Jeep vs Defender

[Ahmed]

Hopefully that last one is a “sahara” type model, and they have a more rugged version available as well.

They seem to have something like that but it does not amount to what enthusiasts want
I am not optimistic. The front grill does not seem to be reliable in the desert

Look at (air Snorkel) where they put it!! In addition to being an inconvenient place that hampers the driver, it increases the appearance of the side mirrors outward, making them vulnerable to breakdown and increased noise.

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[Alpha Delta]

They seem to have something like that but it does not amount to what enthusiasts want
I am not optimistic. The front grill does not seem to be reliable in the desert

Look at (air Snorkel) where they put it!! In addition to being an inconvenient place that hampers the driver, it increases the appearance of the side mirrors outward, making them vulnerable to breakdown and increased noise.

Wow, that is one dedicated photographer. I wouldn’t do that for my kids.

 

[Rudolph Hart]

Looks like definitive specs have leaked today for the Defender...

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&t=1817631&d=0#seperator


https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/land-...ew-2020-land-rover-full-specifications-leaked

 

[JeepColorado]

The New Defender being tested in Dubai- the more it comes together I think it will draw sales from Wrangler; not the die-hard rock jocks, but this vehicle could make a much better overlander than a Jeep (having owned 4 Jeeps that's a little painful for me to say)

https://expeditionportal.com/the-new-defender-tested-in-dubai/

 

[mgroeger]

The New Defender being tested in Dubai- the more it comes together I think it will draw sales from Wrangler; not the die-hard rock jocks, but this vehicle could make a much better overlander than a Jeep (having owned 4 Jeeps that's a little painful for me to say)

https://expeditionportal.com/the-new-defender-tested-in-dubai/

Whoever it draws away from the Jeep (i.e. soccer moms) were never meant to have a Jeep anyway

 

[Rudolph Hart]

The Defender will be more expensive than the Wrangler in the US market, it will be less capable than the Wrangler (IFS) and if it’s like other recent Land Rover/Range Rover products a lot less reliable than a Wrangler. I don’t think Jeep have too much to fear.

 

[JeepColorado]

The Defender will be more expensive than the Wrangler in the US market, it will be less capable than the Wrangler (IFS) and if it’s like other recent Land Rover/Range Rover products a lot less reliable than a Wrangler. I don’t think Jeep have too much to fear.

It depends on what type of off-roading you do therefore, what you mean by "capable" If you mean rock-crawling oriented off-roading I'd tend to agree with you.

However, the Jeep community in the United States tends to forget about overlanding. Search videos on youtube of off-roading in Australia and you will see that the vast majority of their vehicles are modestly lifted or not even at all. You'll see Toyota Land Cruisers/Prados running all over the place- they want the power of a V8 and they don't need the lift to get up big rocks.

When I first got into off-roading (20 years ago) 35s were the "it" tire. Most people ran 33s, everyone wanted 35s. it was the line between a "real" 4x4 and someone who mildly off-roaded. Now, 37s are the new 35s. The Raptor, the Wrangler can all fit 35s from the factory. There is a robust page on this forum talking about how 40s are necessary!! Google Dan Grec and the Road Chose Me- he circumnavigated the continent of Africa in a Jeep Wrangler without a lift.

What Jeep prioritizes in terms of solid axles, coil springs, super low transfer cases and non-highway oriented engines (meaning, not very powerful) is great......for a certain kind of off-roading. But Jeeps aren't great for overlanding- something like this Defender or a Land Cruiser is much more suited to it.

 

[UKJeep2018]

I’m disappointed Land Rover didn’t go down the Mercedes G-Wagen route with the defender.

Keep the iconic shape, add lots of luxury features and slap a huge price tag on it.

No doubt it will sell well when it releases though. Though I can’t help but think all that testing they have been doing to prove it’s off road capability will be wasted when only <5% will ever go off road.

 

[Boatbuilder88]

Though I can’t help but think all that testing they have been doing to prove it’s off road capability will be wasted when only <5% will ever go off road.

<1%. But the same can be said about the Wrangler.

 

[JeepColorado]

And for "overlanding"....which, let's face it...in the USA, it's just car camping...the Toyota line up makes much more sense than the Rover ever would from a cost/reliability/modification potential standpoint.

