Land Rover Defender 90 75 Years Edition - Rich Man's Countryman (ENG) - Test Drive and Review

[@timoliver8940]

I had a 2020 D240 110 First Edition, despite a universally criticized engine I loved it but it was way bigger than I really needed as a single guy. I also run a Mini. Cooper S E (BEV). I ordered a D250 90 HSE in May 22 with expected delivery in November 23……….. it actually arrived in March 2023! It’s a fantastic car with the more than sufficient D250 engine, smooth quiet, economical on diesel and comfortable on the road, the grunt low down is better than in the D240 too, offroad it’s brilliant. Yes the boot is small, half the size of my 3 door Mini hatch seats up, and the Mini has it well and truly beaten for practicality seats folded. Such a pity that the 90’s rear seats don’t even get anywhere near folding flat although I belive you can remove the seat base quite easily and then the backs will fold flat but it isn’t really the car to be heading off into the wilds for a couple of months - the 110 commercial would make the ideal camper for that sort of trip!

[@MarekDrivesENG]

Useless trivia: in Poland the authorities announced a public tender for (let's call them) search and rescue services. The 110 didn't meet tender requirements, because there wasn't enough room for a stretcher. JLR bid again, when 130 debuted, and only then some were acquired.

[@fionnofearghail4967]

Loving the new graphics Marek and their use as sort of chapter markers within the review 👌 feels like the proper start of the weekend when I receive your newsletter email on a Friday!

[@sinabakhshalian6752]

Love your reviews and your sense of humour.

[@roman_tsura]

Great review. I'd add it's worth watching. Grasmere green looks perfect. When I saw it for the first time, I was taken aback by this color. I've been watching this video for about half an hour (Polish + English ver.) and I can say that I didn't like this crossover first but then it grew on me

[@sinisajakus3602]

fantastičan u svakom smislu

[@themichal2298]

Green is my favourite colour so it's a win for me :)

[@Pinash1970]

Extraordinary review as always

[@MarekDrivesENG]

I appreciate that

[@AliHijazi]

every week I wait for your email to watch the weekly video really sarcastic and down-to-earth showing your mini in the background at the beginning of the episode you made me laugh at the end when you revealed the reason as for the LR I only like the dashboard inside and some parts of the body that resemble immensely body parts of the previous generations

[@ianstewart2723]

First class review and I loved the footage of the old defenders. Still love my countryman based on your advice and review so huge thank you.

[@MarekDrivesENG]

It's comforting to know how much money one saved buying a Countryman over a Defender, eh? :)

[@openmindedbloke]

Excellent review. Thank you.

[@MarekDrivesENG]

Thanks for watching!

[@joezephyr]

I am Australian and enjoy your reviews thank you. I am a Jeep Wrangler guy 😄

[@MarekDrivesENG]

Thanks for watching! I love the Wrangler for what it is, but I don't think I could make it work on Warsaw :)

[@gregj7916]

The 130 looks ridiculous, yet nothing as ridiculous as the purchase price… colour is nice…steering like a cruise ship in a storm…

[@richardward2469]

Nice production value bro

[@MarekDrivesENG]

Appreciate that

[@richardward2469]

I like the colour,it’s different.nice vehicles.

[@AHarker100]

If the green was more like the original, then it would be better. I would go for the 5 door.

[@chandimagooneratne6504]

The green is a called sage green and is actually the color of the very first pre production and early production series 1. Hence why they have used this.

[@kevinn1158]

Aerodynamics of a pile of bricks and steers like a cruise ship... hummm sounds like I need to test drive one of these!! Did you see the Kia EV9 yet Marek?

[@MarekDrivesENG]

Only pictures and videos. Looks impressive, but since it's an EV, I know it's going to be a dud here in Poland.

[@laupakhin]

I really like the colour on this, it really suits the car. Too bad it doesn't seem to be offered on non special edition cars. I just took a look at the configurator and I counted 14(!) different wheel options, and somehow Land Rover has made them all look more worse than the base steel wheel :D

[@MarekDrivesENG]

Indeed. When we were speccing "our" Defender it was always on steelies. Though good people of Dubai don't seem to mind, and get theirs on black 21"s or bigger :)

[@mikefarrimond3977]

This motor would be the tits if I lived alone. However, with a wife, two kids and a dog… and not wanting to remortgage my house to purchase one I’ll pass on this occasion. Great review, Marek.

