New Defender cr@ps itself versus a Jeep on trail

[bbq4133]

It's the same BS about the approach angle... the New Defender's got less than half the height of the wheel exposed in the front and the bumper would hit anything taller well before approach angles mattered. In the JL the stock bumper starts well above the lug nut at the highest position.

Also in the JL you have the possibility to get one wheel over a rock or something with even greater clearance but in the Defender that low hanging plastic is always in front of the wheel to say "you have to be this tall... for me to get over".

Overall the new Defender is a shockingly poor design and is worse than a light offroader like the Toyota in that video.

I feel sorry for the folks in the UK... they get the worst... gasoline particulate filters and with Jeeps they get reduced engine choices, no steel bumper from factory, etc. Not sure even if they get the Gladiator..

Great point about the front bumper and the approach angle, although I can’t imagine most folks owning this would know about the whole “put the wheel on the obstacle” aspect. Especially when those wheels are big and the tires are slim.

I also find it interesting how much LR leaned into overlanding (the obvious trend of the day/week/month/year) while completely screwing up basic facets of what made proper Defenders successful. I can't imagine I’ll see any of these on the trails near me here in VA, but I bet we’ll start seeing them all over IG replacing Tacos and the like as the hot overlanding platform for the near future.

Maybe it all works out for LR? However, for $75K, you can’t just be “capable enough” IMO.

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[paffemt]

I would have liked to see the Defender vs. a JLU. That would have been closer to apples to apples.

 

[GeoTracker]

I would have liked to see the Defender vs. a JLU. That would have been closer to apples to apples.

It would be a no contest. Mine is a stock Rubicon, touch some metal here and there on that trail but superficial. A non-Rubicon would likely still fare better than the Defender.

 

[bbq4133]

I would have liked to see the Defender vs. a JLU. That would have been closer to apples to apples.

The Defender would look even worse.

 

[Joe98]

I too watched that video. I have a stock standard 2 door JL Sport S with the Limited Slip Diff. There were places in that video where the Defender struggled whereas my Jeep would have done it easily!

 

[OnlyOne]

Land Rover articulation........

 

[aldo98229]

Land Rover articulation........

 

[rubileon]

I would have liked to see the Defender vs. a JLU. That would have been closer to apples to apples.

A JLU would have found it even easier because of the shorter wheelbase than the Gladiator. I'm not a fan of the Gladiator but with them around, my Wrangler Unlimited is not at the bottom of the capability food chain of Wranglers

Land Rover articulation........

Saying the Defender is like that goat is a massive insult to goats...

 

[rallydefault]

There's another recent video of the Defender on TFL Classics where the owner of that beasted-out yellow old Defender says he really likes the new one and thinks it's fairly capable even with the IFS. He's a guy who's done more trails than most, so <shrug>. A qualified conflicting opinion, at least.

 

[bbq4133]

There's another recent video of the Defender on TFL Classics where the owner of that beasted-out yellow old Defender says he really likes the new one and thinks it's fairly capable even with the IFS. He's a guy who's done more trails than most, so <shrug>. A qualified conflicting opinion, at least.

I don't think anyone is arguing whether it's fairly capable--it clearly is. The argument is whether it's limited compared to the Jeep, which is indisputably borne out by the facts.

 

[RocketScientist]

09:40 “Bits of Land Rover" on the rocks

Reminds of following a very nicely restored 60's Jaguar XKE with a driver who had a sense of humor... Bumper sticker: "The bits falling off this vehicle are of the highest British quality" Of course a bumper sticker on nice e-type.... well. Actually, I think it was stuck on some portion of the body... Maybe it was a magnet. Still funny

 

[Rodeoflyer]

While lack of articulation is a nuisance, and likely not a problem for the Bronco because of their sway bar disconnect, the way the independent suspension's lower wishbone being the first point of contact with rocks, etc. is a proper problem.
Solid axles FTW.

Did you see the video of the swaybar disconnect on the bronco? While the hydro unlock was nice under load, it provided a whole xtra inch of articulation and the tire was still off the ground.

I bet you can drive that land rover through detroit with an open top latte starbucks at 90mph though..

 

[GeoTracker]

I bet you can drive that land rover through detroit with an open top latte starbucks at 90mph though..

Until the pot holes sink holes swallow you up.

 

[aldo98229]

There's another recent video of the Defender on TFL Classics where the owner of that beasted-out yellow old Defender says he really likes the new one and thinks it's fairly capable even with the IFS. He's a guy who's done more trails than most, so <shrug>. A qualified conflicting opinion, at least.

...or a Land Rover fanboy incapable of seeing the obvious.

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