Item: Used Land Rover Defender 1990-2016
Rating: 2
Author: Steve Huntingford

Like the Defender, the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/jeep/wrangler/4x4/review/n196">Jeep Wrangler</a> is renowned for being better to drive in the mucky stuff than down paved roads. It has a strong diesel engine, is reliable and has a sturdy construction. However, it's let down by high running costs, poor steering and a lack of comfort.

You could also consider a <a href="www.whatcar.com/toyota/land-cruiser/4x4/review/">Toyota Land Cruiser</a>. It's practical, built to last and known for its supreme reliability. Its four-cylinder engine can feel a little underpowered, though.

For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter <a href="https://pages.haymarket.com/whatcar/wcar-form.html">here</a>

<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/land-rover/defender">Search for a&nbsp;used Land Rover Defender&nbsp;with&nbsp;What Car? Used Car Buying &gt;&gt;</a>

Page 5 of 5

What is it like?

Ownership cost

Advice for buyers

Our recommendations

Alternatives

<h3>Parking brake</h3>

Oil might leak out from the transfer box and into the handbrake mechanism of some Defenders made from 5 October 2007 to 4 November 2010. This will need to be inspected at a Land Rover dealer, because a new oil seal will need to be fitted and&nbsp;additional repairs made to the handbrake system of&nbsp;affected vehicles.

<h3>Detached front wheel</h3>

A problem with part of the front axle fracturing could lead to a&nbsp;front wheel becoming detached from vehicles built between 1 September 2010 and 5 July 2011. Affected vehicles will need to be inspected at a Land Rover dealer to determine what repairs are required.

<h3>Seatbelt mounting bracket</h3>

A bracket for the seatbelts could fracture on examples manufactured between 1 February 2010 and 31 January 2012. Find out from your Land Rover dealer if your car is affected by this, because new mounting brackets will need to be installed.

<h3>Loss of brake fluid</h3>

One or more of the flexible brake hoses that provide brake fluid to the braking system could chafe and potentially wear through completely on Defenders constructed between 24 October 2014 and 5 January 2015. The hoses of affected cars will need to be checked over by a technician, who will replace any damaged parts to prevent future issues.

Much as they are well loved by owners, old Defenders aren’t always reliable, so the first thing to look for is a complete service history.

The Defender hasn't featured in our reliability surveys for years, but Land Rover came dead last in the most recent one, and it's fair to say that through the years the firm hasn't performed well.&nbsp;

If you would like to see the full reliability list, head to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2020-what-car-reliability-survey/n20042">What Car? Reliability Survey</a>&nbsp;pages for more information.

Page 3 of 5

Land Rover is synonymous with SUVs, and especially with the Defender – the rugged runabout that has seen service in war zones across the world, but also as part of the Queen’s personal garage.

If off-road prowess is one of Land Rover’s core values, though, the other is luxury. Indeed, the Range Rover, Range Rover Sport and Range Rover Velar are among the best luxury SUVs you can buy.

The Discovery, meanwhile, is a practical rival for the Audi Q7 and BMW X5, while the stylish Evoque (which is available as a three-door convertible as well as a traditional SUV) goes head to head with Audi’s Q3 and BMW’s X1.

In the coming years, we’ll see a new road-biased ‘Road Rover’ as well as an all-new Defender.

LAND ROVER

DEFENDER

The Land Rover Defender remains iconic for its utiliarian off-roading abilities, even though it's flawed elsewhere.

Used Land Rover Defender 1990-2016

MPG

Unfortunately, you'll pay out a lot at the pumps, because the 2.4 and later&nbsp;2.2-litre diesel engine will return only 25.5mpg. The five-cylinder TD5 is marginally better at 26.1mpg.

<h3>CO2 emissions</h3>

The Defender is a high-polluting car;&nbsp;even the 'cleaner' 2.4 and 2.2-litre&nbsp;engines produce 295g/km, while the TD5 puts out 299g/km.

<h3>Road tax (VED)</h3>

All Defenders of this generation will pay the annual road tax (VED) according to CO2 emissions, with those registered after 23&nbsp;March&nbsp;2006 paying a much higher fee than those registered before this date.&nbsp;To find out more about the current <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/car-tax-changes-in-2019-%E2%80%93-what-do-i-need-to-know/n1153">road tax costs, click here</a>.