Historically, I'd agree with you! The Land Cruiser to me right now is the best execution of an all-around 4x4- in particular for overlanding. V8, Toyota Reliablity, Aftermarket Support...you put an icon lift on one to get 34s, ARB front/rear bumper, Warn winch. KDSS suspension, Traction Control, Crawl Control- it'll go up and over anything other than extreme rock-crawling and do 80 MPH on the highway with heated and cooled seats. It's luxury, it's very capable off-road and it'll do all of it now and 25 years from now.

As they say in Saudi Arabia- if you want to go into the desert, take a 4x4, if you want to come back, take a Land Cruiser.

 

[Kluk Ztopolovky]

I know that this is a JL forum and that we all love our JL's. But I am a little curious, if JLR sells the Landrover Defender here, how many of you would consider getting it? What do you think the impact on the jeep market would be if they do release the defender here in the states?[/QUOT

Defender I am sure is a fine 4x4 but I still would get a Jeep : )

 

[M0ondogy]

It depends on what type of off-roading you do therefore, what you mean by "capable" If you mean rock-crawling oriented off-roading I'd tend to agree with you.

However, the Jeep community in the United States tends to forget about overlanding. Search videos on youtube of off-roading in Australia and you will see that the vast majority of their vehicles are modestly lifted or not even at all. You'll see Toyota Land Cruisers/Prados running all over the place- they want the power of a V8 and they don't need the lift to get up big rocks.

When I first got into off-roading (20 years ago) 35s were the "it" tire. Most people ran 33s, everyone wanted 35s. it was the line between a "real" 4x4 and someone who mildly off-roaded. Now, 37s are the new 35s. The Raptor, the Wrangler can all fit 35s from the factory. There is a robust page on this forum talking about how 40s are necessary!! Google Dan Grec and the Road Chose Me- he circumnavigated the continent of Africa in a Jeep Wrangler without a lift.

What Jeep prioritizes in terms of solid axles, coil springs, super low transfer cases and non-highway oriented engines (meaning, not very powerful) is great......for a certain kind of off-roading. But Jeeps aren't great for overlanding- something like this Defender or a Land Cruiser is much more suited to it.

I agree with you the whole way....for some reason all Jeep forums all move into rock crawling as the base level requirement instead of it being the extreme requirement. I mean, I get it, it's what Jeeps are designed for.

...

I'm the market for these new Defenders. Luxury and overland/trail ability. My big question mark is the price and looks. With the new Rubicon getting to 60k, that's Land Rover pricing for a mid model.

 

[JeepColorado]

The Defender is definitely coming to the states; JLR has confirmed it. I'm considering it. The Wrangler has always been underpowered to me- it is a real miss that they never put a Hemi in one from the factory. The ride has improved, but it's still not great. The Rubicon while AMAZING on the rocks, it's overkill for most other off-road uses and the compromises it makes to be amazing on the rocks take a real toll everywhere else.

I recently went to Moab- the wife and I probably drove over 750 miles there, around town and back, spent a week running off-road trails around there. Of that 750 miles, I'd bet no more than 30 miles was off-road and we ran trails every day. So to gain a relatively minor and mostly unnecessary advantage off-road with solid axles and coils, I lose the great ride on the road there and back that a LR has; it'll also likely be more powerful.

If rocks are your big thing, it doesn't get better than a Wrangler, if you run any other kind of trails- the potential of what the Defender could be is very promising.

 

[wanderer]

See the thing is whether you rock crawl or just explore trails, You are going to come across rough, rocky, eroded, off camber, muddy slippery, snowy or all of the above for at least short periods of time. I just don't see a non solid axle doing all that well on that kind of stuff. As for all of you think that ruicons are just for rockcrawling You are wrong! A rubicon is just the all-around best jeep for any job a wrangler can do. As for the defender it was a relly good truck the turning radius was the worst though followed by tacomas when it was solid axle. NOw with IFS i wonde how good it will be To really competer with jeep if it has IFS then there needs to be some seriouly beefy long travel set up capable of running 35s, front and rear lockers as a min and a decent low range. Other wise it will be a slighlty better discovery, Remeber the old discovers solid axel, diff lined up body on frame It was a good design, I doubt LR will do anything differnet when it comes to the defender,.
That is disco went from allof the above to IFS
Why won't the defender follow suit? and heck if it is over 60K it won't be for us blue collar or white collar working type stiffs. I like all 4x4s but I am not holding my breathe

If LR want to compete they need togo back to their roots.
IMHO

Bythe way MY rubicon is my daily driver and I put sometimes 200 miles per day on it I LIKE THE RIDE!

 

[Hgrace]

Can't flat tow the Defender.

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