The 2020 Land Rover Defender brings an iconic nameplate back to American shores, with the four-door 110 models now available in dealers. We’ve already tested the new Defender’s off-road capability, but there’s a sticking point that comes with most examples you see on dealer lots: the price. In this video above (as well as the first drive video below), Tommy and Roman take delivery of the cheapest Land Rover Defender you can buy. Forget all the frills — we’re talking about the one that runs around $55,000.
Of course, you can hardly ever get those Defenders if you just head to your local Land Rover dealer. You’re much more likely to encounter the top-end Defender X, which starts at $80,900. Load it up with some options, and you wind up with eye-wateringly pricey $86,000 version we have in this video. But how much do you really lose if you enter into the fray with the base Defender?
For $49,900 (plus destination), Land Rover brings a solid amount of capability to the table. The base 2020 Land Rover Defender still comes with standard all-wheel drive, as well as a two-speed transfer case. Electronic air suspension, Terrain Response and your standard array of fundamental stability control systems are also standard fare. However, you do not get the more advanced Terrain Response 2 system, nor do you get “All Terrain Progress Control” or a wide range of premium interior features like memory heated seats and a fully digital gauge cluster.
Sticking with a 2.0-liter turbo
Opting for the base 2020 Land Rover Defender means you get a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. It’s still powerful for its size, putting out 296 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque through an eight-speed automatic transmission. Land Rover claims 0-60 comes up in 7.7 seconds, which isn’t terribly slow for an SUV. However, it’s not the 3.0-liter inline-six mild hybrid unit you get as an option on the regular Defender 110, or standard on the Defender X. You can select that engine when you order an entry-level model, but doing so hikes the price by $12,350.
The more powerful six-cylinder engine manages 395 horsepower and 406 lb-ft of torque, again through an eight-speed automatic transmission. Bear in mind, you can spec up the lower-trimmed Defenders with options like the “Explorer Pack”, among several others, that will net you more off-road goodies or more aesthetic pieces, depending on which pack you order.
Still, though, if you do want a cheap as possible, few-frills 2020 Land Rover Defender, what we ordered is more or less it. Would you spend $30,000 more on a Defender X or are there other options you can’t live without? Let us know and check out the first drive in our new Defender below: