Land Rover Defender X P400 SE

Go-Anywhere 4x4

The Land Rover Defender X P400 SE

Story and photos by Gerry Frechette

It has be tough for a manufacturer these days to bring back a model that was so respected for its capabilities back in the day. A quarter century or so has passed since Land Rover last sold the Defender in North America, which was launched right after World War II as Britain’s go-anywhere 4x4.

Why so tough? Because fans of the brand, and they are legion, would expect nothing less than the same sort of ruggedness and off-road prowess as the first 50 years of Defenders had. But much has changed in the auto business in the past couple of decades, and people want it all – luxury, comfort, style, performance....you get the picture.

So, the new Defender would have to be many things in one package, the basis of which is an all-aluminum monocoque chassis; the bodyon-frame concept of the original just would not allow the kind of onroad performance that is expected these days. What does allow such a vehicle to be all things to all people is technology, and lots of it.

To be one of the best off-roaders in the world takes a very advanced all-wheel drive system that distributes torque to the axle that needs it the most, with the optional Electronic Active Differential that sends torque side-to-side at the rear, a feature that makes Defender that much more capable. A two-speed transfer case does its usual thing for torque multiplication, and Land Rover’s latest Terrain Response System lets the driver choose the driveline settings based on the terrain encountered.

The off-road settings include Grass-Gravel-Snow, Mud Ruts, Sand, Rock Crawl, Wade, and Configurable. If there isn’t something there that covers where you are, then you are on the moon. In our brief off-road time with Defender in sand and dirt, we were able to find the

There is more. Raise the air suspension to the max, and you get almost 30 cm of ground clearance. Some of that ground might be submerged, so select Wade and go for it, confident that all the important electrical bits underneath have been sealed up for protection. The Defender will handle up to 90 cm (3 feet!) of water, but at that level, you’ll probably hope that you are not in a fast-moving river!

Eventually, most Defender drivers will need to hit paved roads to head home, and in that environment, it does well, too. The aforementioned air suspension combines with adaptive shock absorbers to deliver a smooth, even nimble ride for such a big vehicle. You can lower the suspension to below Normal level, to aid in entry and egress from the vehicle, and to smooth out the aero at speed.

The standard engine in Defender is a 2.0-litre turbo-4, which reportedly delivers an adequate level of power (296 hp), but the engine to have is the 3.0-litre straight six (395 hp) that our tester had. Of interest is that it is both supercharged and turbocharged, and also has a 48-v motor-generator that harvests energy normally lost during deceleration and redeploys it to optimize performance. The supercharger is electric, not engine-driven like most of them, and takes care of lowRPM torque, until the turbo spools up and handles the higher engine speeds. It feels quick and responsive, and by the numbers, it is, with zero-to-100 km/h runs of 6.1 seconds, plenty quick for a 2,300-kg SUV, aided and abetted by the 8-speed transmission. Since we drove the Defender, Land Rover has added a V8 to the model line-up, for those who just must have one.

To get the six, one must have ordered at least the XS model, one up from the base model that only comes with the four. The model mix is somewhat bewildering in terms of what model gets what feature, but our X model tester was the top six-powered one, before you hit the V8. To get the air suspension, adaptive shocks and electronic differential, you need to get the X. Unfortunately, no model comes with the diesel, available elsewhere in the world.

While the exterior is somewhat as you’d expect, a traditional boxy design in tune with the Defender’s heritage, it is the interior where Land Rover’s designers really went to town. The look is premium and a bit old-school utilitarian at the same time, with exposed bolts in the door panels, for example. Most of it, though, looks like somewhere you’d like to spend a lot of time, the seats being trimmed in Ebony Windsor leather and what LR calls Steelcut fabric, which means very durable and technical-looking. The 12.3-inch interactive driving display is one of the more clear and responsive on the market, although the menu system on it is one of the more unique and takes some learning to use.

Said seats have plenty of support in all the spots you would want, and there is lots of room in all directions. The same goes for the second row, but not so much for the optional third row, with which our tester was equipped (for $2,600.) There is very little room back there for adults, and even less room behind it for cargo. Said cargo space is, of course, accessible by a tailgate, with hinges on the right side. Which means, it opens from the left, not so great for access when you are parked on the right side of a street.

There are a couple of options for the front seat area; you can remove the entire console and install a jump seat (for $950) that makes it three-across seating, or get a refrigerated centre console (for $800). Indeed, there are hundreds of options for personalization of the Defender; you can even buy jumper cables for $295.

The Defender X we drove starts at $99,900 and of course goes up quickly from there if you start checking lots of options boxes. But you can get into a nicely equipped base four cylinder model for $65,500, a level to which some non-luxury off-road brands have risen.

Is this a worthy successor to the original-style Defender? We would say that Land Rover has done a great job of maintaining its style and off-road prowess, while incorporating all the modern technology and on-road comfort that people expect these days.

photo credit: www.codymcgowan.ca

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Bucking Horse

2021 Ford Bronco Sport

Story by Spencer Whitney, photos courtesy of Ford Canada

Things don’t always go to plan; even if you’re one of the largest auto makers in the world. After many months of production delays, Ford’s long-anticipated full-size Bronco is beginning to appear on dealer lots. There are hopes that this late entry will give the Jeep Wrangler a run for its money, but Ford isn’t about to leave the rest of the off-road market untouched. A few months ago, a compact, economical little brother also appeared on the scene. The Bronco Sport is part of Ford’s efforts to create a Bronco brand that appeals to outdoor enthusiasts, even those with more modest budgets and less of an off-road appetite. Does that mean this compact adventurer could break through as a viable light-duty overland platform?

