Land Rover Defender 130 - 8-Seater Family SUV (ENG) - Test Drive and Review

Land Rover Defender is available in three body lengths: 90, 110 and 130, a reference to the original Defender naming scheme, which was derived from the three wheelbase lengths. First it was either 90 or 110 inches. Later on a 127-inch wheelbase specialty model was developed. But since 127 doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, the model was renamed 130, even though the wheelbase was really 127 inches.
Today, the 90, 110 and 130 are just a general indication of size - the 90 is the short Defender with a 259-cm (or 102-inch) wheelbase, the 110 is the standard Defender with a 302-cm (119-inch) wheelbase, and the 130 is the long-body Defender with 34 cm extra space behind the second row of seats, but with the same wheelbase as the 110.
The Defender 130 is almost 536 cm long, but about 25 cm is the boot door mounted spare wheel protruding beyond the vehicle’s outline. But those extra 34 cm behind the second row of seats make a big difference. Land Rover Defender 130 can be order as an 8-seater.
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↔ Land Rover Defender 130 dimensions:
✔ length: 5358 mm
✔ width: 2008 mm
✔ height: 1970 mm
✔ wheelbase: 3022 mm
✔ boot/trunk: 160-1876 L
💲 Land Rover Defender 130 starting price: 90 000 euro
💲 Land Rover Defender 130 P300 price as tested: 105 000 euro
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#MarekDrivesENG #LandRoverDefender #Defender130
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Marek Drives reviews are independent and based on personal experience with cars provided by car manufacturers for media to review. No carmarker has any influence on what is being said in the review, nor are they given a preview. No carmarker pays me to do these reviews. My sponsors are you - the viewers, Channel Members, and occasional non-carmaker entities, whose sponsorship is always clearly marked.
Chapters:
0:00 intro
0:30 model lineup
1:45 dimensions
2:30 third row
4:15 isofix
4:30 rear seat
5:15 boot
7:45 cockpit
8:45 performance
10:00 air suspension
10:15 driving impressions
12:05 pricing
12:30 conclusion

[@sha22276]

I think this is a very interesting proposition for someone with a large family! I wish it was more affordable

[@MarekDrivesENG]

KIA EV9 7/6-seater or VW Multivan are good (and less pricey) options.

[@broverogers7759]

I like the Land Rover 130 for the extended more space. I watch from Kuwait

[@MarekDrivesENG]

Are new Defenders popular in Kuwait? In Dubai they seem to have dethroned the G-Class, as must have 4x4. Until the new G-Class arrives.

[@makgalemarcusmathale1066]

Best review of this car I have seen. Thank you.

[@MarekDrivesENG]

Wow, thanks!

[@terryvarta9306]

good job mate thats really a good car

[@ivanmifsud6972]

Lovely looking car and amazing exterior colour!

[@adamuppsala1931]

I absolutely loved this video with the historical insights at the beginning. The 3rd row isn't for the younger but rather for the undersized passengers. Old, small people will fit in there as well.

[@adillahmillah2570]

The most complete review 👏👏👏

[@tonymcgenius1844]

Great review. A 3 litre diesel Defender 130 outbound is the best option in my opinion.

[@Da_StormtroopeR]

Perfect for your holiday trip to Paris. Un morceau de qualité de vie

[@sha22276]

Will get vandalised in Paris

[@MarekDrivesENG]

You could probably put a couple of tables around it, and make it a Parisian cafe :)

[@adamuppsala1931]

@@MarekDrivesENG 🤣

[@rocketdreamer]

Sei il migliore! My favourite the 3 doors . The real LR these days is to me the Disco full size.

[@duckham8668]

Hello @Marek, thank you for the excellent review. We're looking at getting the 130 but the boot space with the lump from the 3rd row of seats is really bad design. You mentioned that this will be going in the new model year. I can't seem to find anything online about this and the Land Rover rep I spoke to didn't know. Could you possibly expand a bit more on this please. Look forward to hearing from you.

[@MarekDrivesENG]

That's all I know. JLR in Poland has nothing to add.

[@duckham8668]

@@MarekDrivesENG Thanks very much, I'll enquire further. We're looking to renew our vehicle in March of 2025 so we'll probably have some more info by then. Thanks very much again.

[@Commentator541]

So many of my neighbors have it, and I would love to hate it, but it looks goood.

