During our majestic and rugged week with the Defender, 90 viewers provided tons of critiques. But their complaints were met with confusion as they appeared not to know the truth. He’s an incredibly capable off-roader who is a serious rival to the Ford Bronco Raptor and the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon.
Is the 2023 Land Rover Defender 90 better than the Ford Bronco Raptor?
The 2023 Land Rover Defender 90 and both have strengths and weaknesses to consider. For example, the Bronco Raptor is a convertible and the technology is more intuitive.
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While the Bronco Raptor has surer brakes, there is noticeable lag under harder acceleration and downshifts are a bit more aggressive. The Defender 90 has smoother gear changes, but the brakes take time to master.
Is the 2023 Defender 90 good for off-roading?
Yes, the 2023 is an excellent off-road vehicle. People claimed it would leave us stranded and loved to point out the 20-inch wheels wrapped in off-road tires. The big 37-inch tires on the Bronco Raptor feel a little safer.
However, the Defender 90 is perfectly capable with stock tyres. Provides plenty of grip on slippery slopes, deep mud, while some tires are in the air, and while wading through water.
The Defender has an adaptive air suspension that increases ground clearance from 8.6 to 11.5 inches. It can ford water up to 35.4 inches deep, which surpasses the fording ability of the Jeep Wrangler. In addition, the water depth sensor measures the depth of the water.
It has an approach angle of 38.0 degrees, a departure angle of 28.0 degrees, and an exit angle of 40.0 degrees. The electronic differential includes torque vectoring with automatic braking. Additionally, there are driving modes for Auto, Rock Crawl, Gravel/Snow, Mud and Sand.
There are many camera views for a 360 degree display, what’s in front of you, and side profiles. The digital instrument cluster and infotainment screen provide off-road stats like how much power each wheel has, what tires are flat, pitch/roll, and how steep obstacles are.
How reliable is the Defender 90?
The 2023 earned a reliability rating of 70 out of 100 from JDPower. It enters with an average rating and has improved since it was brought to the US in 2020.
Land Rover has shared that the Defender 90’s suspension is engineered to provide world-class durability and can withstand severe and repetitive impacts. Our tester had over 10,000 patterns and was ready for a few extreme obstacles and impacts.
While traversing larger bumps and rough, rocky terrain, impacts were quickly resolved. We didn’t hear any worrisome squeaks and the interior didn’t shake. The Defender was so reliable in warfare and in the desert that the United States used it during the Gulf War.
The interior is also resistant. Even the soft materials like the suede steering wheel and headlining have withstood over 10,000 miles of use without tears or stains. Textured trim and protective mats can stand up to abuse.
It’s time to give the Defender 90 a chance because it can rule nature while providing more comfort and convenience than the competition. We’ve used the rivals for sand dune hopping, rock climbing and wilderness exploration, and the Defender is just as capable, if not more.
