kept it straight and true. It seemed to be selected automatically when I engaged Low Range. I do wish there were more on-screen instructions as to how to use the system and change speeds, but blame that on me for not reading the manual.

My one off-road complaint was the turbo lag from the electrically supercharged and turbocharged I-6 engine. In low range, as I applied power for a steep loose-rock ascent, when the revs would rise the turbo boost would come on suddenly and the Defender would surge ahead. Never caused a loss of traction, but the sudden acceleration (perhaps exacerbated by its excellent traction!) was a bit surprising. Reminded me of the old Mitsubishi Lancer Evo: Once the turbo starts doing its thing, the power comes on whether you're ready or not!

At one point I turned a little too sharply and dragged the left-rear tire against a sharp rock; I was certain I had ripped the sidewall. Nope, the tire seemed unscathed. Amazing, and a reminder that off-road tires are about more than just traction: They're tough, too.

Other thoughts:

• When you have the windows open, it's strange to hear the sucking sound of the engine intake coming through the snorkel.
• I was surprised some of the controls felt a bit cheap and plasticky, things like the shifter. It'd be nice if the motion was a bit more damped and refined. In contrast, the steering wheel spokes feel like metal—very nice, very substantial.
• Love all the shelf space on the dash, it's very useful. (Especially given the lack of a proper center storage box. )
• Love the seat comfort, the driving position, the ability to see the hood out ahead of you.
• Power on the road is magnificent; in fact, I had way too much trouble keeping it below the speed limit. Unchecked, the Defender is happy to cruise along at 80-plus, which is great for the Defender but not for my chances of an encounter with the police.
• I also love the Defender's size. After a week with our long-term Ram 1500 TRX, I appreciated how the Defender offers so much interior space in a compact, easy-to-maneuver, easy-to-park size.
• That silly bench-seat option. The center section is lousy as a seat (plus it blocks the rearview mirror), and it's awkward and space-wasting as a center armrest. I'd be fine with buckets and a traditional storage box.
• How is it that a Toyota Corolla gets adaptive cruise control as standard and this doesn't?

A few people asked me about the 2021 Land Rover Defender's price. I initially assumed it was an $85K-$90K vehicle. The fact our test model cost $75K as equipped was a genuine surprise. Not cheap, but considering how many blue-collar crossovers can top $50,000 and approach $60,000, I think our Defender is a good value, especially given its capabilities, prestige, comfort, and driving characteristics.

All in all, though, an incredible vehicle that puts an end to the lie that high-level off-road ability must come at the expense of a compromised on-road experience. What a lovely machine. Wish I had borrowed it more often!—Senior editor Aaron Gold, at 15,500 miles

"I'd drive around with the window cracked an inch so I could hear it"

The brake-pedal feel is a bit strange. It's kind of squishy and easy to modulate at the top, but it goes to rock-hard full-clamp pretty early/short in the stroke. It's still easy to brake smoothly, and it's nice to have that very firm reassurance so readily accessible. Still, I might prefer a more progressive pedal feel.

Also on the brakes, I like how the brake-hold activates. Having it always on, only a foot-tap away, is much nicer to use than a button you have to press every time you get in.

I note some serious fading on the plastic supports for the side box. And the Meridian speakers are a bit crackly. Minor annoyances, but not great indicators of longevity.

Of all the off-road decorations our 2021 Land Rover Defender 110 wears, I love the snorkel the most—only because it puts that sweet induction noise so close to your ear. I'd drive around with the window cracked an inch so I could hear it, and it was always so entertaining.—Associate editor Alex Leanse, at 16,000 miles

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"It's only a year old. That's disappointing. "

I put 500 miles on it driving up to the San Francisco Bay Area and back. I still love this truck, but there are some minor annoyances that make doing so a bit difficult:

• Following a start-up, the stereo failed to load along with the rest of the infotainment system, so we had no music and no phone audio for two hours until our next stop.
• The cruise control buttons are labeled incredibly stupidly. The button that says "-/Set/+" does nothing and is supposed to indicate how the rocker switch works, but it doesn't read that way at all, especially with "Res" (resume) written across the rocker itself. Doubling up the cruise and speed limiter on/off button and making you cycle through them is also dumb and reeks of cost cutting.
• The speed limiter is actually useful, though, since our 2021 Land Rover Defender doesn't have adaptive cruise control. You just set the max speed and rest your foot on the gas pedal, and it never exceeds that speed. Plus, you can slow at any time by lifting your foot without canceling the limiter like you would if you braked while using cruise control.
• The brackets holding the exterior box to the roof are already badly faded—and they're less than a year old. That just looks cheap.
• The double-sided tape that helps hold the snorkel on is coming out near the top and it's rather visible, and this vehicle is only a year old. Disappointing.—Features editor Scott Evans, at 16,500 miles

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For More on Our 2021 Land Rover Defender 110:

• Our 2021 SUV of the Year Joins Us for a Yearlong Test
• Better Than Any Pickup Truck
• So, About That Break-In Period …
• A Rooftop Tent Just Looks So Right on the Defender 110
• Accessorizing Our Land Rover Defender
• Life's Just Beachy With Some Dogs and a Defender
• Everything That Went Wrong With Our Defender 110