[@MarekDrivesENG]

I guess it does get a bit old, when the whole neighbourhood drives them, but somehow I wouldn't mind one either :)

[@AHarker100]

I would like an 8 seater, I'm off to Euro Disney this summer. Think it wiser to hire a minibus and save 90000 euros. 😅

[@hss925]

Go head lol

[@chocktalk]

anyone know about the miantenace cost on these? is it same as range rover?

[@McGrogansSchool]

Music in intro? Who is/are the artist/s? Great review and as usual on point.

[@MarekDrivesENG]

Artlist stock. I don't keep track. Sorry.

[@ptick16]

I'm making this comment long enough for it to be counted. This is just to support your channel.

[@shroomyesc]

Funnily enough in Finland this is the cheapest size of Defender because the importer decided to register them as light duty trucks instead of cars since they're so big and heavy that they can.

[@MarekDrivesENG]

Interesting. In Poland we used to have a tax exemption for "light duty delivery vehicles", which would include basically anything, as long as it had a bulkhead between the cargo and passenger space, and a tailgate. So all estates and many hatchbacks bought by small businesses would have a grille between the boot and the passenger compartment, making the car useless, because you couldn't really the full cargo space with the seats folded. And if you removed the grill, and the police would stop you, you'd pay some ridiculous fine for tax evasion. Nowadays only cars with a bulkhead behind the first row of seats can be registered as light duty trucks. And that's how we get the Jimny nowadays, because otherwise it doesn't pass European emissions.

[@shroomyesc]

@@MarekDrivesENG We in Finland have a similiar exemption that exists for vans, in which case you don't even need a bulkhead as long as all seats are in a single row and the maximum weight is 3500kg. Since diesel adds a hefty tax increase for cars, a lot of people with diesel wagons or MPVs (the car has to be registered as a wagon or "multi purpose vehicle" to get the exemption) turn them into "vans" by removing the rear seats completely. But yes, if you get caught having rear passengers that is a hefty fine to pay.

[@nikolayrayanov2895]

Can this be a 9-seater? In the US they have a middle seat at the front.

[@MarekDrivesENG]

No idea, what are the regulations for that in the US. In Europe AFAIR 3rd row of seats (even in the 110) automatically prevents you from configuring the front row jumpseat. You'd have to check the current configurator in your country.

[@system11yt]

What do you think of the Defender 90 vs the Discovery Sport? I'm trying to choose between them. We have no children so the seating isn't of huge importance.

[@MarekDrivesENG]

Watch my reviews on both: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qITOm3Z7pb5oosU kzbin.info/www/bejne/ipCoenqPhbJnodE Seating isn't the issue. It's practicality (or lack thereof). The Defender 90 is purely a lifestyle vehicle. You can pack a couple of bags for the weekend, and look cool, when you turn up with mud up to the roof at some fancy country estate. I'd love to have one, but (spoiler alert!) my filming gear doesn't fit in the boot. The Discovery Sport on the other hand is just meh. It's a car they knew it's going to sell, so they made it. It's practical enough, premium enough... Depending on where you live, it may be a less common alternative to the Q5, X3, GLC or XC60 (all of them are better cars BTW). I think it's overpriced.

[@system11yt]

@@MarekDrivesENG I ended up buying a Defender 90 - the looks and cabin were too nice to ignore, I will make do with the lack of practicality. Fortunately the one I found (a 2020 with only 4k miles) has a towbar so at least I can easily fit the bike carrier,

[@shubhangmishra9405]

I Like Land Rover Defender 90 And 130 Both

[@Maxime-ho9iv]

Those are honestly all 8 seaters compromises.

[@M.Captain]

Where is the diagonal approach? :P

[@MarekDrivesENG]

I didn't notice the obstacle, and forgot to film it :)

[@M.Captain]

:)))))))

[@jamesking2724]

Please review GLC de

[@MarekDrivesENG]

GLE de is on the menu in a couple of months.

[@alliejr]

Seems like the Defender with its many variants is now eclipsing the Discovery as the basic commodity LR model.

[@MarthaMansbridge]

Defender is LR’s best selling model by some margin, twice as many as the next model which is Range Rover and it outsells the Discovery about 6 times over. Discovery is LR’s lowest selling model.

[@MarekDrivesENG]

Hence the recently announced "House of Brands" strategy, where they're going to make distinctive products under the Discovery, Defender, and Range Rover brands. Next gen Defender will sit on the Range Rover platform, etc.