<h3>Servicing and insurance costs</h3>

Routine maintenance with a&nbsp;Land Rover is generally expensive, but this can be offset somewhat by cheaper insurance than is generally the norm with a large off-roader, no doubt helped by&nbsp;the fact that body panels are cheap to replace.

Page 2 of 5

The Land Rover Defender remains iconic for its utiliarian off-roading abilities, even though it's flawed elsewhere.

You might expect a car like the Defender to be cheap on the used market. However, it's such an effective tool that it's always in demand and prices remain pretty high.

Things start at about £3500 for the short-wheelbase Defender 90 version, while you should expect to pay from around £4000 for the longer and much more practical Defender 110. You'll be looking at cars from the early 1990s, as well as some rougher newer ones. Spend between £8000 and £10,000 on a Defender from the early 2000s, in good condition. Fork out between £12,000 and £14,000 on a good-condition Landie from the mid-2000s, and upwards of that for anything later with a reasonable mileage.&nbsp;

Prices can rise steeply, but a budget of around £15,000 will get you a good used example. There are plenty of specialist and modified versions of the Defender, too, but these are, for the most part, best avoided.

Check the value of a used Land Rover Defender with <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/valuations/">What Car? Valuations</a>

<h3>Engine</h3>

Go for the newest example of a Land Rover Defender that you can, because you’ll be getting a more up-to-date&nbsp;package, particularly&nbsp;the&nbsp;2.2-litre diesel engine that was available towards the end of production. It has more than enough power to venture off road, and is fairly economical.

<h3>Specification</h3>

Of the many Defender models available, we’d stick with the 110&nbsp;version, which has seating for five (and potentially seven passengers). Whichever version you go for, you’ll be getting a very capable off-road companion. The Defender can’t really be measured by the same yardstick as other cars, because its natural territory isn’t the road. Just rest assured that if you choose to buy one, you’ll be getting one of the best and most loved 4x4s around.

Our favourite used Land Rover Defender:&nbsp;2.2 110

Page 4 of 5

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Plenty of space for all passengers</li> <li>Large boot with lots of clever storage solutions</li> <li>Good fuel economy and running costs</li> <li>All-round comfort</li> <li>High-quality interior finish</li></ul>

We define a large SUV as anything longer than 4.5 metres. These cars aren’t usually particularly cheap to buy or lease, so in return we expect a roomy cabin, a lengthy list of standard equipment and excellent cruising refinement. A few models in this class are two-wheel drive, but the vast majority have four-wheel drive for at least a modicum of off-road ability.

The Mazda CX-5 is firmly road-focused, but its 2.0-litre petrol engine is a strong, refined performer, making it looks good value for less than&nbsp;£25k. If you can stretch the budget a fair bit, the Audi Q5 provides a combination of comfort, driving prowess, quality and space that's hard to beat. Unlike some rivals, it can't be had with seven seats, though.

A more affordable, yet well-equipped alternative is the Peugeot 5008. It’s more than capable of coping with family life&nbsp;– and all versions have seven seats as standard.&nbsp;

Large SUV

The good news is that with Defenders being in good supply, there are plenty of parts around for older vehicles if yours should ever break down.

Check for corrosion on the front bulkhead (the panel behind the engine) and the underside of the car, because these areas are made from steel. Also, look out for leaking power steering systems and check when the&nbsp;timing belt was last changed, because a&nbsp;failure of that part will most likely mean a new engine.

With any potential purchase,&nbsp;make sure you see the&nbsp;service book;&nbsp;a car that has been well looked after can run for a lot longer, and will cost you a lot less in the long run, than one that’s been neglected.

The Land Rover Defender is a favourite among farmers and other countryside dwellers. Okay, so its road manners leave a lot to be desired, and, despite a number of updates designed to add a bit of marketing sparkle and keep it relatively fresh,&nbsp;its styling hasn’t changed much since it was first launched in 1990. Indeed, it hasn't much changed since that original concept was unveiled in 1948. It is, however,&nbsp;a very capable off-roader.

Production ended in January 2016, and the all-new, all-singing and dancing, and distinctly <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/land-rover/defender/4x4/review/n21198">upmarket model was launched in 2019</a>. However, numerous variants of this older version were built during the car's life; the range encompasses three wheelbases and 14 body styles.

Engine options are mostly confined to&nbsp;diesels. Early models came with a 107bhp 200TDi shared with the Discovery and Range Rover of the time, before being modified in 1994 to become the 11bhp 300TDi. These engines are well liked for their durability, but each is undoubtedly loud and unrefined compared with more modern diesel engines. Still, at least&nbsp;they provide the Defender with enough go to get up to speed briskly.

From 1998, a newly developed 122bhp TD5 engine&nbsp;replaced the 300TDi&nbsp;and powered all Defenders until a 120bhp 2.4 engine was installed from Ford. These are the ones to go for if you regularly drive on the motorway, because they come with a six-speed gearbox to improve fuel economy and refinement at speed. In 2012, a 122bhp 2.2 diesel was fitted that gets a diesel particulate filter (DPF) that made&nbsp;the Defender Euro-5 emissions compliant.

The Defender is far more at home in the countryside than it is on the open road, though, because the ride is fidgety and unsettled at speed, and to the uninitiated&nbsp;it can feel unpredictable and nervous.&nbsp;

Don’t expect much in the way of luxury. The dashboard is utilitarian, despite featuring buttons and switches from the larger <a href="http://www.whatcar.com/land-rover/discovery/4x4/review/?aq=land%20rover%20%20discovery&amp;amp;type=review&amp;amp;src=searchdropdown&amp;amp;oq=land%2520rover%2520dis">Discovery SUV</a>, and the driving position is so cramped that you’ll be forced to lower the window if you want somewhere to put your elbow.

Still, it's not all bad news, because there's enough space for a couple of adults in the back, as long as you go for one of the larger, 110 models.

The compelling figures that make the Defender stand out are its off-road ones, though.&nbsp;&nbsp;This is a car that will tackle a 45deg slope going forwards or backwards. It will wade through water half a metre deep without modification and traverse a 35deg hill. Its approach and departure angles are each an astounding 47deg.&nbsp;

These extraordinary stats combine with its huge ground clearance and compact wheelbase to give rock-hopping qualities most alleged off-roaders simply couldn’t imagine. Low-range gearing, unswitchable traction control (optional with ABS) and differential locks complete the picture.

Don’t take those on-road criticisms to mean that you shouldn’t buy a Land Rover Defender. Just bear in mind that this is a car for going off road – a car for farms, jungles and deserts. It may look outdated next to modern 4x4s, but very few vehicles can match its sheer talent for going anywhere and everywhere.

If you're interested in finding a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/land-rover/defender">used Defender</a>, or any of the other large SUVs&nbsp;mentioned here, head over to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars">Used Car Buying</a>&nbsp;service to find lots of cars listed for sale at a great price.

Page 1 of 5

Used Land Rover Defender 1990-2016 review

Best electric cars - our 2022 award winners revealed

Nissan Qashqai

Audi A3

BMW 1 series

Mini Hatchback

Audi Q2

Hyundai Tucson

Toyota Yaris Cross 

New car deals >>

site ribbon config

Looking for alternatives to the used Land Rover Defender 1990 - 2016? The expert What Car? review team guide you through some great options.

Like the Defender, the Jeep Wrangler is renowned for being better to drive in the mucky stuff than down paved roads. It has a strong diesel engine, is reliable and has a sturdy construction. However, it's let down by high running costs, poor steering and a lack of comfort.,You could also consider a Toyota Land Cruiser. It's practical, built to last and known for its supreme reliability. Its four-cylinder engine can feel a little underpowered, though.,For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter hereSearch for a used Land Rover Defender with What Car? Used Car Buying &gt;&gt;Page 5 of 5

New car deals >>

Used Land Rover Defender 1990-2016 review

Alternatives

What alternatives should I consider to a used Land Rover Defender 4x4?

What Car? has a buying service

Quick search

Tools & services

Legal bits

Information