2022 Land Rover Defender 90 V-8 First Drive: Ridiculous Fun

land-rover defender Full Overview

At a time when gas prices have shot through the roof, driving a gas-guzzling SUV sounds like a silly, stupid idea. Yet here we were, cruising around Los Angeles in the 2022 Land Rover Defender 90 V-8 when the local average price for a gallon of gas was $5.65 for regular grade and $5.92 for premium—almost $2 more than this time last year. And although the proper thing would’ve been to be mindful about its 16-mpg combined, we couldn’t help flooring it and laughing as we romped away from nearly every stop.

It’s no secret we’re fans of the Land Rover Defender in general. We named it with our 2021 SUV of the Year after it checked all the boxes for our criteria, a win that came on the back of the the I-6 Defender 110, the long-wheelbase model that first arrived in America. Since that time, the lineup has expanded to include the two-door, shorter-wheelbase 90, as well as a V-8 engine (plus a turbo four-cylinder). And believe us, for pure entertainment, there’s no Defender better than one that combines its maximum number of available cylinders with its fewest number of doors.

How Does the Defender V-8 Drive?

Arriving for the 2022 model year, the mighty V-8 stuffed under the Defender’s hood is a supercharged 5.0-liter monster making 518 horsepower and 461 lb-ft of torque. It’s mated to an eight-speed automatic and four-wheel drive. According to Land Rover, the Defender 90 V-8 can hit 60 mph in 4.9 seconds, while its top speed is limited to 149 mph.

The craziest part is that this is an off-road-capable SUV—not a performance-oriented model. But on the road, the 2022 Land Rover Defender 90 V-8 feels like it was born to please those who like driving fast. It handles straight-line driving and tackles twisty roads with ease. One reason: Because of the additional power (123 horsepower and 55 lb-ft of torque over the Defender 3.0-liter electrically-supercharged and turbocharged inline-six), engineers added stiffer bushings and larger anti-roll bars to increase body control.

And, indeed, when you turn it into a corner, there’s some familiar Land Rover body roll, but the Defender V-8 leans just the once, taking a set quickly and with no drama. No matter how tight the turn, it feels planted and composed. Turn on Dynamic mode, accessible via the terrain management system, and you get heightened throttle response, a stiffer suspension setting, and torque vectoring via a new electronic active real differential. This is definitely when the fun intensifies. The transmission downshifts quickly and will hold gears when it decides it needs to, while paddle shifters are fitted in case you want to do choose ratios for yourself. Power is shuttled to all four wheels with smooth linearity, the supercharged V-8 delivering a strong push even as road speeds increase.

Thanks to the air suspension and the tuning wizardry of Land Rover’s engineers, the ride on city streets is completely comfortable even with. the90’s short wheelbase. No vibrations make it through to the cabin, and bumps and broken pavement are all but erased. The steering is a bit weightier than that of non-V-8 models, but it also delivers better feedback from the road.

Of course, to go with the additional power, Land Rover also made the brakes stronger. The V-8’s blue front brake calipers and 15-inch front rotors are an easy tell separating it from other Defenders, and they live behind larger, 22-inch wheels. The brakes are strong, progressive, and highly effective in all kinds of driving.

How’s the Land Rover Defender’s Interior?

Besides the suede-wrapped steering wheel, there are virtually no changes to the interior, although the 11.4-inch infotainment screen caught our attention. It’s sharper and more modern than the one in our current Defender 110 one-year test car, which is equipped with the smaller, standard screen. The optional display was easy to use and fast to respond, and its resolution was close to what you’d see in an Apple product. As in other Defenders, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, though there’s no wireless connectivity.

This was our first time driving a two-door Defender on American soil, and although we love its looks, the main sacrifice is interior space and functionality. The front seats move forward electronically with the push of a button, but they take quite some time to get to their forwardmost position, leaving a narrow space between the B-pillar. Once you squeeze yourself in, the second row has a surprising amount of legroom, and with this Landie’s boxy shape, headroom isn’t an issue. Cargo room, however, is substantially reduced. But you’ll still be able to fit an 8-foot surfboard in the cabin.

Everything else stays the same. We continue to love the interior design, with the exposed screws on the door panels, dashboard, and center console. The grab handles on the passenger-side dashboard and the sturdy cabin materials and sturdy feel always remind us we’re driving an off-road-capable machine.

How Much Is the Land Rover Defender V-8?

The 2022 Land Rover Defender 90 V-8 starts at $98,550. That’s a lot of money for a two-door Defender, and this vehicle admittedly fits a very small, very specific niche. But the experience the engine delivers and the enhancements engineers made to the boxy SUV are worth it, and worth checking out. Our model was the Carpathian Edition, which comes in Carpathian Gray paint with a matte finish, making it stand out from the rest of the crowd.

The Defender V-8 is a stupidly fun SUV, and although no one needs a vehicle like this, it’s one of those rare vehicles that simply makes you smile while you’re driving it. Well, except maybe not as you’re pulling up to the gas pump.

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