[@johnw65uk]

Don’t know about Poland but in the UK this takes up an entire parking space. Had to squeeze into my car as one of these tanks parked next to me in the supermarket.

[@MarekDrivesENG]

Our parking spots have to be 2.5 x 5 meters. And you're not going to get fined for parking like an asshole in a public space. I heard in the UK parking spaces are a bit smaller, and there are many of the older type that were OK for cars produced in the 70s or 80s, and that you get fined by parking administrators for taking up more space. If I had to park it in an underground parking garage every day, I'd probably want a space next to a pillar on the driver door side for more space to get in and out, and I'd pity the person having to park next to me on the other side :)

[@johnw65uk]

@@MarekDrivesENG yeah some of our underground car parks are so tight I use my wife’s Aygo but you get big SUVs and they just arrogantly use the larger spots intended for parents with babies just so they can open the doors. Maybe I’m too considerate but would never get anything so big for these reasons.

[@fatphoca5009]

​@@johnw65ukgiven that cars are all getting wider think architects need to take this into consideration instead of trying to cram as many spaces into an area as possible. Just deleting one space makes a big difference to everyone not just those with bigger cars.

[@autowiewiorka771]

👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@janvusi1407]

I think 8 seater kia carnival has better boot space when 3rd row is up, although 130 3rd row is comfortable to caryy adults

[@MarekDrivesENG]

I bet. But we don't have it here in Europe, because emissions.

[@extreme8808]

I'm still waiting on that Lexus van to hit the reviewers. The 130 for me is just an overly expensive van. And with JLR's should we say colourful reliability history, I'd rather have that van be Japanese instead of breaking down on my way to the sea resort with another family (my neighbours) in it to complain 😅

[@MarekDrivesENG]

I'll be reviewing it in April/May. Stay tuned. AFAIR it's also quite expensive.

[@laupakhin]

Thanks for the review, Marek. I think I actually dislike this 130 variant of the Defender a little bit, if I'm being honest. The tail end looks really awkward to me, like it was a facelift afterthought, and whoever signed off on that hump when the third row is folded should be fired. The legroom also seems lacking for a vehicle this length. My pefect spec would be the most basic 90 on steelies, with the jump seat so I can use all the rear for carrying stuff. Anything else would be too luxurious for a Defender.

[@MarekDrivesENG]

Funny. Whenever I see the 110 now, I think it's too short :) Having said that, if the 90 had a usable boot, I'd sell a kidney, and get one.

[@fatphoca5009]

That hump is really annoying and was a deal breaker. I'm glad to hear it's disappearing soon.

[@MSLagunaBeach]

@@MarekDrivesENG is the hump disappearing on the 3 row 130 for real or did they mean there's no hump on the 5 seater 130 outbound?

[@MarekDrivesENG]

@MSLagunaBeach I was told it will disappear on the 7-seater. Basically they will raise the floor behind the third row to make more underfloor storage, and to make the already small space behind the third row even less usable. I love how the Defender looks, but the cargo area is probably the worst design I've seen in cars. Even the Hardtop versions are compromised in this respect.

[@hedydd2]

A large family is certainly expensive to run. 😨

[@MarekDrivesENG]

Word!

[@martyn_g]

LR has got some serious overlap in their range. Here in Australia the base model is over $100K - which is well into Discovery money. They need to get back to its roots, make it 35% cheaper, and strip out all the luxuries. Give me a full vinyl floor, no infotainment, cloth seats etc. it total bullshit how LR has ruined this legacy model and pushed it upmarket.

[@MarekDrivesENG]

That ship has sailed. These days Land Rover wants to take its brand further up the luxury segment.

[@Godzyala]

Proper funeral home car's....with Dacia interior so that dead can't c how bad it is inside (coffin has better view from inside). DEFENDER the one of the few cars that instead goes with progress actually goes backwards....phenomenal car not to buy.

[@akutakut7893]

lack of engineering and design. boot and third-row seat.

[@kevinn1158]

I like this thing but I get a collective ewwww from my wife and 2 daughters when we see one here. Which means everybody should just go buy a redesigned Lexus GX and the other Land Rover made by Toyota called the Land Cruiser. ;).

[@MarekDrivesENG]

Are the women in your life willing to settle for Toyotas? You manage their expectations well.

[@kevinn1158]

@@MarekDrivesENG 🤪

[@next9245]

imposing vehicle but still an unreliable JLR/Tata product