The 2022 Land Rover Defender 110 made me think of our beloved Toronto Raptors. I love the Raptors, but it’s taken them quite a while to put a good team together; arguably, they’re still trying to do that.
Even after losing DeMar DeRozan, gaining Kawhi Leonard, winning the championship in 2019, losing Norman Powell and KYLE LOWRY, and finally rebuilding from the bottom up, they’ve still got a long way to go. And much like the Raptors (Raps fans, please don’t @ me), the Defender has a few kinks.
As per usual, this is more of a lifestyle review of the Defender, but if you’re looking for an awesome review to heavily satisfy all your off-road needs, Driving’s Elliot Alder recently twisted the Defender 110 through a Land Rover Trek and David Booth even issued his first 10/10 ever for interior décor in his review of the 2021 Defender 110.
The question is, how many basketball puns can I turn over while reviewing the Defender? Two points for every one you find.
2022 Land Rover Defender 110 Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Land Rover Defender 110 Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Land Rover Defender 110 Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Land Rover Defender 110 Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Land Rover Defender 110 Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Land Rover Defender 110 Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Land Rover Defender 110 Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Land Rover Defender 110 Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Land Rover Defender 110 Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Land Rover Defender 110 Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Land Rover Defender 110 Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Land Rover Defender 110 Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Land Rover Defender 110 Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Land Rover Defender 110 Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Land Rover Defender 110 Photo by Renita Naraine
How big is it?
The Defender 110 looks, and is bulky. When I think big and bulky, I think of Dwight Howard. He is not, and never has been, a part of our franchise, but his broad shoulders are pretty similar to the bulkiness of the Defender. However, since we’re talking about the Raptors, let’s throw this comparison to the rookie, 20-year-old Scottie Barnes. He’s quickly making a name for himself in Toronto and he’s a great defensive player, as Kevin Durant recently pointed out.
If you’re curious, Barnes is 2,030 mm (6’7” in normal-people height measurements), a bit taller than the Defender’s height of 1,967 mm. This Land Rover isn’t quite as tall as the average basketball player but for someone as short as me, they all tower over me. I found it quite tiring to frequently reach up to dunk my daughter into her car seat. I would have appreciated the pop-out running boards on this SUV.
It has a standard ground clearance of 218 mm, which I’m sure is amazing while off-roading, but it’s not the most kid-friendly. And speaking of kids, all three of my car seats fit into this five-seater. There’s an optional third row, but I prefer more cargo space, at any given time. It’s got more than enough room for a stroller and a shopping spree (at the grocery store). The swinging door that provides access to the trunk is heavy and if you’ve backed into a mall parking lot that’s facing another big vehicle, well, that’s a screen that you won’t likely be able to get around.
2022 Land Rover Defender 110 Photo by Renita Naraine
On the road/off-road
Aside from my driveway, I never took the Defender off-road (but Elliot did). I stayed very much on the road. In basketball terms, on the road means playing away from home, and I mostly traveled the roads of R.J. Barett’s hometown, Mississauga. It’s fairly smooth and quiet, but feels larger than life — Mississauga that is, but R.J. Barrett, too, I guess, as well the Defender.
It’s not difficult to park but its chunky demeanour makes it feel like it’s taking up a lot more space than it actually is, like Kyle Lowry guarding big men in the post. You’re probably between the parking space lines; I was, despite feeling like I wasn’t.
Natural Resources Canada shows its combined fuel consumption as 13.0 L/100 km (14.2 city, 11.7 highway); it’s not the worst of big SUVs, but it’s definitely not the best — and remember, it needs premium gas.
Signing bonuses vs. trades
Despite our (the fans’) wants and needs, sometimes teams make mid-season trades and it can mess with the flow, but then again, sometimes it leads to a championship. In other words, sometimes you have to give a little to get a little, and that’s exactly how I feel about this SUV.
I’ve grown so accustomed to some features that living without them — much like cheering on a team without Lowry — seems hopeless.