Small crossovers are largely overlooked when it comes to off-road and overland travel, but this trend appears to be changing. Automakers are now paying attention to buyers who desire a car-like driving experience on pavement as much as they need a weekend getaway vehicle that is confident and capable on gravel roads and loose terrain. Both Subaru and Toyota have stepped up with factory made gravel-ready versions of their Impreza and RAV-4 models, both of which already have excellent aftermarket support for adventure touring.

Bronco Sport shares some of its platform with the Ford Escape but ends up with a lot more cargo space thanks to a boxy design inspired by Broncos of years gone by. The spacious load area is more than enough for a week’s worth of camping supplies, and the pop-open rear window makes accessing a fridge or cooler that much easier. Fold down the rear seats, which sport permanently installed wear mats, and the Sport reveals itself as a very versatile hauler. Overall, the cabin is very spacious and on long off-road trips you might find it pleasantly comfortable, a factor that reduces fatigue significantly. Adding to the adventure-ready theme, MOLLE straps and plenty of pockets offer lots of places for your stuff.

engine choices. The standard 1.5L turbocharged EcoBoost is a three-cylinder power plant, and while this might have you raising an eyebrow, keep in mind that it still boasts 180 horsepower. With fuel prices rising consistently, an economical off-roader with plenty of range makes perfect sense – especially for long distance overland travel. If that doesn’t sound like enough grunt, the top-end Badlands trim (which also sports a type of locking rear differential) comes equipped with a 2.0L, 4-cylinder engine, and doesn’t perform that much worse when it comes to consumption.

For those longer trips, there’s a few points to consider for that purpose – thoughts for any 4x4, let alone a crossover intended mostly for city driving. The off-road oriented Badlands trim level of the Bronco Sport may come wearing decent rubber, but you’d likely want to invest in a set of tougher off-road tires. These more durable tires will take the abuse of gravel roads, allow you to air down for comfort without worrying about a broken tire bead, and most importantly they offer improved traction. Long drives will benefit from available advanced assistance features, such as radar cruise control, automatic lane keeping, and collision avoidance. Together these systems almost make the Bronco Sport ‘self driving’ save for the required periodic handling of the steering wheel. Even with every option ticked, the Bronco Sport still comes in at around the cost of a modestly optioned full-size Bronco – there’s a lot of value here.

Unlike its big brother, the Bronco Sport doesn’t come equipped with any kind of serious recovery points or protective armour. This isn’t necessarily a problem, because Ford assumes you won’t be driving on much more than the aforementioned gravel roads. That said,

it’s expected that the aftermarket will offer basic off-road upgrades for those who want to take their Bronco Sport to the extreme. In fact, there are already comprehensive roof rack systems available, allowing owners to mount shovels, recovery boards, and cargo just like full-size 4x4s can. Ford is also hoping you won’t get stuck in the first place thanks to their off-road terrain management system called “G.O.A.T.,” which offers programs for sand, mud and other types of rough road. While it is essentially just a selectable traction

Towing capacity doesn’t usually come to mind in a compact off-roader, given the small engines and even smaller chassis, but the Bronco Sport is indeed capable of hauling up to 2,200 lbs when equipped with the largest engine. This means a small overland trailer would be easy to lug around – some weigh in at under 1,000 lbs before payload, leaving you with space to store your gear and an appealing way to travel the backroads of Canada. Last year, Ford showed off a Bronco Sport concept that came equipped with steel-look aluminum wheels, and a full size RZR side-by-side in tow. This might seem silly to truck owners, but it’s becoming more common – especially with the price of trucks and the fuel that powers them climbing at a remarkable pace.

Though the Bronco brand consists of just two vehicles, we can only assume this will change in the coming years. Take a look at a Bronco or Bronco Sport and you won’t see a Ford logo

anywhere prominent – the bucking horse is being pushed as a full-on lifestyle brand, so it wouldn’t surprise anyone to see the addition of a more luxurious Bronco to take on the likes of the Jeep Grand Cherokee or Lexus GX.

The Bronco Sport platform is also being utilized for the upcoming Ford Maverick mini-pickup. This segment could be the next ‘big’ thing, with many city dwellers desiring an economical vehicle but still needing a way to haul stuff from time to time. The Maverick’s hybrid powerplant makes it the most fuel-efficient truck ever built, and the cheapest hybrid for sale in North America. Pickups have been a long-time favourite of off-roaders – a bed is just that much more useful than trunk space, and opens up all kinds of possibilities for mounting tents and other accessories. With the apparent success of the Bronco Sport, a growing compact overland scene, and an off-road market that loves pickup trucks, the Maverick could be the next big thing in overland travel – and how lucky would we be to see an off-road oriented, Bronco-branded version of the Maverick? Only time will tell!

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