 | Home > General & Technical (L663) > Is the defender an off roader? |
 
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| TexasRover Member Since: 24 Nov 2022 Location: Paris Posts: 1337   
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But people buy them for school runs and when Landrover designed and marketed them they aimed for that market, NOT for the offroad market. Is it capable: sure! Is it an offroader: no. Both the manufacturer and the consumer never intended for the vehicle to be used as an offroader |
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20th Aug 2025 5:58pm |
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| alex68 Member Since: 07 Aug 2025 Location: Steyr Posts: 4 
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I'd like to ask: "What makes/defines a true off-roader?"
Yesterday, my new Defender and I participated in an off-road training day here in Austria at the Stotzing Off-Road Training Center. Despite only being equipped with all-season tires, it mastered all the challenges perfectly. The only drawback: With such an expensive car, you have to plan your lines more carefully to avoid any possible contact with the "enemy". 25.5MY 110 P300e Carpathian grey |
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21st Aug 2025 9:50am |
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| XplusYplusZ Member Since: 16 Aug 2021 Location: UK Posts: 552 |
A couple of friends and I did a full day in Dunkeld (fantastic facility). This vehicle is without a doubt an offroader.
A little clip of my friend navigating their rock garden for the first time. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRljxzBVoaw What makes a good offroader? Ground clearance Good Tyres 4 wheel drive Diffs Approach/Dept angles Robust Good Torque Reliable I think the Def ticks all of those boxes and will warm your bum whilst comfortably munching the 12 hour drive home. |
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21st Aug 2025 12:53pm |
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| zilch Member Since: 11 Sep 2019 Location: Whitsundays & Sydney Posts: 846 
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  yet another pommie bar steward down under
MY20 110 P400 SE Defender MY10 3.0 RR Sport |
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22nd Aug 2025 4:57am |
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| Muehae Member Since: 17 Jun 2023 Location: Erding Posts: 29 
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I feel this silly discussion will go on for as long as the classic Defender is still around. In our experience, what counts as a “true off-roader” is strictly subjective. If you ask some Australians, anything that isn’t a 70 Series is already a “road car for school runs only.” Does it matter at all? The on- and off-road capabilities of the current Defender are well documented. Some people choose to ignore that — I couldn’t care less. We’ve been running our Defender 90 for nearly 200,000 km now, including some challenging offroading and a trip into the Sahara and back. Where classic Defenders and Grenadiers struggled, we had no issues whatsoever. In fact, we ended up pulling some of them out and made a few friends along the way. |
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26th Aug 2025 8:37am |
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| County V8 Member Since: 07 Jun 2021 Location: UK Posts: 151 
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Makes a great seat for changing boots or at events. |
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3rd Sep 2025 11:20am |
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| Keith_L Member Since: 01 Sep 2025 Location: Worcestershire Posts: 16
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KR73 WZZ was one of the Defenders we drove when we were looking. It was at the Sinclair Swansea dealership. 2023 Defender D300 HSE in Pangea Green 2002 Discovery 2 Td5 Auto in Zambize Silver 2010 Freelander 2 Td4 HSE in Bali Blue (sold but we should have kept it) |
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5th Sep 2025 11:13pm |
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| XplusYplusZ Member Since: 16 Aug 2021 Location: UK Posts: 552 |
Ha! What a coincidence! (and what a good memory you have!).
It definitely had a dink or two from us plonkers trying to navigate this rock-garden. I really liked the full leather spec though! |
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8th Sep 2025 11:23am |
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| stevemfr Member Since: 18 Sep 2022 Location: Strasbpurg Posts: 163
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I think that this perspective is rather skewed by your personal perspective. Yes, for the most part they are going to be used as minivans that make their owners feel good when they go skiing once a year. Maybe. But we have customers in Africa, Australia and Canada (or even very rural areas in the US) who use their Defenders the same way they'd use their Land Cruisers, Jeeps, or whatever. And numerous overlanders who really use their vehicles off road. And no one is contesting the vehicle's abilities off road. If you watch the videos of the Defender's Namibian press launch on YT, I find it quite hard to say that the manufacturer never intended the Defender for use off road. And to those who say that it's too complex and laden with electronics: 1. the "critical systems" (engine, transmission, etc) are no more laden with electronics than those of any off road vehicle including the Grenadier or the new Land Cruisers. Electronics are necessary (and good!) to meet modern emissions, power, and reliability (yes!) standards. 2. the vehicles ARE repairable in the field - you just need the right tool  As a matter of fact, it is often easier for a person with basic mechanical skills to repair a modern vehicle than an older one. A new vehicle will often tell you exactly what is malfunctioning. How many would know where to look if an old TDi powered Defender started bucking and was way down on power?
3. the final point - quit living in the past. Yes, auto electronics were less reliable 30 years ago. So was your PC. And a final point to ponder: is there anyone who believes that most Grenadiers will NOT be used on school runs or otherwise in the city but only traveling through deepest, darkest Africa in search of Dr. Livingstone? Or most Land Cruisers/Jeeps/Patrols/etc The Defender is an off roader. No question. 
RRC 2Dr, RRC 4Dr, P38, and 2 L322s, 2 FL1s and a L663 on the way |
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19th Sep 2025 11:41am |
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| steam_simon Member Since: 24 Sep 2022 Location: London Posts: 101 
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It’s an off-roader
It’s a motorway muncher. It’ll look good in front of the Hotel de Paris in Monaco It’ll look good on an icy and snowy road in the Arlberg It’ll look good on a Farm with sheep in the back It’ll look good dirty It’ll look good clean. It’s the Swiss Army knife of motoring. It’s not bad……. |
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19th Sep 2025 6:17pm |
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