The All-New 2023 Land Rover Defender 130 Will Start At Under $70,000
Image: Land Rover
Land Rover has finally entered the three row, eight-passenger SUV game. Yea, I know, there’s a three-row Discovery, but it’s limited with its 5+2 seating arrangement, and that third row is only useable if you’re a kid. So, Land Rover upped the Defender’s game to make it the brand’s people hauler.
Image: Land Rover
The Defender is all about length. While the 130 is actually 7.7 inches shorter than the Discovery, its wheelbase is nearly four inches longer. The 130’s 211-inch length makes it just a bit longer than a Chevy Tahoe (210.7 inches) but shorter than a Jeep Wagoneer (214.7 inches).
Image: Land Rover
All that length is suitable to create the Defender’s useable third row and cargo capacity. Land Rover says there’s 13.7 cubic feet of cargo space with the third row up. That grows to 43.5 cubic feet with the third row folded; it’s 80.9 cubic feet of cargo space when the second and third rows are folded.
Image: Land Rover
While the big news is the extended length and third row, the bigger news concerns engine choices. Some may be disappointed here. The smaller tykes of the Defender models, the 90 and 110, come with a choice of three engines: the base 2.0-liter I4, a 3.0-liter straight-six or the top dog 5.0-liter supercharged V8. Meanwhile, the Defender 130 won’t use any of these engines. Instead, Land Rover will offer the 130 with an “all-new” engine: The 3.0-liter I6 with a mild-hybrid setup. That engine is configured in two versions, with the Defender 130 P300 that will get 296 horsepower and 347 lb-ft of torque, and the Defender P400 will have 395 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque. Unfortunately, there’s been no word on whether or not the Defender 130 will get the 5.0-liter V8. It seems doubtful though as that tends to be more associated with a performance model. That, and you can’t have much fun in a 17-feet-long vehicle that carries eight people.
Because this is Land Rover badging, of course this is going to cost you. The Defender 130 will start at $69,350, including a $1350 destination charge. That price goes well into six figures when fully loaded. One special edition will be delivered to the Red Cross for Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee The rest of us will have to wait a little longer, as the Defender 130 is set to go on sale in the U.S. later this year.
Image: Land Rover
Image: Land Rover
