Since the relaunch of the Land Rover Defender in 2019, the vehicle has become a favourite due to its good looks, its luxury showing and, most importantly, its off-road capabilities.
In 2021, the local market was introduced to an electrified Defender, offering South Africans a new option in the line-up.
The Mail & Guardian spent a week in the Defender 110 PHEV, a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) that has the engine working together with a 19.2 kilowatt-hour battery that gives up to 50km of range.
That is not a lot compared with vehicles like the BMW X5 xDrive50e M Sport which offers up to 110km of range.
However, the hybrid drivetrain that powers the Defender is meant to assist what is normally a fuel guzzler in an urban setting. The charging time is fast — if you are using a direct-current charger, which takes the battery from 0 to 80% in 30 minutes.
You also have the option of driving in three modes: a hybrid mode which combines the engine and battery; a full EV mode that only uses the battery and a save mode which uses petrol and charges the battery while you are driving.
But here’s the thing. While not having a great range on the battery, the Defender maintains its off-road prowess in EV mode. It can perform off-roading duties in low range while being a pure EV and that is simply astonishing.
On the road, it is a beast. Boasting 297kW of power and 640Nm of torque, the drive is effortless.
Don’t get me wrong, you can feel that you are sitting in a 3.2 tonne car, and that is exactly what it’s supposed to feel like, but the power at your disposal is incredible, especially because the vehicle is aided by the electric motor providing near-instant torque delivery.
The vehicle is also extremely high and the driver and passengers sit in an elevated position, making road imperfections a breeze.
It was so satisfying to know that I was in a vehicle that could give Hilux bakkie owners a taste of their own medicine, and move them out of the right lane, just as they do to us when we drive our tiny vehicles.
On the inside, you are treated to luxury while the vehicle still manages to maintain that rugged feeling.
It has spacious leather seats, a fighter-jet like centre console, a rugged but polished dashboard and, one thing I appreciate about Land Rover, insanely neat and tidy door panels that always fit the theme of the vehicle.
For example, in the Range Rover, you have a very classic, classy, door panel. In the Range Rover Sport, the door panel design edges more towards sleek and sporty and, in the Defender, it brings tightly fitted screws, to give that rugged feel, while retaining the leather and keeping it luxurious.
The interior also sports a large infotainment screen that contains all your driving information. The centre storage unit can be used as a fridge that can store up to four 500ml bottles for your long days of off-roading.
All in all, I don’t think there is any vehicle out there that can do what the Defender does in terms of offering ultimate off-roading capabilities and ultimate luxury.
The fact that it is now available in a PHEV variant just takes it to a new level. However, to get into a Defender 110 PHEV, you have to pay the price.
While most of us picture ourselves in this vehicle only in our wildest dreams, the highest earners can enjoy this model from R2 261 200.
Luckily for the rest of us, there are many copycats out there who aim to give us the same experience at a more affordable price. But nothing does it quite like a Defender.