AT TFL, we’ve gone through three different new Defender 110s when they first came out. Despite the kinks in those first models off the production line, we loved the engine, the design, how it drove, and just how cool it looked. This week Land Rover dropped off the 2024 Defender 110 County Pack for us to review. What’s changed? Not much from Land Rover, but there’s definitely something different about its place in the off-road SUV hierarchy.
This New Defender is Still the ‘New’ Defender
For 2024, Land Rover kept the straight 6-cylinder turbo engine good for 395 horsepower and 406 lb-ft Torque. That’s matched to a ZF 8-speed automatic. The torque curve starts to peak around 2,000 RPM, which makes it ideal for slow, rock-crawling in 4LO. Adjustable air suspension can lift the SUV up to an impressive 11 inches of ground clearance while delivering a silky, smooth ride on pavement and a less punishing experience on dirt and rocks.
Design-wise not much new is going on with the County edition, although the new faux-steel wheels are a huge hit with the entire TFL staff. The wheels are still 20 inches, which is not ideal for serious off-roading, where a taller sidewall means fewer blowouts and the ability to air the tires way down. But those 20-inch wheels need to fit the Defender’s massive brake discs. And since the majority of Defenders in the world are never going to see serious off-road use, but will see high-speed interstate and gravel road speeds, massive brakes make sense.
Overall, the Defender still looks mighty cool and does an excellent job of marrying good, functional design with a luxury touch and feel and aesthetics. Few, if any, do this better than Land Rover. Unfortunately, this Defender doesn’t share much of the legendary, utilitarian off-road legacy of the original. As spec’d, the new Defender isn’t the true off-roader it could (or should?) be with a few different design and engineering decisions, starting with smaller wheels and bigger tires.
Say hello to the competition: the Ineos Grenadier
Interestingly enough, this new Defender 110 stickers at $82,000. That price puts it up against the all-new Grenadier in terms of price. Both are powered by straight 6-cylinder turbos. Both are boxy off-roading SUVs. In fact, the Grenadier’s sole reason for existence is to be everything the new Defender isn’t when it comes to off-road capability and functionality. The difference is one is more luxury-oriented and one is more overlanding-oriented. Whichever one you want more, let’s all be grateful we now have a choice.
Check out Nathan and Roman’s complete walk-around of the Defender 110 County Pack below and go to allTFL.com in the coming weeks to find our side-by-side video comparison of the Defender and the Grenadier.
