My latest ride is the 2020 Land Rover Defender 110 SE, an SUV with a tough-looking stance for our times.
The big picture: The original Defender is a cult vehicle for off-road enthusiasts, having been sold in the U.S. for just four years in the mid-1990s. Now it's back, rounding out the Land Rover lineup.
Driving impressions: Though meant for serious off-roading, the Defender was surprisingly well-mannered on suburban streets near Detroit.
- It's outfitted with premium technology, yet has a utilitarian feel with exposed rivets in the door panels and a magnesium beam that runs the width of the dashboard.
The Defender is pricey, though: It starts at $49,900, but the mid-level SE trim I drove is $62,250.
- With optional packages including adaptive cruise control, a sliding panoramic roof, heated third-row seats and 20-inch wheels, the sticker price jumped to $77,775.
- Then my car was also outfitted with a $4,800 Explorer accessory pack, which included a gearbox mounted to the rear passenger window, a snorkel (or raised air intake) to keep the engine clean and dry while off-roading, and a fold-up ladder to access the expedition roof rack.
- That brought the drive-home price to $82,575.
The bottom line: It looked cool, but with all the extra equipment bolted to the car, it was next to impossible to see out the rear side windows.