For example, I like when the fob passes close enough to the car that a pull of the handle unlocks it. With the Defender, you have to press the unlock button on the handle. It’s so silly, and sure, most people get used to it in due time, but I kept shooting backwards because the handle wouldn’t unlock the door (#firstworldproblems). Also, you can’t save your seat settings. Also, I still miss Lowry.
Losing Lowry is also like losing the power adjustability functions on your seat. On a luxury vehicle — despite its rugged capabilities — this should be standard, but it’s not.
No offence to the up-and-coming rookies, but if I had the option (and money), I’d bring back Lowry and DeRozan (despite their ages and their own career choices) because new and modern isn’t always better.
2022 Land Rover Defender 110 Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Land Rover Defender 110 Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Land Rover Defender 110 Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Land Rover Defender 110 Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Land Rover Defender 110 Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Land Rover Defender 110 Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Land Rover Defender 110 Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Land Rover Defender 110 Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Land Rover Defender 110 Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Land Rover Defender 110 Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Land Rover Defender 110 Photo by Renita Naraine
The manual seat setting is like Jose Calderon, who was a basic necessity, but not a luxury, so the automatic seats are Lowry, making every other non-essential feature — that comes at an added cost something like Goran Dragic. Are you still with me? I don’t blame you if you’re lost. All I’m saying is I don’t need the digital rearview mirror (Dragic) for an extra $500 (how much did we pay Dragic to do pretty much nothing?), but instead I just want standard automatic seats (Lowry). Jose filled the point-guard role adequately in his time, but we’ve all moved on from manual seat settings.
That said, there are things that I’d be willing to forego, for the right price. And I can only assume that from a business standpoint, part of the trade comes with foregoing certain talents to attain others, at the right price — whether it’s in basketball or the automotive world.
2022 Land Rover Defender 110 Photo by Renita Naraine
Safety
The referee sees everything — arguably — and calls it like it is, arguably biased every once in a while, but still required to make a call. In the Defender, think of the ref as your safety features and driver aids; always looking out for you and always willing to blow the whistle to alert you of each and every thing. But also sometimes really annoying and often getting things wrong.
No seat belt? Foul! Too close to another car? Foul! There’s a person walking behind you? Foul! The door is open? Foul! It’s like you’re playing against LeBron James.
DE-FENSE! (If you didn’t read that in the voice you would use at an actual basketball game, then you’ve probably found this review itself a technical foul.)
Fred VanVleet has the most assists on the current team roster, but as the overworked captain of your vehicle, it’s nice to have a little help every once in a while — just like Siakam stepping up his passing and three-point shooting, the Defender’s standard traffic sign recognition, 3D surround camera, blind spot assist, and lane keep assist are appreciated.
2022 Land Rover Defender 110 Photo by Renita Naraine
Final thoughts
I can’t see myself driving this off-road-ready vehicle around the neighbourhood; there’s really no reason for something of its stature to be around school zones. According to the Land Rover website, the Defender is “the most configurable Land Rover ever.” It offers ultimate personalization; shoppers can choose from four accessory packages to better suit their lifestyle. The Urban Package is marketed to families who want to stand out with bright metal pedals that no one will ever see, and navigate the “urban jungle.”
Jungle or not, the base price of this tested vehicle was $65,500 (now $66,800, as shown on the Land Rover website), but it also has $8,920 in options. I can live without the $500 digital rearview mirror, but that’s not going to bring down the price by much, and all the other unnecessary features are standard.
It’s not the best family hauler out there but it’ll get the job done — much like the Raptors, arguably not the most amazing team in the NBA, but they frequently score 12 three-pointers, which means a free medium French fries from McDonald’s (what more could you ask for?).
Basically, what I’m trying to say is, if necessary, you can have an off-road vehicle and family car all-in-one; sounds like the game-winning shot to me, and one.
Keyword: Millennial Mom's Review: 2022 Land Rover Defender 110