[@MarekDrivesENG]

You could always sell kids for experiments, but I imagine that would not sit well with the missus :)

[@mikefarrimond3977]

@@MarekDrivesENG Stop giving me ideas, Marek!

[@rimmerblues1586]

Nice video again 👍 Indeed this 90 version is a bit of a fail, no good as a school-run Chelsea Tractor coz of access to the rear nor no good as an actual farm machine as the rear load-space is naff. They should've have the option to do-away with the rear seats and have the whole of the rear as load space, mini-van style, IMO. Still good for drone rescue in any case 😂

[@MarekDrivesENG]

They do. It's called the Hard Top.

[@Nordkapp65]

Would like one but the 90 is so compromised in the rear. Looking at the Lexus NX250 or even a land cruiser

[@emptyMan0]

I think it could have been a better commemorative edition with the white steel rims.

[@MarekDrivesENG]

Polish importer wants to paint steelies Grasmere Green, and offer it as a local option. Could be interesting.

[@emptyMan0]

@@MarekDrivesENG Definitely

[@davidhunternyc1]

I bet the Suzuki Jimny would get up that hill. No problem.

[@MarekDrivesENG]

My Countryman did (barely). I'll have to give it a go again in the summer, when I'm back on all terrain tires, rather than winter road tires.

[@NigelRudyard]

Great review, pricey LR!

[@extreme8808]

I genuinely like the colour, although not on the wheels. JLR have advanced a lot in the recent years, in my opinion. The question of reliability is still pending though. Then there's the perceived engine pride. Granted, the group has the technological know-how and a ready-made engines in their bin, but they are helplessly outdated and very thirsty. In this day and age, where fuel economy is gaining significant importance, is it worth to keep use those? Buying engines from the Germans seems like the logical decision.

[@MarekDrivesENG]

They did with the V8, and in my tests it was more economical, than the inline 6.

[@extreme8808]

@@MarekDrivesENG I forgot they've put a V8 in the Defender 😅 There you go - you've actually proven that point 🙏

[@sinanspearhead]

Yeah that's it! With this car it's just possible to "defend" yourself in traffic against the enemy cars...

[@rwindypops8569]

When you drive in the UK, these bloody things are on every road. These cars have a very large cult following, with a over priced price.

[@reserva120]

the rear seats can come out..

[@MarekDrivesENG]

Doesn't solve the bar issue.

[@RaduB.]

This Defender 90 would be somewhat more useful without the back seats. I wonder who is this vehicle for... Rich spoiled kids excluded. The colour doesn't really bother me. Strange as it is. 🙂

[@MarekDrivesENG]

There's always the commercial hard top version. 90 and 110.

[@richardward2469]

Sarcasm 😳I didn’t detect any sarcasm 😳😳🤣🤣🤣💖🤟☯️

[@takuan650]

Nice car but nice to forget with these prices and fuel consumption and small luggage space and tricky access to the rear seats and environmentally unsustainable and - - - is there an electric version?

[@MarekDrivesENG]

As far as I'm concerned everyone else can drive electric, while I'll have a petrol or diesel Defender :)

[@davidhunternyc1]

Grasmere Green? That's more like Puke Green. It's the wrong green. It doesn't work.

[@MarekDrivesENG]

try [e-mail] :)

[@davidhunternyc1]

@@MarekDrivesENG I love how you included shots of the stunningly lush Grasmere countryside in your video. The greens were magnificent, nothing like the Puke Green on the Land Rover.

[@envy_se2078]

im sorry... did u say the defender is a tru offroader?? was that a joke orr like are u for real it dosent have solid axles, it has all that fake "sand mode" "grass mode bs" my jimny would smash that outa the park in relaibility and off road perfomance any day also can car testers stop doing tests with road tiers ur wasting ur time its not the right test do it right put middies on there and go do hard shit

[@andersemanuel]

SAD but this is pretty and very expensive crap. Or IMAGE is everything.

[@MarekDrivesENG]

If I could afford it, I'd somehow manage to live with this burden :)

[@btoni2957]

Avoid this car ! 5 month old 2 months in service !